The Basque Language's Curious Connection to South Indian Languages . . .

 Just found an article from the University of California Riverside's website touting a long list of Basque words closely related to Tamil. I've already found a number of Basque words related to Sanskrit, but as South Indians were more involved in nautical endeavors their language seems to have been at least as significant as Sanskrit in the dissemination of words and language to distant lands. From the article "DRAVIDIAN / BASQUE ASSOCIATION *, A review derived from the following: Nyland, Edo. 2001. Linguistic Archaeology: An Introduction. Trafford Publ., Victoria, B.C., Canada. ISBN 1-55212-668-4. 541 p." https://faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/bronze/dravid.htm#:~:text=The%20well%2Dknown%20Basque%20linguist,closest%20to%20Basque%20by%20far.):

A group of comparative linguists in the United States developed a system that they called the "Lexico-Statistical Method" and attempted to put a percentage figure on the degree to which languages are related (M.Swadesh, Linguistics Today, 1954). It is based on the percentage of resemblances between 200 words considered to be essential in a language:

 

1.                   The oldest names for parts of the body and its functions

2.                   Pronouns and numerals

3.                   Names for dwellings, children and families

4.                   Domestic animals

 

          The well-known Basque linguist A. Tovar followed this method to measure the degree of kinship of Basque with other languages of non-Indo-European origin. The closest relationship he found was with Berber (11%) followed by Circaskian/Kirrukaskan (7.5%), Coptic (6.5%), Arabic (3.25%).  Then he asked Dr. Lahovary to try this method on Dravidian, with the astounding result of 50+%. This meant that, of all the languages tested so far, the Dravidian language was closest to Basque by far. 

