The sound z occurs frequently. I was often doubtful whether to write dz or z, especially at the ends of personal names, and in other cases what was obviously the same termination was pronounced more like dj; thus I was often [[614]]doubtful whether to write the name Piliodz in this way or as Pilioz or Piliodj; (the three English equivalents would be the sounds of Dods, Boz and Dodge).
The sounds s and sh are often inserted euphonically; thus, the name Kuriolv is as often as not pronounced Kursiolv, and, more rarely, Kurshiolv.
Sacred Language
There are three varieties of sacred language in use among the Todas. There is the kwarzam the word or clause used in prayer and other sacred formulæ; secondly, there are certain words and phrases peculiar to the ti dairy; and thirdly, there are certain words called by the Todas, teu language, which are only used in the legends of the gods.
The kwarzam is used especially for the names of gods, persons or objects used in the first portions of the prayers. It is also used in the magical formulæ and in the funeral laments, but it may be that the last use is only due to an extension of the strict meaning of the term. When I began to collect the prayers, I hoped that the kwarzam might turn out to belong to some ancient and otherwise forgotten language, but their general nature is evidently the same as that of other Toda words. The kwarzam arises either by a slight modification of a name in ordinary use or as a phrase recording some historical or mythical incident.
I give here a short list of kwarzam which, with a few exceptions, have not occurred elsewhere. The following are the kwarzam of the Tarthar clans:—
The Nòdrsol, Nòdrstharkûtthars; the Karsol, Kârstharkunnadrpêdr; the Panol, Pandârpeshdthvaimokh; the Taradrol, Pülkudutharpeithar; the Keradrol, Kerâdrtharkerâdrkûtan; the Kanòdrsol, Munantharpinnantho; the Kwòdrdoniol, Adutharathiars; the Pämol, Pämûtharkathar; the Melgarsol, Narzthar. The kwarzam of the Kuudrol is Ivikanmokhkûtmeilteu (see p. [101]), but the other Teivali clans have no such special names.
The only one of the above, of which the meaning is quite [[615]]clear, is that of Pan, in which case the kwarzam gives the names of the two kudr of the clan (see p. [652]). The latter part of the kwarzam of the Keradrol means a horn or son of Keradr, and is also the name of a man, and with further knowledge there is little doubt that the other kwarzam would be found to have some meaning.
The following are the kwarzam of the buffaloes of the different clans:—