A CRITICAL SURVEY

OF

THE TAMIL LEXICON

G. DEVANESAN .
 A GRITICAL SURVEY

of

uf MADRAS UNIVERSITY TAMIL LEXICON

by

G. DEVANESAN, M. A.
‘andithan (Madurai), Pulavan (Tirunelveli) and Vidwan (Madras)]
Head of the Department of Tamil
Municipal College, Salem

being

AN OPEN REPORT
to

The Syndicate of the Madras University

for fayour of

IMMEDIATE AND EARNEST CONSIDERATION

Tue SALEM Co-oPERATIVE PRINTING WORKS, LTD., SALEM

3்ஷ

JUNE 1955

Copyright]
 CONTENTS
PRE ACE
THE SURVEY
Page

PREAMBLE

I DEFECTS RELATING TO WORDS.

DW
1. Incomprehensiveness of vocabulary

ரே உட்‌
(1) Simple words
(2) Compound words
(3) Idioms and phrases
(4) Words in pairs
Absence of alternate forms of nouns ae

அ
Absence of infinitive and other grammitical forms of
verbs

oO
(1) Intransitive verbs

060
@
(2) Same word used as different parts ik speech
(3) Idiomatic infinitives of verbs
Non-treatment of components of compound words
in their individual form tag
லே

Non-treatment of Redundant forms of words

Non-treatment of, words occuring in illustrative
quotations ass
Treatment of vulgar forms of words --.
(1) Vulgar forms alone .
(2) Vulgar forms as well as correct ளட
(3) Vulgar and foreignised forms
Treatment of erroneous forms of words suse
Unnecessary treatment. of certain compound words
10. Incorporation of numerous and Mn necessary டட
words 12
(1) Naturalised forms 12
(2) Foreign forms 12
 c
(ii)
11. Double treatment of foreign words 17
12. Multi-forms of foreign words unnecessary for Tamil. : 18
2
13. Absence of cognates oe oa 18
14. Absence of provincial words es: 2 . 19
15. Erroneous use of postpositions 19
16. Misspelling of words 19
1%. Misleading nature of the method of transliteration
adopted 20

DEFECTS RELATING TO SIGNIFICANCE 21

Absence of definition or meaning 21

Erroneousness of definition or meaning - 21
Inadequacy of definition or meaning 22
Inexhaustivenessof meanings of words 24
Want of chronological or logical order of meanings 25
Absence of meaning or explanation of words in
Tamil 2d
Non-discrimination of synonyms 26
‘Non-distinction of opposites a7
Non-mention of Number of certain imperative
auxiliaries 28
10. Absence of example or illustratiop 29
ig Repetition of definitions .... - 29
12. Erroneous use of grammatical terms 30

Hl, DEFECTS RELATING TO DERIVATION. 31

Misrepresentation of Tamii words as Sanskrit 31
COR ms

Absence of information as to origin of words 35

Oy eo

Erroneousness of derivation. 36
Indeterminateness of derivation 30
Reverseness of derivation 37
Mis-splitting of compound words 38
 zentlemen,
பறட

-- Asaresult of my laborious research in comparative

philolo;,> := general and Dravidian philology in particular, for
he past thirty years, I feel constrained in all humility tosubmit
‘he following report on the University T'amil Lexicon, for your
_/cmediate and earnest consideration, praying atthe same
“ime not to misunderstand my sincere effort aimed at re-
vealing a prodigious truth of widest human interest, embrac-
ing three branches of studies, viz., Tamil language and
literature, comparative philology and Indian history, if not
Indo-Aryan.

‘he Preface of the syndicate to the Lexicon, states the

three desiderata sought to be met by the Lexicon, as follows :—

ந. “The Lexicon should satisfy the Tamil scholars of

the orthodox style by EXTENDED INVESTIGATION of
obscure words and by CAREFUL ELUCIDATION of words,
rarely, if ever used and words used in technical senses, as in’ |
Jaina, Medical, Astrological and other literature.....,

2. ‘Tt shall satisfy the ideal of Western Scholarship by

bringing out the PHILOLOGICAL RELATIONS of Tamil
with other languages.
®

3. “It should serve the need of the large majority of the

Tamil people and those acquainted with English by giving
them an ACCURATE, COMPLETE AND UP-TO-DATE
dictionary, clearly explaining the words used in spoken and
literary Tamil in terms of English words and idioms.” *

Thus it was suggested, that the work should be a

standard and. first-class dictidnary “at once many-sided and
comprehensive and edited on critical and scientific principles.”

The work on the Lexicon commenced in Jan. 1913;

and dragged on to the very end of 1939, i. e. for a pretty long

(4%. ்‌
 2

period of 27 years. The total cost of production of the Lexi-

con has come to more than Rs. 4,10,000. Yet, it is not a
work worthy of its subject anda publication worthv bi the
University.
1 ந

Tt is true that the Lexicon has made an advance on the

previous lexicons in many respects; but, considering the gra-\
vity of the defects of the Lexicon in regard to certain vital
features of lexicography, itis not to be commended as a.
stupendous achievement. Since the publication of the Lexicon
Supplement, I have been criticising the Lexicon orally and in >

writing, but hitherto it has never been taken note of ald த

hence this direct report. ae

The Defects of the Lexicon are fivefold and ramify

into forty varieties on the whole. The major heads under
which they fall are, (1) those relating to words, (2) those relat—
ing to significance, (3) those relating to derivation, (4) those
relating to the plan of the work, and (5) those relating to the
work of the editiorial staff.