164     ura             wife            urruxa         female
165     irru (Ta)       to bring forth  errun          to lay eggs
165     iru             to be           iruditu        to resemble
165     il              to be           illi (Berber)  to be
165     ul (Ta)         to exist        ulertu         to understand
165     aru             to give birth   aur            child
166     ali (Ma)        woman           ala            girl
166     ir (Brahui)     sister          arre           sister
167     kappu (Ka)      meat            kaba(l)        domestic animal
167     odal (Te)       body            odol           blood
167     biho            heart           bihotz         heart
167     pala            flesh           opa            offering
167     iracci (Ma)     meat            aragi          meat
168     suri (S.Dr)     to pour         isuri          to pour
168     ana (Ka)        breath          asnasa         respiration
168     naru (S.Dr)     odor            narru          skin
168     usir (Ka)       breath          usna           smell
168     u-suru          nose            sur            nose
169     sindu (Ka)      bad smell       sund-da        stink
169     kuku (Malto)    summit          kukula         summit, peak
170     buru (Te)       something round bular/burar    breast
171     karata (Ka)     skull, coconut  garaun skull   brain
171     mula (Ma)       brain           muin           brain
171     kara            height          garai          high, prominent
171     bhala           forehead        belar (Zuber)  forehead
172     gadda           chin            ganga          mouth
172     ba (Ka)         mouth           abo            mouth
174     begu (Ka)       to spy          behatu         to observe
175     kan (Brahui)    to know         ikan           to look
175     aks (S.Dr)      sight           ikus           to see
175     vili            eye             igi            eye
175     mugu (Ka)       face            musu           face
175     muso (Malto)    nose            musu           face
175     muti (Ka)       face            mutur          snout
175     motu (Ta)       stupidity       mutur          snout
175     mukka-ra(Te)    nose-ring       moko           beak
176     musu (Ka)       to smell        mustur         snout
176     ba (Ka)         mouth           abo            mouth
177     appu (Ka)       to embrace      apa            kiss
178     alasu (Ta)      to rinse        latsatu        to wash
180     ele (Te)        song            ele            story
180     gol (Ka)        throat          golo           goiter
180     karai (Ta)      to cry out      garrasi        shrill cry
181     kar-utti (Ma)   neck            garondo        nape of the neck
182     kai (Tulu)      hand            uka            hand
183     kurukh(C.Dr)    to seize        kargatu        to load
183     kadi (S.Dr)     to steal        kaldar         thief, scoundrel
184     adi (S.Dr)      foot            adar           foot of chair
184     anga (Tel)      stride          anka           foot
186     karu (Tu)       leg             garra          (Navar)  leg
188     ola (Ka)        inside          ola            cabin, hut
189     bikku (S.Dr)    heart           bihotz         heart
189     alku (Ta)       vulva           alu            vulva
190     eru (Ka)        dung            errai          dung
191     tottu (Ma)      nipple          titi           nipple
191     borra (Te)      potbelly        zilbor         navel
192     pal (Ka)        milk            galatz         milk
192     putti (S.Dr)    to be born      puta           womb
193     pukku (S.Dr)    vulva           puta           womb
195     tshika (Tulu)   small child     txiki          small
195     tkuri (S.Dr)    short           korro          short
195     tkittu (S.Dr)   small           kuto           small
196     iri (S.Dr)      sick            eri            sick
196     kira (Gond)     old man         kira           age
        agura           old man         agure          old man
197     ala (Ta)        affliction      aldia          mental disorder
197     eriyu (Te)      to grieve       auri           lamentation
197     karai (Ta)      to cry out      garrasi        cry, scream
197     madi (Ta)       death           amata          to kill
197     mara (Ka)       death           marrakari      tearful
198     malagu (Ta)     to perish       malgu          soft, weak
199     adu (S.Dr)      age             adin           age
199     gasi (S.Dr)     hunger          gose           hunger
199     manku (S.Dr)    staggering      mainku         crippled, lame
199     ala (Ta)        afflicted       alusu          feeble, weak
199     alasu (Ka)      exhausted       lazu           weak man
200     elli (Te)       night           ilun           darkness
200     lamba (S.Dr)    to totter       laban          slippery, sliding
201     ema (Ta)        mother, female  ama            mother
201     amma (Ka)       female          ama            mother
201     pen (S.Dr)      woman           pena           sorrow, grief
201     ali             woman           alaba          daughter, native of...
201     al              male            ar             male
202     unmu (Ka)       birth           ume            child
202     maintu (Ta)     love            maita          love
202     maru-vu (Ta)    intimacy        marruskatze    fondling, pawing
202     appu (Ka)       to embrace      apatz          to kiss
203     manju (S.Dr)    amiable         maina          liking, pampering
203     iru (Ta)        come into existence iruditu    to appear
203     uru (Ta)        to give birth   aru (Berber)   to be born
204     atta (Malto)    grandfather     aita           father
204     apa (S.Dr)      father          ata            father (child's)
204     ana (Ta)        brother         anai           brother
204     asa (Kui)       daughter        aizpa          sister
204     ari             she             arreba         sister
205     ila (Ta)        youth           iloba          niece
207     maran (Ta)      bravery         mardul         robust, strong
207     marru           enemy           amarru         cunning, shrewd
208     buti (Ka)       man servant     botoi          man servant
210     burade (S.Dr)   head            buru           head
210     bhuka           opening         bukatu         to end
210     kara            height          garai          high
210     gubbi (Ka)      hump            gupi           deformed spine
210     kerki (Tulu)    throat          gurka          throat
210     suri (S.Dr)     to pour         isuri          to pour
210     khala           thief           kaldar         thief
210     kiram (Ta)      old             kira           period of time
210     konku           curved          makur          roundness
210     in (Brahui)     to say          min            tongue
210     pura (Malto)    belly           para           belly
358     ari             rock            arri           rock
359     kabi            cave, hollow    kabia          nest, hollow
360     kam             something round kamuts         blunt
360     kuku            summit, peak    kukula         summit, peak
360     men (Ma)        mound, hillock  mendi          mountain
360     murru           wall, quarry    murru          wall
361     padu            village         padur etxe     lake dwelling
361     turu            hill, mound     torre          tower
361     mugul (Ka)      flower bud      mugil          flower bud
362     bar (Ka)        stream, to flow ibar           river valley
362     ala (Te)        wave, surge     olatu          wave
362     garo (Kui)      deep hollow,dig goratu         to raise, to carry up
362     tura-i          stream, ond     iturri         source of water
362     sala (Ka)       to enter        salazar        country house
363     kara (Ta)       to wash         garastatu      to sprinkle, to water
363     pani (Ta)       rain            panin (Zuber)   water

The Ancient Ways Hidden in Plain Sight: European words for "God" that are of "Hindu"/Vedic origin . . .

 Excerpt from Chapter 1 of To Be or Not To Be...brahman or Abrahman / The World Turned Upside-Down

Though a fact even more or less acknowledged by the academy, it might and ought surprise most average folk of European heritage that the words for “God” in nigh all European languages are derived from else are close cognates to Sanskrit words for “God.  These words for “God” were used to worship Hindu Gods long before those terms and names were used to refer to the Hebrew and Christian deity(-ies) [all definitions from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon[i] unless otherwise noted]:

 

Sanskrit           deva f. {I3} divine, heavenly. --m. celestial being, god

                        Dyauspitr Vedic “Sky/Day Father”

                        div, dyu           3 (nom. sgl. {dyau3s}) m. sky, heaven (also f.), the god of heaven; day                 (also n.); light, fire-flame (only instr. pl. {dyu3bhis}). --{dyA3vA} m. du. heaven and                 earth or day and night. {a3nu dyU3n} & {dya3vi dyavi} day by day. {abhi3 dyU3n} in                 the course of the days, in a long time…

Latvian Dievs, Lithuanian Dievas, Latin Deus, Italian Dio, Spanish Dios, Portuguese Deus, French Dieu, Corsican Diu, Catalan Deu, Welsh Duw, Irish Dia, Old Irish Dé, Greek Theos, and Romanian Dumnezeu (from Latin Domine Deus[ii]), etc.

