தமிழ்

Tamil

Etymology

    Inherited from Old Tamil 𑀢𑀫𑀺𑀵𑁰 (tamiḻ).

    According to Bhadriraju Krishnamurthi (2003), earlier recorded as Pali damiḷa. Further etymology unknown. Various hypotheses have been adduced. The main ones consider this word a compound of some sort:

    • K. V. Zvelebil (1990) proposes that தமிழ் (tamiḻ) is derived from the verb தகு (taku, “to fit properly”) with the evolution tak- > tav- > tam-.[1]
    • Koskinen (1996) speculates a relationship with the name of the lotus flower தாமரை (tāmarai),[2] attested also with the variant தம்மி (tammi), and having cognates in Malayalam താമര (tāmara), Kannada ತಾಮರೆ (tāmare), Tulu ತಾಮರೆ (tāmare) and Telugu తామర (tāmara​).
    • Southworth (1998) suggests a derivation like *tam-miẓ > tam-iḻ “one's own speech”, considering the final part as a reduced form of மொழி (moḻi, “word, speech”).[3]

    However, there are problems with each of these attempts. The sounds -k- and -v- are nowhere attested as variants; moreover, the underlying form of மொழி (moḻi) is Proto-Dravidian *moẓ-, not *miẓ-.[4] The etymology of the word therefore remains unknown.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /t̪ɐmɪɻ/
    • Audio:(file)
    • Audio (India):(file)

    Adjective

    தமிழ் • (tamiḻ)

    1. of or pertaining to the Tamil language or its ethno-linguistic group
    2. (literary, poetic) sweet, pleasant, melodious
    3. (literary, poetic) refined, pure

    Proper noun

    தமிழ் • (tamiḻ)

    1. the Tamil language
      Synonyms: தென்மொழி (teṉmoḻi), திரமிளம் (tiramiḷam), திரமிடம் (tiramiṭam)
    2. (grammar) the Tamil language, being divided into இயல் (iyal), இசை (icai), நாடகம் (nāṭakam).
      Synonym: முத்தமிழ் (muttamiḻ)
    3. Tamils, Tamilians
      Synonym: தமிழர் (tamiḻar)
      நீ தமிழா? ― nī tamiḻā? ― Are you a Tamil?
    4. Tamil literature, Tamil work
    5. a unisex given name from Tamil, popular among Tamils
    6. (archaic) The Tamil country, Tamilakam
      Synonyms: தமிழ்நாடு (tamiḻnāṭu), தமிழகம் (tamiḻakam)

    Declension

    Declension of தமிழ் (tamiḻ) (singular only)
    singular plural
    nominative தமிழ்
    tamiḻ     		-
    vocative தமிழே
    tamiḻē     		-
    accusative தமிழை
    tamiḻai     		-
    dative தமிழுக்கு
    tamiḻukku     		-
    benefactive தமிழுக்காக
    tamiḻukkāka     		-
    genitive 1 தமிழுடைய
    tamiḻuṭaiya     		-
    genitive 2 தமிழின்
    tamiḻiṉ     		-
    locative 1 தமிழில்
    tamiḻil     		-
    locative 2 தமிழிடம்
    tamiḻiṭam     		-
    sociative 1 தமிழோடு
    tamiḻōṭu     		-
    sociative 2 தமிழுடன்
    tamiḻuṭaṉ     		-
    instrumental தமிழால்
    tamiḻāl     		-
    ablative தமிழிலிருந்து
    tamiḻiliruntu     		-

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    References

    • University of Madras (1924–1936), “தமிழ்”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press
    1. ^ Zvelebil, K. V. (1990), Dravidian Linguistics: an Introduction, Pondicherry: Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture, page xxi.
    2. ^ Koskinen, K. (1996), “Taamarai 'lotus' and the name Tamiẓ”, in International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics, volume 25, number 2, pages 141-142.
    3. ^ Southworth, F. C. (1998), “On the origin of the word tamiẓ”, in International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics, volume 27, number 1, pages 129-132.
    4. ^ Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (2003), The Dravidian Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys), Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 20-21.
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