I Defects relating to Wards

1. Incomprehensiveness of vocabulary.
One of the most serious detects of the Lexicon is the
omission of A large number of important words in it, and those
|
words belong to all the five categories of lexical matter treated
of ir. the Lexicon, viz,, (1) simple words, (2) ) compound
words
(3) idioms, (4) phrases, and (5) words in pairs,

(1) SIMPLE worpDs:

அம்பாளை, ற, 4 species of tree.
,~ ‘4Géeourer.n. A medicinal shrub.
 e ர்‌

arc, n, The gums. (waved ben து

்‌ syaicia, n. A part-of the-palmyratres-—>
a Qor-& 30, v. To become tender.
, 271, n. A herbacions plant.
dS), n. A wind instrument.
கதண்டு, ற. & seacfish. — o8->*U™ ee | oe
#2, 0- She who or that which is black. & » ழ்‌
காம்பு-தல்‌, 3. 11௦ become insipid, as food-stuff.
@Y2, n. A variety of இ which produces the
sound ‘gum’ at pleasure.
cee n. A tender palmyra fruit denuded of its pulpy
kernel.
ரணை ae
9119, 0. A churning staff.
சிவத்தை, ற, She who or that which is red or brown.
_Ger@er,n. A small boy, a short and lean man.
#ss_.,n. A wild berry, a small boil on the eye-lid.
#9.0u0, n. Bulk, thickness.
@ arene, | n. A~species of fresh-water fish attain-
கொளு த்தை ing 1 ft. in length.
Gus&et, n. A species of tree.
Core @— se, v. To become strongly inclined to go home
_ when at work, asa domesticated animal-
uses, n. A foppish woman.
புக்கா, ம, & variety of pigeon, which swells ite oat at
pleasure.
1-01, n- Hollow in the nape.
போஞ்சா
4 போன்னா
ன்‌ ன்‌, ம, நீ frail structure, a worthless ;
imitation.
போக்தாண்‌, 1. A variety of fowl.
_ se, y- intr. To remain, to be left behind, to revive.
மீ-த்தல்‌, ve tr. To save, to lay by.
G@iotor—(@so, m) v. intr. To urinate.
This is the only word current among the Tinne-
velly peasants for urination and is regularly and
fully conjugated as an intransitive verb.
 e = 4

வழமை, 3. Cnstom.
வழுவை
5 19/00

(2) ComMPouUND WORDS:

‘yorurss. oor, n. A species of plant.

அஞ்சறைப்பெட்டி முறுக்கு, ற. & kind of flour-cake.
- அடக்காமசம்‌, ற, நீ 8060165 01 0106. :
உப்புத்தியல்‌, ற, & kind of curry broth prepared with
salt and dried fish.
edvuw7eoutn, n, A kind of steamed rice cake.
ஓட்டியடைந்த கேரம்‌, ற, &0௦0% 6-0 ற... 88 the time
for cattle to settle for sleep aftere being
driven home from pasture.
குச்சுக்குழங்கு, nu. Tapioca. :
Gerggserréso04,n. A medicinal plant.
கொறுகலப்பை, ற. டுரர்0ற.
Gar seer, n. Blighted cocoanut.
சட்டாலொட்டா -₹ சட்டியிலொட்டா, ஐ, & 565: டப.
செஞ்செவ்வாப்பு, ற. (7096816103 00100 ௦4 உ ௩௦௭ 1ஈறப்கறர்‌,
as peices of red on the skin, dis. from
கருஞ்செவ்வாப்பு.

தலைவெட்டி க்கருவாடு, ற. & நூலூர்காரு of dried fish usually

sold without the head.
sapataor, n, destruction:
BOaA@réons, n, An ancient jucicial officer.
sruéae@, n+ A variety of shark.
பத்த௩டை, (பற்றுநடை) ற. Strip of ground over which
Kapilai bulls are driven.
Guu Gereror?, n. A variety of cucumber.
Gurr@e,n. An ancient military institute.
wits pm, 0. A species of edible tuber.
Gpererrto, n. A kind of file.
gpa. sere, n. A name of Venba metre.
acm ener 5740), n, A game of children.
வெள்ளப்பம்‌, ற, & 180 04 08159.
 13
ஜயமீகசாஷம்‌ . . இஷுரரக்கு . .: கோட்டேபாண்ட்‌.
। ஐயவிஜயி
பவ இஸ்கால்‌ . oF a ‘a
_ *: ஐர்ஜ்ஜாம்‌ ட்‌ இஸ்தவா rut} (rough)
- ஜல; திவேவரோகம்‌ . இஸ்‌இக்பரர்‌ . சயில்பாக்‌
ஜலஸதகம்போகாம்‌ இஸ்திமிரரர்‌ 8 es&)
ஜன மஸ்வபாவம்‌ இஸ்இியார்‌ ர்ப்பா்‌
ஜன்மோதக்ஸவம்‌ இஸ்‌.இலாக்கு -. ரூலர்‌
. ஜனாஞ்ஜகம்‌ இஸ்ஸா ஜட்ஜி
ஐஹ கஜஹல்லகூணை இஸுசரபு ்‌. ஜோக்கு,
இஹஸான்‌ ஷாப்பு

