国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

a) They may contain a name or epithet connected with mythology, or the heroic
period of Indian history, as Debgárh, Rámpur, Síbgánj. Also names occur connected
with modern history; in India they are chiefly of Arabic origin, as Akbarabád,
Jahangírpúr, &c. Particular classes or qualities of men (as king, hero, &c.) are less
frequent; the combination with Rája, however, may be mentioned as not unusual,
also Birbhúm, the country of heroes, and Lohárgáñ, smith's village, may be compared:
castes and the names of tribes are remarkably rare in geographical compositions.

b) Descriptive delineation of a physical or geographical feature of the object is
another frequent type in the formation of names. As examples from India, I mention
Jálapur, Nílgiris, from Tibet, where they are very often used, Maryúl, the low
country; Róngdo, a place full of defiles. The introduction of names of products also
have affinity with this group, as Dudhgáñ, milk-village; Machlibándar, fish-harbour.

In general, it would appear highly probable, that the physical types might be
met with in the oldest names; but for India, at least, this does not quite coincide
with the actual distribution. As an explanation of this, I would suggest, that the
older settlements, which so often, from geographical causes, are also the most import-
ant ones, nearly always received several names in succession, before they obtained
one intimately connected with an ideal, or historical meaning, coinciding besides with
a period, when the place was already very widely known — circumstances, which
generally exclude any later alteration, unless conquering tribes directly interfere.

c) Names which reveal no traces of compound formation in one or other of the
forms just alluded to, are comparatively rare; we meet occasionally, however, with
names such as — durg, fort, gárh, fort, púra, town, which are simply generic words
locally applied. The names of a divine being, such as Krishna, Nánda Dévi, &c.,
are also sometimes used for topographical objects without any further modification or
addition. It is very rare that such personal names have a derivative terminal syllable
added, as Índri, Sikándra, Mohámmada.

The form, colour, or any peculiarity of a river, peak, &c., not unfrequently furnishes
its name; as Lohit, the red (river); Lóni, the saltish (river); Dápsang (a very high
peak), the sublime apparition.

A peculiar difficulty arises in determining the etymology of many names, in con-
sequence of the gradual modification of their forms, this being more especially the
case with words in most frequent use; thus the connection of Maissúr with Mahishasúra,