177. ker II = horn, horned animal, head, face, brain (JS-175-76).

Now, this IE root is phonetically exactly alike compared to the above noted root ker I, but denotes different meanings. Not only in view of the fact that there lays a great length of time between the time of the ancient Dravidians’ departure to Europe and the present, but since this root denotes: horn, an object which must have existed in greater antiquity, and therefore further extends the element of time involved here, it would be remarkable if Dravidian still has a word even remotely resembling the shape, form, and this meaning of the root ker II. Here again Dravidian illustrates her endurance, for she has more than one seed-word of this root. For instance, in DR. kor precisely denotes: horn (2200-Ga). Also note kor = horn (Go); kor = horn of cattle or wild animals (Go). Of course, in Greek koras denotes: horn; and in Latin cornu denotes: horn, and they are Dravidian cognates in Greek and Latin.

That this root denotes: horned animal is attested by DR. seed-words such as karas = sambar deer (1114-Nk); karsa = male of the bado-deer (Kur); krusu = barking deer (1785-Kui); kuran = hog deer (Ma); kori = antelope (Kol); kuri = antelope (Pa); kuruv = deer (Ga). Note that the word kuranga- = a species of antelope, antelope or deer in general, which is used in Sanskrit has genetic relationship with Dravidian. (see at the end of group 1785). This root also denotes: brain, and this is also attested by DR. for the DR. seed-word kuruti, precisely denotes: brain (1783-Ta). Note also that in DR. kirpa = skull (1555-Kuwi), and not surprisingly Greek khranion, denotes: skull; kara = head. Incidentally, in Greek crios denotes: ram, and it is a cognate of DR. krusu = jungle sheep (1785-Kui). Due to the Dravidian phonetic phenomenon which turns initial k into initial h (which was illustrated in the previous chapter), and which has left its imprint on its offspring: Indo-European, the Dravidian seed-word kor, denoting: horn, has become horn in English. What is actually happening here is that we are using Dravidian words to define Dravidian words which are in related forms in other languages, which is in itself the proof of their genetic relationship.

Some of the words ascribed by the scholars to this root are keratin, trikeratops, cranium, cranial, migrane, megrim, corn, cornea, cornet, cornucopia, tricorn, unicorn, Cornwall, Cornish (hen), corner, Capricorn, etc.

178. ker III, sker = scratch, cut, pluck, gather, dig, separate, sift (JS-177-78).

While dealing with ker III, JS refers to other roots kel VIII, (s)kel (= cut, divide – JS-168-69), and sek (= cut – JS-346), and under sek, he points out that the latter gave rise to ten forms, eight of which retained the initial s and two of them (kel VIII, and ker III) dropped initial s. It is this ker III that we are noting here. As usual DR. as the common source of IE illustrates that this root also is entwined with more than one seed-word. For instance, kere = to scratch (1564-Ka); kE.ri = to scratch (Ka); kerf- = to scratch (To); kir- or kirv- or kirch = to scratch (Pa); kirp- = (fowl) scratches (Pa); korai = a scratch, as on the body (2257-Ta); sek- = to itch (2800-Konda); chika = to scratch (2601-Ma); koru = to scratch (Te); kory- = to have desire to scratch (1124-To); kiru = to scratch (1623-Ta); kiral = scratching (Ta); kiruka = to scratch (Ta); kiruku = to scratch out (Ka); kirwanj = scratch (Go); kiru = scratch (Tu), etc. Note that JS points out that the meaning scratch, came to be associated with writing. This is correct, because, in DR. kuri denotes: to mark, take note of, regard, a mark, sign (1847-Ka); kuri = sign, mark, symbol, to draw, sketch outline in painting, sketch, design, think, intend, narrate briefly (Ta); kurippu = mark, sign (Ma); kurikka = to mark, note, write, point out, refer to (Ma); kurippu = memorandum, abstract, (Ma); kurupu = a mark, sign, token, characteristic (Ka); kiru = to scratch [[as on clay, bark, hide]] (1623-Ka); kiruku = to scratch out, erase (Ka); kiru = to scratch, draw lines, scribble, write, scrawl, stroke, writing (Ta); kirukku = scribble, scoring out anything written (Ta) [[note some derived Germanic forms denote: scar, score, etc., and in Russian, skrobota = scratch – JS-177]]; ki.r = a mark, line (To); kira = stripe (Kol); kurepuni = to bore, scrape (1818-Tu); karukku = engraving, carving, embossed work, bass relief (Ka); karuv-idu = to put bosses or raised figures, mould, model (Ka); karu = a mould (Tu); karugu = a mould (Tu); karu = figure, mould (Ma); sekk- = to chip, scrape (2748-Nk); sek = to fashion things out of wood (Konda), etc. Note that the above noted DR. word kiru not only denotes: scratch, but draw lines, scribble, write, scrawl, stroke, writing, and thus illustrates that the association of ker III, sker with scratching and writing is not accidental but has its foundation in Dravidian itself.

Note that the root also denotes: cut, pluck, gather, dig, etc. Here, note that in DR. kiru = to cut (1624—Ta); kori = to cut (1859-Ka); kore = cutting (Ka); kuru = to pluck (Ta); ku.r- = to gather (1882-Ko); kurp- = to collect, join or put together (Konda); koruka = to gather up (2231-Ma); koruni = to dig up or out (2257-Tu); kerantu = to dig, scratch (1564-Ka); kar- = to dig (1467-Go; Mand).