ताल

Hindi

Pronunciation

• (Delhi Hindi) IPA^(key): /t̪ɑːl/,

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Sanskrit ताल (tāla).

Noun

ताल • (tāl) m (Urdu spelling تال)

1. (music) rhythm, beat, tune
2. palm tree

   Synonym: ताड़ (tāṛ)

3. the palm of the hand

   Synonym: हथेली (hathelī)

4. the clapping of palms

   Synonym: ताली (tālī)

5. (wrestling) slapping the hands on the arms in defiance

Declension

Descendants

• → Pashto: تال (“beating time in music by striking or slapping the fingers or hands together”)

Etymology 2

Inherited from Sanskrit तलक (talaka).

Noun

ताल • (tāl) m (Urdu spelling تال)

1. pond, puddle

Declension

References

• Platts, John T. (1884) “ताल”, in A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English, London: W. H. Allen & Co.

Nepali

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):
• Phonetic Devanagari: ताल्

Noun

ताल • (tāl)

1. lake
2. (music) rhythm, beat, tune

Pali

Alternative forms

Noun

ताल m

1. Devanagari script form of tāla (“palmyra palm”)

Declension

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /tɑː.lɐ/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈt̪ɑː.l̪ɐ/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Dravidian; ultimately from Proto-Dravidian *tāẓ. Compare Kannada ತಾಳೆ (tāḷe, “palmyra or toddy palm”), Telugu తాటి (tāṭi, “of or pertaining to the palmyra tree”).

Noun

ताल • (tāla) stem, m

1. the palm tree, palmyra tree, or fan palm (Borassus flabelliformis, producing a sort of spirituous liquor)
2. the nut of fan palm
3. toddy
4. a fragrant earth

Declension

Adjective

ताल • (tāla) stem

1. made of palmyra wood

Declension

Descendants

• Assamese: তাল (tal)
• Hindi: ताल (tāl)
• → Khmer: តាល (taalaʼ)
• → Lü: ᦎᦱᧃ (ṫaan)
• → Northern Thai: ᨲᩣ᩠ᩃ
• Odia: ତାଳ (taḷô)
• Paisaci Prakrit:
  • Punjabi: ਤਾਲ਼ (tāḷ, “meter, beat, rhythm”), ਤਾੜੀ (tāṛī, “clap”)
• Pali: tāḷa
  • → Burmese: ထန် (htan)
  • → Mon: တာ
  • → Shan: ထၢၼ် (thǎan)
• → Tamil: தாளம் (tāḷam)
• → Thai: ตาล (dtaan)

Etymology 2

Probably from Dravidian; compare Tamil தார் (tār, “garland, chain”). Alternatively, related to ताड (tāḍa) (like Etymology 3).

Noun

ताल • (tāla) stem, n

1. a lock, bolt
2. a goldsmith
3. the throne of Durga

Declension

Etymology 3

Related to ताड (tāḍa, “a blow; noise”).

Noun

ताल • (tāla) stem, m

1. slapping the hands together or against one's arm; clapping
2. the flapping of elephant’s ears
3. a type of dance
4. a cymbal

Declension

Descendants

• → Malayalam: താളം (tāḷaṁ)

Etymology 4

Probably related to Etymology 3.

Noun

ताल • (tāla) stem, m

1. musical time or measure
2. (prosody) a trochee
3. a span measured by the thumb and the middle finger
4. a metre of 4 x 4 long syllables

Declension

Etymology 5

Vṛddhi derivative of तल (tala, “bottom”).

Noun

ताल • (tāla) stem, m

1. the palm of one’s hand
2. the hilt of a sword

Declension

Etymology 6

From ताली (tālī, “a type of ornament”), of Dravidian origin; compare Tamil தாலி (tāli, “neck ornament”), Telugu తాళి (tāḷi, “neck gold”).

Noun

ताल • (tāla) stem, m or n

1. an orpiment

Declension

References

• Monier Williams (1899) “ताल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, , new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, pages 444-445.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (2001) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, pages 242-243
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1956) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary] (in German), volume 1, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 498