Where does “அல்லது” come from?

அல்லது (Tamil) comes from Tamil அது, from Proto-Dravidian a- — that, that there.

அல்லது (Tamil): or, if not, or else

Definitions

  1. or, if not, or else

Ancestry of “அல்லது”, step by step

அல்லது traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Tamil அது

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilஅதுthat
2Proto-Dravidiana-that, that there

via Tamil அல்ல

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilஅல்லnot
2Tamilஅல்-the root of a symbolic negative verb affixed to nouns, pronouns and other verbs
Every word from Proto-Dravidian a- →Every word from Tamil அது →