Translation of Indian blade inscription

laEspadaAncha · 24th February 2012, 04:23 AM

The script is not Kannada according to my wife...

Jens Nordlunde · 24th February 2012, 03:15 PM

Hi Maisey,
Besides from some rust spots on the blade

, it seems to be difficult to translate. Could you not ask your friend to send pictures of the whole dagger? Maybe it would help, if we could find a place of origin.

Runjeet Singh · 24th February 2012, 04:34 PM

It looks like 'Kanada' to me, perhaps from the Mysore armoury. Perhaps Olikara is on the forum and can help?

There are some similarities with this inscription: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=159

Regards,
Runjeet

Jens Nordlunde · 24th February 2012, 04:38 PM

Runjeet,
I believe it is Kannada as well, and the dagger you refer to, has the same kind of inscription.

laEspadaAncha · 24th February 2012, 05:26 PM

FWIW, Kannada is my wife's mother tongue, and while she admittedly does not fluently read it, she did grow up speaking it and surrounded by the language...

In the 3 1/2 years I've lived in India - all but maybe six months cumulative in Karnataka - I found I mistook Dravidian scripts for one another as often as I got them right.

Here's a link to the syllabic characters of the Kannada alphabet:

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kannada.htm

ETA: Considering there is an unquestionable similarity to at least a couple characters in the inscription, maybe another dialect or colloquial language that borrows from Kannada script, e.g., Konkani?

Jens Nordlunde · 24th February 2012, 05:51 PM

I am no specialist in any of the Indian languages, but could it, perhaps, be written in an old dialect - not used any more?

A. G. Maisey · 24th February 2012, 10:24 PM

Thank you for your interest gentlemen.

Jens, my friend will not permit a photo of the entire piece to be published, I have already asked for this.

I know this dagger, it is a peshkabz form, acutely tapered, straight T back blade, greenstone, possibly jade hilt. A very common form, nothing out of the ordinary, and you could pick half a dozen books that show this sort of thing and see this form.

I most sincerely doubt that a photo of the entire piece would assist in any way, but I do agree, it would be more interesting if I could post a pic of the piece concerned. I'll ask again, but even if he agrees it might be a while before it could go up, as he leaves for the UK today.

Incidentally Jens, since we did not attend high school together, nor do we belong to the same club, could I request that you address me as "Alan"? Thanks.

24th February 2012, 04:38 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Runjeet, I believe it is Kannada as well, and the dagger you refer to, has the same kind of inscription. Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 24th February 2012 at 04:52 PM.

24th February 2012, 05:26 PM	#5
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	FWIW, Kannada is my wife's mother tongue, and while she admittedly does not fluently read it, she did grow up speaking it and surrounded by the language... In the 3 1/2 years I've lived in India - all but maybe six months cumulative in Karnataka - I found I mistook Dravidian scripts for one another as often as I got them right. Here's a link to the syllabic characters of the Kannada alphabet: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/kannada.htm ETA: Considering there is an unquestionable similarity to at least a couple characters in the inscription, maybe another dialect or colloquial language that borrows from Kannada script, e.g., Konkani? Last edited by laEspadaAncha; 24th February 2012 at 05:39 PM.

24th February 2012, 04:23 AM	#1
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	The script is not Kannada according to my wife...

24th February 2012, 03:15 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Maisey, Besides from some rust spots on the blade , it seems to be difficult to translate. Could you not ask your friend to send pictures of the whole dagger? Maybe it would help, if we could find a place of origin.

24th February 2012, 04:34 PM	#3
Runjeet Singh Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Warwickshire, England Posts: 150	It looks like 'Kanada' to me, perhaps from the Mysore armoury. Perhaps Olikara is on the forum and can help? There are some similarities with this inscription: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=159 Regards, Runjeet

24th February 2012, 05:51 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	I am no specialist in any of the Indian languages, but could it, perhaps, be written in an old dialect - not used any more?

24th February 2012, 10:24 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,085	Thank you for your interest gentlemen. Jens, my friend will not permit a photo of the entire piece to be published, I have already asked for this. I know this dagger, it is a peshkabz form, acutely tapered, straight T back blade, greenstone, possibly jade hilt. A very common form, nothing out of the ordinary, and you could pick half a dozen books that show this sort of thing and see this form. I most sincerely doubt that a photo of the entire piece would assist in any way, but I do agree, it would be more interesting if I could post a pic of the piece concerned. I'll ask again, but even if he agrees it might be a while before it could go up, as he leaves for the UK today. Incidentally Jens, since we did not attend high school together, nor do we belong to the same club, could I request that you address me as "Alan"? Thanks.