Where does “மலையாளம்” come from?

மலையாளம் (Tamil) comes from Tamil ஆள், from Proto-Dravidian *āḷ.

மலையாளம் (Tamil): the Malayalam language

Definitions

  1. the Malayalam language

Ancestry of “மலையாளம்”, step by step

மலையாளம் traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Tamil ஆள்

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilஆள்person
2Proto-Dravidian*āḷ—

via Tamil மலை

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tamilமலைmountain, hill
Every word from Proto-Dravidian *āḷ →Every word from Tamil ஆள் →