One i is at a loss to know, the sanction by which such

Sanskrit compounds, as 18 B)ep10 8 ௫ந்நிபாத ௬ம்‌, பரிய நுயோச்‌
யோ Cugazenrin, 2 aM & ஐஜஹல்ல-தணை ,' ஸ்படிகஜபா கும
நியாயம்‌ have been admitted into the Tamil Lexicon.
3 in
Thousands of Sanskrit words and hundreds of Semitic
words, which do not deserve a place ina Tamil dictionary,
have been unnecessarily incorporated in the Lexicon, only to
adulterate Tamil and reduce it to a barbarous jargon, and
thereby briug it far down in the estimation of foreigners.
There are several peoples and communities in Tamil Nad,
which freely use an enormous number of foreign words in
their every-day speech, owing to their religious and cultural
contact with foreign nations. Such words ought, to have
been collected in a separate book or volume, for the benefit and
guidance of officials and others. Their inclusion in the
Lexicon detracts from the dignity of ‘Tamil Lexicon.’ It
would have been more appropriate if the Lexicon had been
entitled South Indian Lexicon. — - oe ;
The fact that Tamil Nad was under the Muhammadan
rule for a time, does not jusfify in the least the inclusion of
Urdu or Semitic words in the Lexicon, as the land had also
been under the sway of the Singalese, the Maharattas, the
British, the French, the Portuguese.and the Dutch, at diffe-
rent times either wholly or partially.
|
ணாக ன
6

பஜீத்து - [7, அவமானம்‌ ரூஹ்‌ - இட ஆன்மா

்‌. Guess -:1[7. ஐயமின்றி ஹாுக்கும்‌ - (7. உத்தரவு

No one who bas the least common sense, would, ever

say, that these words can enrich ‘T'amil in any manner, and
there is no justification at all for the inclusion of the names of
the Arabic months, suchas சபர்‌, சப்பிலவ்வல்‌, ரப்பிசானி, ரஜப்‌,
azciate, 9°61 an7% etc., in the Tamil Lexicon.

The Tamil alphabet does not contain the letters, 2, v»,

ez, o, am and a. All Tamil grammars extant, though
providing for the borrowing of Sanskrit words, strictly forbid
the use of any foreign word without first tamilising it. In
flagrant violation of all the rules laid down in ofdmmays
regarding naturalisation of foreign wors, the Lexicon has
admitted thousands of foreign words in which as many foreign
letters as possible occur initially, medially and finally. Further
all sorts of letters strictly prohibited by all standard ‘T’ami!
grammars to be initial, final and successional in Tamil words,
ovcur so in a great number of words treated of in the Lexicon.

HK. g.. Initial Final Successional

டம்ளர்‌ FO காப்‌. காரி
தீரப்ஸம்‌ (137 2]1.) சப்‌ ரக்தம்‌
. ஏஹ்மதி யத்‌ ௦ மதனம்‌
வோசகம்‌ agi. 6 ஜிஹ்வா

It may be argued, that those words are sanctioned by

usage both literary and colloquial. But. it. must be remem-—
bered, that owing to the evil effects of the age-long caste
system, the Tamil nation had_ been plunged into a sort of
intellectual inertia and literary hypnotism for the past several
centuries, during which, the orthodox school of thought had
died down owing to lack of royal and public support, and all
sorts of anti-Tamilian elements had crept into ‘amil language
and literature.
 ஏன்‌ ஏலா
ஒன்பது கோம்மிதி
பட்டம்‌ கம்பு நம்மு
ஆரு ரு

வடை வட

14. Absence of provincial words. _ NS

There are many words in the colloquial dialect peculiar
, to certain localities. A number of them are not to be found
in the Lexicon.
i, oo; k. Word Meaning Locality
அப்படிக்கூடி By that way Tirunelveli
அலவ்விடத்திற்குள்ளே There Salem
puree Weeping see
எங்கேக்கு Where N. Arcot
எந்தண்டை Which side ற
ஒடக்கான்‌ Blood-sucker Coimbatore
கூடப்போதல்‌ ‘To be lost Gobi
SIM 5G Toenter N. Arcot
புறனே ்‌ Later, subsquently Salem
- பெருக்கான்‌ Bandicoot Coimbatore

15. Erroneous use of postposition.

16 ஐ௦17-018086 “உணவு முதலியவற்றைக்‌ இரவ பதார்த்‌
அதீ.தால்‌ கலக்கி உட்கொள்ளுதல்‌,”? 18 ஐரோ ௨9 616 meaning of
கசைக்துக்குடி த்தல்‌ (01, 11], 1. (68). ்‌
106 ௯௦10: “ திசவபதார்த்தத்தால்‌”
80010 16 “திரவபதார்த்‌
65’, as the appropriate postposition here is ‘@«’ and
not - ‘ 4a’ : 3

16. Mis-spelling of words.

The English word ‘tumbler’ is transliterated in the
Lexicon not only into ‘cmar’ and ‘sera’ | but also into ©
 ்‌
்‌ ன்‌ : 20
6

#8 ipi’, & form which is never used in that sense anywhere

J
under the sun. What is more curious is, that the form
spt ig taken to be more proper than the form குமிளர்‌. ₹5

The letter ‘i’ is peculiar to Tamil, and is not properly

pronounced even in words of which it is an integral part:
Tamilians attach much importance to the letter, for the
- reasons, that it sounds sweet to the Tamil eur, and that it
occurs in many words signifying an excellent object or idea.
‘The use of such a letter in. the transliteration of an Hglish
word is wholly uuwarranted.

Another letter peculiar to Tamil is the hard »- In

many words of semitic origin, it is unscrupulously subst: tuted
for the medial or liquid 7.