 

Sanskrit           goda    a. giving cows

“The Gift of Cow is a significant concept in Hinduism symbolizing generosity, prosperity, and spiritual merit. It represents reciprocity in sacrificial acts, divine generosity in Vaishnavism, and the importance of charitable acts …

(1) An illustration of the Lord’s generosity, showcasing the naturalness of divine acts compared to human experiences.”[iii]

or according to the academy accepted etymology, the which I rather do doubt:

hUta    mfn. called, summoned, invited … n. the act of calling

huta     a. sacrificed or worshipped with a sacrifice; n. sacrifice, oblation.  m. N. of Shiva.  The Persian/South Asian term for “god,” khoda, is certainly derived from/related to huta.

English God, Scots Gud, Danish God, German Gott, Norwegian Gud, etc.

 

Sanskrit           bhaga m. (ifc. f. %{A} and %{I} g. %{bahv-Adi}) `\" dispenser \"\', gracious lord, patron (applied to gods, esp. to Savitri)

bhagavat God Vishnu, the Bhagavat Gita, etc.

Polish Bog, Chechia Buh, Slovakia Boh, Croatia Bog, Serbia Bog, Bulgaria Bog, Russian Box, etc.

 

Sanskrit           jumbaka m. N. of a Varuna.  A Vedic Sky deity later acknowledged as God of the Ocean

Finnish Jumala, Estonian Jumal, Basque Jaungoikoa/Jainkoa, all meaning “Sky god” or “lord above.”

 

Sanskrit           Urdhvadiz  f. the point of the sky overhead, the region above, zenith

Basque            Urtci (sky god).  “Ortzi is still used today to mean "thunder", "thundering cloud", ‘heavens,’ ‘sky,’ or ‘clarity of the sky.’"[iv]

 

Sanskrit           Niṣkala a name of Shiva, who is very much associated with moksha, Sanskrit for “liberation.”

                        Paza “noose of Shiva”

                        Pazupata/Pazupati  Names of Shiva as Protector of Animals and Souls.

Moksha           “Nishka” or “Nishka-Paz.”  Moksha people’s (Russia) word for God.

 

Sanskrit           Purandara (पुरन्दर).—m. (-raḥ) 1. A name of Indra. 2. An epithet of Siva. 3. An epithet of Agni.[v]

Albanian         Perëndi

 

Sanskrit           iSTa     1 mfn. … wished, desired; liked, beloved; agreeable; cherished RV. … reverenced, respected; regarded as good, approved … valid; m. a lover, a husband … n. wish, desire RV.

                        iSTa     2 mfn. (p.p. fr. %{yaj} ; for 1. %{iSTa4} see col. 2) sacrificed, worshipped with sacrifices … m. sacrifice … n. sacrificing, sacrifice; sacred rite, sacrament

                        iSTadeva         m. (L.) or a chosen tutelary deity, favourite god, one particularly worshipped

                        iSTadevatA     f. a chosen tutelary deity, favourite god, one particularly worshipped

Hungarian       Isten “God,” “sky god”

 

Tamil               Tāṉṟōṉṟi  1. That which is self-existent; 2. God

Bulgarian/Turkic/Mongolian  Tanri/Teŋri, etc.

 

So many traces of a unified ancient way are there to be found, just under the surface of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic veneer that was often quite intentionally applied to hide the pre-Abrahamic connections and “religion/spirituality” of the ancient world, very much designed to divide and conquer the peoples of the old ways.  Even European academic discourse and methodologies generally are designed to “divide and conquer” knowledge, to separate “this from that” via taxonomies, too often arbitrary categorizations and essentializations—a habit that readily lends itself to senseless “us vs. them” violences, at least discursively.  The “divide and conquer” tactic is ironically sometimes spun from within the “critical theory” camp, as one “critical response” to attempts to find ancient cultural relationships of Native Americans with Asia, for example, is that such an inquiry “doesn’t respect the originality” of whatever cultures, that attempting to find ancient connections of various peoples is “insensitive”—thus protecting the establishments’ want to "keep ‘em separated," and thus easier to control!  

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[i] Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon (from Monier-Williams' 'Sanskrit-English Dictionary'), https://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/csl-santam/php/index.html.

[ii] “Dumnezea,” Wiktionary, last edited March 26, 2025, accessed May 21, 2025, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Dumnezeu.

[iii] “Significance of Gift of cow,” Wisdom Library Search the Database: Glossary, Wisdom Library Peace-Love-Dharma, accessed February 27, 2025, https://www.wisdomlib.org/concept/gift-of-cow#:~:text=The%20Gift%20of%20Cow%20is,meritorious%20act%20within%20Hindu%20rituals.

[iv] M. G. Ramos, “On Basque Astronymy: God and Moon in Basque,” Buber's Basque Page, translated by Blas Pedro Uberuaga, accessed October 3, 2024, https://www.buber.net/Basque/Astro/node6.php.

[v] Wisdom Library Search the Database: Glossary, Wisdom Library Peace-Love-Dharma, s.v. “Purandara,” May 21, 2025, https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/purandara.