Tamil language

Lore & Background

The earliest attested use of the name 'Tamil' is found in the Tholkappiyam, the oldest extant Tamil text, dated as early as the 2nd century BCE. The Hathigumpha inscription (c. Scholars propose various etymologies: Southworth suggests 'tam-miḻ' meaning 'self-speak' or 'our own speech'; Kamil Zvelebil offers 'tam-iḻ' with 'tam' meaning 'self' and '-iḻ' connoting 'unfolding sound'; the Tamil Lexicon defines 'Tamil' as 'sweetness'; S. V. Subramanian suggests 'sweet sound'; David Shulman notes that in some contexts 'knowing Tamil' meant 'knowing how to love' or 'being a civilized being'.

Reader's Guide

Tamil's significance lies in its status as one of the world's longest-surviving classical languages, with a continuous literary tradition spanning over two millennia. Its role as a lingua franca for early maritime traders is evidenced by Tamil Brahmi inscriptions found in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Egypt, including first-century BCE pottery from Quseir-al-Qadim. The language's agglutinative morphology allows complex word formations, and its script evolved from Tamil Brahmi through vatteluttu to the current standardized form. Its diaspora communities exist worldwide, and it remains an official language of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Sri Lanka, and Singapore. The etymology of the name 'Tamil' remains uncertain, with multiple scholarly proposals ranging from 'self-speak' to 'sweet sound' to 'knowing how to love'.

Did You Know?

• Tamil inscriptions have been found outside India, including in Indonesia, Thailand, and Egypt.
• The earliest attested use of the name 'Tamil' is in the Tholkappiyam, dated as early as the 2nd century BCE.
• The Samavayanga Sutra (3rd century BCE) references a Tamil script named 'Damili'.