Ei. 2. குரான்‌, , தகராறு, ஜிருயதி,

17. Misleading nature of the method of transiliteration

adopted.
That the system of trasliteration of Tamil words into
Roman script adopted in the Lexicon is not a phonetic
representation, is admitted by the Editor himself. A better
and closer system could have been adopted, in order to avoid
‘misunderstanding of Tamil phonology by foreigners. Phonic
compounds like nk, nch, nt, nth,-“np, are unknown to
Tamil phonology, and their counter farts in Tamil have to be
represented by ng, nj, nd, nd and mb respectively.

தட எனல்‌ Transliteration Transliteration

adopted - suggested

LAC) Anku . இறுத

அஞ்சு Anchu Anju
அண்டு Antu Andu
HOD _ Anthu Andu
அப்பு லற 5. அற்ப
 Bi.
In order to have a clear idea of, Tamil phonology, it
must be‘borne in mind, that the Tamil surds are not the
exact equivalents of the Sanskrit unvoiced unaspirates, but
கட்ட ம்‌ ட ல்‌
are much softer than them.

II Defects relating to significance.

1. Absence of definition or meaning.
. The ரப நடம்‌ ௭010 .௮ன்மொழி, apart from the
00016% 00௦0000000 அன்‌ மொழிக்தொகை, has a meaning of its
own ag is clear from the following Tolkappiyan sutra (902).
ப முன்மொழி கிலையிலும்‌ பின்மொழி நிலையிலும்‌
இருமொழி மேலும்‌ ஒருங்குடன்‌ நிலையலும்‌
அம்மொழி நிலையா அள்0மாழி கிலையலும்‌ ”'

அன்மொழி ஈரம்‌ 18 081160 புதமொழி நர 13$ஊஹஹரம்‌்‌,

‘means ‘another word unexpressed’. ‘This is ignored in the
Lexicon, அன்மொழி having been simply referred to -ser
மொழித்‌ தொகை,

2. Erroneousness of definition or meaning.

The definition gf terms or meanings of words given in
the Lexicon, are very olen wrong either partially or entirely,
and this is another major defect of the Lexicon.

ர்‌ 2.

Word oc Erroneous definition Correct definition

or meaning or meaning ©
ஆப்பம்‌ ய]. 10 அப்பம்‌ A kind.of cake diff.
11000 அப்பம்‌
உரிச்சொல்‌ qualifying word poetic idiom
கரிக்கோடிடுகல்‌ மோவாயில்‌ மயிர்‌ மீசை GLY SO
அரும்பு கல்‌
 25
போலும்‌ ஓக்கும்‌
்‌ மலம்‌ பிஞ்சு ஒரு மருந்துச்செடி.
ie Cwen Bi சொகுசு.

5. Want of chronological or logical order of meanings.

The meanings of the denominative verb 4/40 are
given in the Lexicon in the following order.
(1) To exult, rejoice, glow with delight.
(2) To be intoxicated, to revel, as bees feeding on
honey. -
(3) To be in rut, as an elephant..
“(4) To be proud, vain, conceited.
The verb sos is derived from the noun sor, and
primarily means ‘to drink an intoxicating liquor.’ Drunkards
generally take delight in being intoxicated, and hence, the idea
of rejoicing came to be associated with that of intoxication.
So, the logical treatment will require the rearrangement of the
~ meanings of the verb களித்தல்‌, in the following order. .

(1) To be intoxicated
(2) To be in rut, as an elephant
(3) - To exult
(4) To be prou

It is ‘a parasite No note, that ‘The Concise Oxford

Dictionary ’ follows a similar order in the arrangement of the
‘meanings of the word ‘ Intoxicate ’-

6. of words in Tamil.
Absence of meaning or explanation
The meaning of 9«14@55 is given only in English
as, “Inattentiveness, heedlessness, carelessness.’
3/65 (hautenf ig explained in English as “ Centre-bolt
binding together the five tiers of a car,” but, in Tamil, the
word rot) alone is given. இ.
 6 ்‌
It is very strange to find in some instances, a. Sanskrit
word given as the meaning, in place of a Tamil one.-
E. g. a அமென்‌....... Verily, so be it, used by CRN usu. a6 -
_ the close of prayer and hymn; sro gi.”

me Non-discrimination of synonyms.
Every cultivated language possesses groups of synonyms
similar but not identical in meaning. Tamil, as a highly
cultivated language, is rich in synonyms; but, their subtle,
differences have not been brought out in the as, in many
cases.
Keg. 2709, gor}, gop, goromiurn, இஜை இயம்பு,
இறு, உளை, உளறு, என்‌, ஓது, கத்து, கரை, கழறு, இள,
கிளத்து, குழு, குறி, கூ௮ு, சாற்று, செப்பு, சொல்‌, நவில்‌,
அதல்‌, வல்‌, கொடி, பகர்‌, பறை, பன்னு, பிதற்று, 9@) 5B,
ee புகல்‌, புலம்பு, பேசு, மாறு, ரத்த முணுமுணு,
முழங்கு, PID, Yous, பி விடு, வி.க, விள,
"விளம்பு ete., are synonymous verbs signifying the
different. modes of oral expression. The special
significance of some of these is either altogether
unnoticed or vaguely expressed in the Lexicon.

