TAMIL LANGUAGE...AN ANCIENT LANGUAGE
(தமிழ் ஒரு
சரித்திரபூர்வமான மொழி)
HISTORY தமிழ் மொழியின் சரித்திரம்
The origins of Tamil, like the other Dravidian languages but
unlike most of the other established literary languages of India,
are independent of Sanskrit.
Tamil has the oldest literature amongst the Dravidian
languages.
The history of the Tamil language may conveniently be divided
into three periods,
·
Early
Tamil, comprising the period between the sixth century before and the sixth
century after Christ;
·
Mediaeval
Tamil, between the sixth century and the twelfth century; and
·
Modern
Tamil, from the twelfth century down to the present day.
EIGHTEENTH MOST WIDELY SPOKEN LANGUAGE
Tamil is spoken predominantly by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, andSingapore.
It also has smaller communities of speakers in many other countries like Indonesia, United Kingdom, Canada, Mauritius, Australia, USA, South Africa
It is the eighteenth most spoken language, with over 80 million speakers worldwide.
It is one of the official languages of India, Singapore and Sri
Lanka.
WORLD MAP OF MAJOR COUNTRIES WHERE TAMIL IS SPOKEN
தமிழர்கள் வாழும்
நாடுகள்
TAMIL TEXT தமிழ்
எழுத்துகள்
Origin
The earliest known Tamil inscriptions date back to at least
500 BC.
The oldest literary text in Tamil, Tolkāppiyam, was composed
around 200 BC.
The Tamil alphabet is is thought to have evolved from the
Brahmi script, though some scholars believe that its origins go back to the
Indus script.
The alphabet is well suited to writing literary Tamil, centamil. However it is
ill-suited to writing colloquial Tamil, koduntamil.
During the 19th century, attempts were made to create a written version of the
colloquial spoken language. Nowadays the colloquial written language appears
mainly in school books and in passages of dialogue in fiction.
Notable features
·
Type of writing system:
syllabic alphabet
·
Direction of writing:
left to right in horizontal lines
·
When they appear the the
beginning of a syllable, vowels are written as independent letters.
·
Some of the non-standard
consonant-vowel combinations are not used in official documents.
·
The alphabet was
originally written on palm leaves. As a result, the letters are made up mainly
of curved strokes which didn't rip the leaves.
Used to write:
Tamil, a
Dravidian language spoken by around 80 million people in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Canada, the
USA, UK and Australia.
It is the first language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and is spoken by a significant minority of people (2 million)
in north-eastern Sri Lanka.
Famous persons in TAMIL LITERATURE தமிழ்
இலக்கியம்
1. Bharati
Dasan (1891-1964) was a
prolific poet, playwright, lyricist and screenplay writer.
2. C.S.
Chellappa (b. 1912) is one of
the most prominent modern short story writers in Tamil. Vadivasal (1959) is one
of Chellappa's famous novelettes.
3. Durai
Manickam is one of the
important modern Tamil poets, who is credited with prolific works like Aiyai,
Nurasiriyam, Koyyakkani, Ensuvai Enbatu and Paviyakkottu.
4. iIlanko
Adigal was the 9th century Tamil poet who composed the five great epics of
ancient Tamil literature: Chilappatikaram.
5. Indira
Parthasarathy (b. 1930) is
one of the brilliant writers of modern fiction in Tamil. He has written over
fifteen novels.
6. Jayamohan:
Regarded as Tamil's first post-modernist writer, Jayamohan shot to fame with
his novel Vishnupuranam. His other notable works include Rubber and Pinthudarum
Nizhalin Kural.
7. Kamban was the greatest of the court poets of
Kulottunga Chola III (1178-1218 AD). He adapted Valmiki's Ramayana in Tamil in
his Ramakatai or Kamba Ramayanam.
8. Mayuram
Vedanayakam Pillai (1826-1889)
was a gifted composer of Tamillyrics and was the pioneer of Tamil novel.
9. M.Varadarajan (1912-1974) experimented with several
new techniques in Tamil novels. His famous works include Perra Manam (1953),
Karittundu (1953), Ahalvilakku, Sentamarai and Mankudisai.
10. Rajam
Krishnan (b. 1925) is an
eminent female Tamil novelist, whose important works include Verukku Nir (1972)
that won her the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1973.
11. R.
Krishnamurthi 'Kalki'
(1899-1954) is regarded as one of the pioneers of Tamil novel, who popularised
novel by dealing with social and contemporary issues like emancipation of
Harijans
12. R.
Shanmugasundaram (1918-77)
belonged to the Manikkodi group of writers who ushered in the modern era in
Tamil fiction. Shanmugasundaram distinguished himself as a novelist.
FAMOUS TAMIL NOVELS
Manasukkul Mazhai, Managugai Oviyam, Mana Kadavai Thirunthidu
Katraagi Vaa, Karpanaiyo Kaivanthatho, Kanodu Kanbathellam
Kannadi Vaasal, Kannile Neer Etharku, Kanavu Nila
Kadal Viralgal, Azhage Vaa Arugil Vaa, Athisaya Raagam
Anandam Adi Anandi, Thyaga Bhoomi, Solaimalai Ilavarasi
Ponni, Sivagamiyin Sabatham, Alai Osai
Parthiban Kanavu, Mohini Theevu, Ullatha Killathey
Sandhitha Velaiyil, Yaroo Yarodi, Suriya
Poongatru Pudhirandathu, Nee En Devadai, Mangalyam
Thanthuname
Madaleria Oviyam
SUBRAMANIYA BHARATI..POET சுப்ரமணிய
பாரதி
