Origins of Dha

ariel · 18th May 2006, 03:35 AM

Elgood, "Hindu arms and ritual", p.243
"Dab: (Rajastan). Local name for a variety of hafted weapons such as Bhuj or unusual axe forms"
I tried once to offer a Brahmin (Boston) pronounciation (Dahb) but no one was impressed

Still, don't you think that the SE Asian Dha (or Darb, as Mark insists) fits the description rather well?
What do we know about Rajastani/SE Asian contacts?

PUFF · 18th May 2006, 11:18 AM

IMHO, they shared the same root, Chinese Dao.

Andrew · 18th May 2006, 08:00 PM

lol. I missed that reference in Elgood, Ariel. Are you running out of reading material yet? How's the foot?

I think the similarity in names is coincidental. I agree with PUFF that some forms of dha/daab descend from Chinese dao, and will add that a compelling argument can be made that some are closely related to Naga and Kachin weapons (sword dao) of far northeast India, Assam and Burma.

D Wilke · 19th May 2006, 09:10 AM

Ariel, I think we need to distinguish between the roots of language and the roots of a certain sword style. Language will migrate faster than artifacts and while there is always trade I don't think we can draw a correlation between sword styles based on a correlation to language roots. Not that it can't be done, I just think it is a slippery slope.

Dan

ariel · 19th May 2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D Wilke

Ariel, I think we need to distinguish between the roots of language and the roots of a certain sword style. Language will migrate faster than artifacts and while there is always trade I don't think we can draw a correlation between sword styles based on a correlation to language roots. Not that it can't be done, I just think it is a slippery slope.

Dan

Sure it is slippery, but that's the fun of it!
Ever done sledding?

In a more serious vein, we may be too negative about the power of linguistics.

I see no problem that , when in different (but geographically bridgeable) societies, objects fulfilling the same function and having more than passing similarity are called by closely-sounding names, one may assume the existence of a connection between the cultures. Language is the functional DNA of humanity.

Andrew · 19th May 2006, 02:37 PM

Dan! Fayetteville? Welcome home, my friend.

Let me know if you have any plans to travel to Florida while you're here.

D Wilke · 20th May 2006, 05:39 AM

Andrew sent you a PM.

18th May 2006, 03:35 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Origins of Dha Elgood, "Hindu arms and ritual", p.243 "Dab: (Rajastan). Local name for a variety of hafted weapons such as Bhuj or unusual axe forms" I tried once to offer a Brahmin (Boston) pronounciation (Dahb) but no one was impressed Still, don't you think that the SE Asian Dha (or Darb, as Mark insists) fits the description rather well? What do we know about Rajastani/SE Asian contacts?

19th May 2006, 09:10 AM	#4
D Wilke Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Okinawa, JN Posts: 22	Language vs sword style Ariel, I think we need to distinguish between the roots of language and the roots of a certain sword style. Language will migrate faster than artifacts and while there is always trade I don't think we can draw a correlation between sword styles based on a correlation to language roots. Not that it can't be done, I just think it is a slippery slope. Dan

18th May 2006, 11:18 AM	#2
PUFF Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 30 miles north of Bangkok, 20 miles south of Ayuthaya, Thailand Posts: 224	IMHO, they shared the same root, Chinese Dao.

18th May 2006, 08:00 PM	#3
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	lol. I missed that reference in Elgood, Ariel. Are you running out of reading material yet? How's the foot? I think the similarity in names is coincidental. I agree with PUFF that some forms of dha/daab descend from Chinese dao, and will add that a compelling argument can be made that some are closely related to Naga and Kachin weapons (sword dao) of far northeast India, Assam and Burma.

19th May 2006, 02:37 PM	#6
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Dan! Fayetteville? Welcome home, my friend. Let me know if you have any plans to travel to Florida while you're here.

20th May 2006, 05:39 AM	#7
D Wilke Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Okinawa, JN Posts: 22	Andrew sent you a PM.