WorD SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE

அறை To speak forcibly ©
- இசை To give a connected narrative
இயம்பு ட. To speak in a musical tone
உரை To make a ல statement or
: speech.
spp. To make an admonitory utterance
LD) To speak incoherently, the tongue having
; failed, as at time of death.
கூறு To speak with an analytic treatment of the
: ; - subject.
நவில்‌ _ To practise reading with the tongue, as a
treatise.
 ்‌ 27

BIB To make a beginning statement

, அவல்‌ To give or make a didactic speech or
statement.
= "Gary. To tell a story or riddle
2 To name the price of articles separately, to
make a classificatory statement of
things.
பன்னு To relate in detail.
புகல்‌ To tell any thing with interest or delight.
புலம்பு 410 80141௦010186.
பேசு To speak, as a language.
மாறு - To rejoin, to retort.
Mignon . (To prattle, asa child ), to speak sweetly
i as & woman.
மொழி To speak articulately.

According to Tolkappiyar, the interrogative pronouns

யாது ஹ்‌ எவன்‌, 800010 16181 %௦ a partially-known thing and a
totally-unknown thing respectively- But, this distinction, is
“not expressed iin the Lexicon.
Bavanandi, the author of Nannool has given eight
words for ‘preface, and every one of them has a different
shade of meaning. The editorial staff, having not known this.
~~ fact, have derived the word பதிகம்‌ from the Sanskrit ‘pratika.’
us. is a pure Tamil Word derived from 3), and meaning
‘that which gives information on 10 or 11 points relating to a
treatise.’

8. Non-distinction of Opposites. i
Many things and terms which are opposed to others,
are either omitted or undistinguished from their படபட in
the Lexicon.
Hi. g. அணிடி. 24 பெண்ணிடி.
ஆணிடி -- Thunder that ee
ம்‌ பெண்ணிடி -- ,, » does'nt strike,
 ©
29

*அட்டு..... 01. og Ga. <A verbal suffix used as

imperative auxiliary in the sense of ‘let; ஒரு வியங்கோள்‌ விகுதி
(wr, %,)” (Supplement, p. 23)
“அட்டு 18 singular and y-@m plural. அவன்‌ செய்யட்டு
means ‘thou 16 நர்ரு 0௦” 8௩0 அவன்‌ செய்யட்டும்‌ “00 let him do’
அட்டு 18 akin to 2@ and means ‘to allow’ or ‘to let.’
As an auxiliary, it is suffixed to the infinitive of a verb, as in
வசட்டு, போகட்டு ஞூ.

Nowadays, the singular form has become obsolete

except in the southernmost taluks of the Tirunelveli Dt., and
the pluxel form is used for the Singular also in all the other
parts of Tamil Nad.

These remarks apply to #2-@u (Vol. I. p. 203) and

#2@ (Supplement, p. 93) also.

The inclusion of the singular forms அட்டு ஹம்‌ ஆகட்டு

in the Supplement and not in Vol. I reveals the fact, that they
were discovered much later than their plural forms.

10. Absence of example or illustration.

Of the four kinds of metric syllables, Gaze, Domraucms,
கோபசை ஹட்‌ நிரைபசை, ooosuene alone is illustrated by ex-
amples and that too onlyNe English.
வந்து as an expletive is not illustrated at all.

11. Unnecessary repetition of definitions.

ம
©

(1) ::அச்சதந்‌ Csofsse...To sprinkle a mixture of rice and

Cynodon grass, as 002௨ newly inarried couple; y2@a
அரிசியம இடல்‌.” (Vol. I, p: 24)

“அச்சுதக்‌ தேளித்தல்‌...]௦ 8றா1ற]106 ஐ மர்கர்மாகு ௦4 rice and

Cynodon grass as on a newly married couple; y2@a
HOKU D QOH...” (Vol. I. p. 25) \

\
 32

முத்து 4 mukta
வடவை << vadava
auf (tax) < bali ;
வால்‌ 4 நித
விடி
- தல்‌ < vyusti

வேட்டி < vesta

No one who has properly understood Tamil, would

ever dream, for a moment, of deriving these words from any
other language, however classical or even divine it may be.
Dr Caldwell has stated in his ‘Dravidian Comparative
Grammar’ regarding the independence of Tamil, as fuilows :-
“Tamil, however, the most highly cultivated ab intra
of all Dravidian idioms, can dispense with its Sanskrit
altogether, if need be, and not only stand alone but flourish
without its aid.”
Even in a recent North Indian publication entitled
‘Vedic Age’, the editor Sri K. M- Munshi has stated, that
the Dravidian contribution to the composite Indian culture
amounts to more than three-fourths. But, the fact, that the
Lexicon has been so prepared as to make the impression upon
the readers, that Tamil is an off-shoot of Sanskrit, militates
against the high opinion expressed oy authoritative scholars
regarding Tamil language or culture.
Sir Monier Williams’ Sanskrit Dictionary, I think, is
partly resporsible for the boldness with which the editorial
staff have shown Sanskrit origin fcr a number of basic and
most important Tamil words: Prof. Max Muller, not having
studied Tamil properly and animaied to some extent by racial
spirit, failed to discover the Dravidian ad mixture in the Sanskrit
language and literature, and jumped to the conclusion that
Sanskrit was the prototype of all Indo-European languages.
His follower, Sir Monier Williams has laboured under the
 ; 33
game illusion, and not even in one instance in his dictionary
sought the aid of Tamil for etymological elucidation. There-
fore, his dictionary has become unscientific, so far as the
Tamil words are concerned. ‘To give two instances:

(1) முகம்‌ (மூகு 4 4), a pure Tamil word, is taken in

its Sanskritised form mukha and arbitrarily cut into mu and
kha. Mu is unceremoniously dismissed as a meaningless
prefix, and kha is taken as the vital part derived from khan,
to dig. rom the idea of digging, those of ‘pit’, ‘ mouth,’
and ‘face’ are drawn out in succession by force.

