Halekannada
| Old Kannada | |
|---|---|
| Era | evolved into Kannada ca. 500 CE |
|
Dravidian
|
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 |
None (mis) |
qkn |
|
| Glottolog | oldk1250 |
Proto-Kannada is said to have evolved after separating from its source around 300 BCE (according to R. C. Hiremath), while its script evolved during Ashokan times around the 4th or 3rd century CE from ancient Brahmi. Halegannada (Kannada: ಹಳಗನ್ನಡ) is the Kannada language which has transformed from the 5th century CE during the reign of the Kadambas of Banavasi (ancient royal dynasty of Karnataka 345−525 CE). The Modern Kannada language has evolved in four phases over the years. From the Purva Halegannada in the 5th century (as per early epigraphic records), to the Halegannada (Old Kannada) between the 9th and 11th century, the Nadugannada (Middle Kannada) between the 12th and 17th century (as evidenced by Vachana literature), it has evolved to the present day Hosagannada (Modern Kannada) from 18th century to present. Hosagannada (Modern Kannada) is the official language of the state of Karnataka and is one of the 22 official national languages of the Republic of India and is the native language of approximately 65% of Karnataka's population.
Evolution: Proto Kannada > Pre Old Kannada > Old Kannada > Middle Kannada > New Kannada
Halegannada is derived from two Kannada terms, hale and Kannada. Hale, a prefix in Kannada language, means old or ancient. In Kannada grammar there are sandhis in which while pronouncing two words in combined form, the ka becomes ga (aadesha sandhi) and so Hale and Kannada together becomes HaleGannada.
Purvada HaleGannada (Pre-old Kannada)
A 5th century copper coin was discovered at Banavasi with an inscription in the Kannada script, one of the oldest such coins ever discovered.
In a report published by the Mysore Archaeological Department in 1936, Dr. M. H. Krishna, (the Director of Archaeology of the erstwhile Mysore state) who discovered the inscription in 1936 dated the inscription to 450 CE. This inscription in old-Kannada was found in Halmidi village near Hassan district. Many other inscriptions having Kannada words had been found like the Brahmagiri edict of 230 BCE by Ashoka. But this is the first full scale inscription in Kannada. Kannada was used in the inscriptions from the earliest times and the Halmidi inscription is considered to be the earliest epigraph written in Kannada.
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