மம absurdity of this etymology is clear, when we

understiad, that ‘@’, the first syllable of the word gs, is
its radical element conveying the idea of ‘frontness’, as in
மூன, முத்து, முகப்பு 6௦. The word qs, as a member of a
‘compound also, conveys the same idea; 6. ஐ. முகவுரை,
முகமண்டபம்‌, மூகதலை; துறைமுகம்‌, அரன்முகம்‌, போர்முகம்‌,
Further, the verb sa to ‘dig,’ which is the sole basis of
the Sanskrit etymology, °is a Tamil word as an alternate
form of s«, to dig, and is not to be identified with the last
syllable of @ser, an alteration of qeu.

There are two words, govern and a sere, peculiar to

Sanskrit to denote face. முகம்‌ is the only word in Tamil to
signify the organ, and it\yould be absurd to think, that the
ancient Tamilians, who had built up so advanceda civilization
and developed so wonderful an organ of thought, had no word
for face at all.

(2) ozo, another pure Tami] word is derived from

e_w ‘north’, and means ‘the northern fire.’ It is interesting
to note, that the correfponding English word qurora
borealis is identical in meaning. St. Thayumanavar employs
the compound word wae instead of ata, and this
proves beyond a shadow of doubt the Tamilian origin of the
word «ems, whose another form is aéms. Kor the sake -

சு
 54
of perspicuity, sero or § is sometimes added to வடவை ஹர்‌ —
வடை, ௨6 வடவைக்கனல்‌, வடவைத்தி ஹ0 80 on.

1116 00100000 10100, 8100) ௨5 வடவைக்கனல்‌, 88811068

the form, vadavagni in Sanskrit, by transliteration of the
first member and translation of the second. To differentiate
further, mukha is inserted in the middle of the compound,
and then the whole form is interpreted, as “the Submarine fire
in the shape of a mare’s head, belived to consume the world at
the end of a yuga.” the first member being misrepresented as
a Sanskrit word of that form, meaning ‘a mare.’

To connect the word swe, a name of kinship of

native origin, with arya, a racial name of foreign origiti, is gross-
ly michievous and tendentious. ஜயன்‌ is a genuine Tamil
word primarily meaning ‘a great one. On the basis of this
idea, it came to signify God, a king or chief, a hermit,
a teacher, one’s father, one’s eldest brother, a senior and so on.
Every aged and respectable man is addressed ஐயா, 496 voca-
tive of ewe. There are several pure-blooded Tamilian castes,
hereditarily employing the word g we, to address the male
parent.
ஐயன்‌ 18 derived from g, whose primary meaning is
‘greatness, and subsequent meanings the same as those of
ஜயன்‌,

As parents, acting as protectors and teachers, are all-

important great ones to each and every child throughout his
or her life; as primitive kingship which had always an air of
divinity in it, was patriarchal in origin; and as all other great
ones including God are held great only on the parental pattern;
it can be held, that @ originally denoted only the parents, as a
common term.

A number of words, among those indicated by asterisks

to be of non-Tamil origin up to the end of page 506 of the
_. Lexicon are undoubteply of Tamilian origin. 7
 35

2 As Sanskrit literature began to develop only after the

1 Brahmins came in contact with the Tamilians, hundreds, if
not thousands, of Tamil words have found their way into
Sanskrit literature. The old notion, that Sanskrit, as a
divine language, could not borrow from any other language,
has been a deliberate public cheating and cannot be maintain-
ed any longer.

2. Absence of information as to origin of words.

There are many words, chiefly exclamatory expressions
whose origin, though plain, is uot given in the Lexicon.

நர்‌, ஐ. Kx. word Origin not given

அச்சோ அச்சன்‌
அத்தோ அத்தன்‌
அந்தோ அத்தோ 4 அத்தன்‌
அப்பா அப்பன்‌
அம்ம cas. அம்மை
DIC ST a
அம்மவோ a
அம்மா ”
அன்னோ. அன்னை
ஜயோ ஐயன்‌
>

‘Children, when in. distress or under the sway of any

gtrong emotion, naturally call their parents, generally male
child his father and female child her mother, either for relief
or for informing them of the event that has excited the emo-
tion in them- Such calls or addresses, uttered in olden days;
later on became established as exclamatory words expressive
of the various emotions in man. @Gewdur and அடீயம்மா
are modern amplified forms ௦4 அப்பா and #07 respectively.

Though #47 is the nasalised form of 9507, it is

sought to be derived from the Sinhalese word hanta by the
Brahmin Tamil scholars. : :
 36 8

(9) Gaéser, whose relationship or correspondence with

devendra is suggested in the Lexicon, is derived: from |
GawsG star, ‘one who wears a crown It naust be re-
collected in this connection, that originally only the
Tamil kings of the three dynasites, viz-, Chera, Chola
and Pandya, had the right to wear a crown and hence,
they all had the appellation Gass in common.

God Siva is called @sreircnm Gaiése which is a cor-

ruption of Carex» SawsG eror, the wearer of Casia flower.
வேய்க்கோன்‌ is from Caw, to wear on the head.

3. Erroneousness of derivation. (
நம்‌. ஐ.

(1) மணித்தக்காளி 18 0811760 from மணத்தக்காளி

(மணம்‌ -- தக்கானி) நர (06 Lexicon. wal is a word
meaning ‘small’ and prefixed to many names, as
a diminutive prefix, as in மணிக்கயிறு, மணிக்காடை,
மணிக்குடல்‌, மணிப்பயனு, மணிப்புரா 606.

தக்காளி ig the common name for several species of

fruits called மணித்தக்காளி. பைத்தக்காளி (0 simply
தக்காளி), Fong ssaron and 0 on; of which மணித்‌
sarah is the smallest. '

(2) “ஆமவடை < ama +. Cake fried, but not thoroughly,

os in oi! or ghee.” (Vol. I p. a
This is a typical instance, in which} a Tamil word is
deliberately distorted in order that an Aryan origin might be
attributed iS it, by a wrong meaning given to 1.

The correct form of the word is ஆமைவடை, ஹம்‌ 416

eake is so called, because of its convex or double-convex shape
which resembles the shell or the body of a tortoise.
 a7
Theré are also some other articles called after the
tortoise, for the same reason; e. g- ஆமைத்தாலி, ஆமைப்பலகை;
அமைப்பூட்டு 60௦. ்‌ ்‌

4. Indeterminateness of derivation.
BK. g. “@@xy, n- prob. 60”
“we, n+ perh. UG”
“ingens, n. prob. mangala”
“மருகன்‌, ற, prob. மருவு”

These derivations are quite correct, except. that the

word ‘owe is shown to be a Sanskrit word. é

5. Reverseness of derivation.
Tamil is the oldest language of India,and was perfected
long before the advent of the Vedic Aryans, as were the Tamil
literature, civilization and culture.
The following observation of Dr. Caldwell is worth
recalling in this connection :—
“Does there not seem to be reason for regarding the
Dravidian family languages, not only asa link of connection
between the Indo-European and Scythian groups, but—in
some particulars, especi’ lly in relation to the pronouns—as the
best surviving representative of a period in the history of
human speech older than the Indo-European stage, older
than the Scythian, and older than the separation of the one
from the other.” (D. C. G. Preface, viil-) ட

There were onlya few languages spoken in India

during the Vedic Age; like Pisaci, Sauraseni. Magadi
_ and Maharastri in the North, and Dravidi or Tamil in
the South. On account of the poor minority of the Vedic
Aryans and the phonological and inflexional over-development
of fhe Vedic language, the latter ceased to be a Ue langu- >
ட
 38

age and the post-Vedic Aryan grammarians and men of

letters, realising the deficiency of the Aryan vocabulary, slowly
evolved a literary dialect called Sanskrit, ‘the perfected, out
of the dead Vedic Aryan and the then living Indian languages
called Prakrit ‘the pre-existing.’ Thus, Sanskrit is not iden-
tical with Vedic Aryan, which differs from tbe former as much
as Anglo-Saxon does from Modern English in point of voca-
bulary, and it is a misnomer to call. Vedic Aryan ‘Vedic ©
Sanskrit.’

Another fact that has to be taken into account is, that

many Dravidian dialects, some of which have developed into
languages later on, and some of which have formed the ground-
work of the North Indian Aryan vernaculars, had bedn spoken
all over North India from the remotest times beyond the
reach of history. So, even before the arrival of the original
Brahmin colonists in the South, hundreds of Dravidian words
had been borrowed by the Aryan language through the
regional languages of North India called Prakrit. Such words,
therefore, have to be traced to Tamil through Prakrit. But,
the process is reversed in the Lexicon.
E. g. SANSKRIT PRAKRIT TAMIL
sukti sippi . சிப்பி5 இப்பி
kastha kattha கட்டை
stambha khamb’sa கம்பம்‌ 4 கம்பு
sneha ne--am கேயம்‌
manga manga மாங்கன்‌ (ரு மின்‌)
vrtta vatta வட்டம்‌

6. Mis-splitting of compound words.

Some compound words are on up in an arbitrary
manner in the Lexicon.
Eg. “ உடக்கெடுத்துப்போதல்‌........ றாம்‌, உடல்‌ + GaQ +”
உடக்கெடு 18 (16 ட ௦1 உடக்கு ஹ0 a and
௭0% 01 உடல்‌ ஊ0 கெடு,
 20

உடக்கெடுத்‌ அப்போ தல்‌ 06806, 10 grow lean and emaci-

ated, to become skin and bone, to be skeletonised.
e...4@ is not clearly explained in the Lexicon. It
means: (1) Hollow carcass..
(2) Skeleton.
(3). Artificial framework of body, as of
a horse.

7. Misrepresentation of the same word as different

homonyms.
நீர்‌, ஐ. ்‌
-* இறு-டதல்‌ ...... caus. of Oo. -. 1. To break off, as
உமா... 2: “Po smash:.s...-. 3. To dest-
yoy.... 4. To bring toanend..... 5. To bring
down. ” (Vol. I. p. 363)
e ‘
3
““@mi-530.... 1. To pay, as a tax, a debt...”

Both the words shown to be different homonyms are

identical.

ட “த்தல்‌... Cas, Of 2 = ¢..1.<.... 1, To leave

quit..... 2. To finish........ 3. To destroy .... .... ‘
4. To kill.... 5. To beat severely... 6. To
remove, curc relieve, as pain... 7. To clear off,
pay off, as deb........ 8. To divorce.... 9. To settle,
decide, as dispute........ ”__(Tlamil] Lexicon, p- 1945)

Cf. “தீர்வை... .: ® 1. Conclusion .... 2. Certainty ...

3. Expiation .... 4. Escape....5. Diving judgment...
- 6. Judgment .... 7. Duty, tax, toll ... 8. Divorce
fee...’ -—(Tamil Lexicon p- 1948)
4
The basic meaning of @2 is ‘to finish, and the
subsequent meanings are: (1) to kill, (2) to settle -
a dispute, (3) to punish an offence, (4) to pay the ~
dues, (5) to pay a tax, etc. ed
 40

Ci “fine ’ n., & v.1- & t. Hnd (now only in in f, to

sum up: பட in short); sum of money paid by
in-coming tenant in consideration of small rent:
sum of money fixed as penalty for offence. (Vb.)
pay consideration for privilege or appointment;
punish by a f.,.whence finAaBLE a. [M EH & OF fin
settlement of dispute f. L. finis end] ”
—(The Concise Oxford Dictionary, p. 424)

8. Misrepresentation of different homonyms as the same

word.
E. g. “ semo-se.......intr. 1. To wear away, as soil:-by the
action of water; to dissolve, as salt or sugar in
water ... 2. To be reduced from a solid to a liquid.
form .... 3. To become emaciated, as the body ...
4. To become gradually attenuated ... 5. To under-
go difficulties...6. To linger, delay...7. To sound...
8. To weep... 9. To be over-ripe, as furit ....— ¢r.
Teo call 4-2 To tell. (Vol dl p டு
Of the various meanings given of sz 9, Nos. 1-6
and 9 given under the intransitive form belong to a word sanz
derived from #7, ‘to hide or disappear, and all the rest to
another word ss derived pon 7 imitative of a sound
produced in the throat.

IV Defects relating to the plan of the Lexicon

1. Non-differentiation of primitives and -derivaties by
typographical device.
All words, whether primitive or derivative, simple or
_ compound, are printed in the same type, ‘Hnglish Body,’ and
this hinders the student of philology or etymology, from dist-
- inguishing the derivatives and the derivative compounds from
 41
the parent words at a glance. It would: have | ies better, if
Winslow’s Dictionary had been followed in this respect.

2. Non-enumeration of species under genera.

In Dr. Winslow’s Dictionary, under every genus, its
‘species are given in the alphabetical order. This is the best
method of presenting the individuals of a group, the varieties
of an article, and the species of a genus, as it is most conveni-
ent for the student to learn all the allied things, at one stretch
without much effort in the shortest பம of time possible.
It also facilitates reference.

For instance, if under saves, all its varieties, a @&

கொம்பவரை, ஆமால்மீனவரை, ஆனைக்காதவரளை, கணுவவரை, காரட்‌
டவரை, கொழுப்பவரை, கோழியவரை etc., had been given,.it
would help not only the student to know all the differant
varieties together at the same time, but also the lexicographer
to find out the missing words. grrakoramsr, otoréar sacnr
and Gau@puuiaes etc. are not given in the Lexicon.

As all the words treated of in the Lexicon, with the

exception of group-names, are given in the alphabetical order,
one has to go through all the volumes in order to know all the
species of a particular genus.

All the good features of Dr. Winslows’ Dictionary have

not been imitated, but, the bad one of incorporating unneces-
sary foreign words has been over-imitated in the Lexicon
to an abominable extent. There are severab extenuating
circumstances, such as the nationality of the compiler and the
time of compilation for an excuse, in the case of the former,
while none exists in that of ihe latter.
 42. wet
V Defects relating in the work of the
Editorial Staff Se
1. Lengthiness of the Corrigenda list.
Lexicons belong toa class of literary works, which
strictly demand complete freedom from spelling mistakes or
‘typographical errors. The Tamii Lexicon took more than a
quarter of a century for its completion. The Lexicon office
was adequately staffed throughout, and yet, the main Lexicon
could not come out ‘without’ a corrigenda list of 717
mistakes. Hvery referrer has to look at the corrigenda list also,
every time he looks up a word in the Lexicon.

2. Inexhaustiveness of the Corrigenda list.

In spite of the tediously long corrigenda list, there are
typographical errors yet to be corrected, and consequently,
every student or foreigner is obliged always to entertain some
doubt, as to the correctness of this or that word.
E. g.
Vol. Page Word Erroneous — Corrected _.
Introduction xxxxii * -contraced contracted
i EXXIX pre vared Dr. prepared by Dr:
1 697 கண்‌ இறத்‌ முதலியவற்‌ முதலியவற்றித்‌
தில்‌ OD DG son குக்‌ கண்‌
ன்‌ [50 கருக்குக்‌ சக்கை கருக்கு சாரக்கைக்‌ கருக்‌
கஷாயம்‌ காய்ச்சிய இக்‌ காய்ச்ச
11] 1213 சக்கைபோடு. சக்கைபோடு சக்கைப்போடு
5 போடுதல்‌ ்‌

Supplement 240 கூந்தியாவு உளுக்துவகை உழுந்தூவகை

முக்கு
es 320 தாதுகறி உளுத்தமா.... உழுத்தமா
யுருண்டை
 43

On page 2029 டி. 15, sr? is referred to உதார்‌

whose serial number i is not given, and hence, the reference is
of no use. :
All the defects explained so far have to be attributed
to the nature of the responsible members of the editorial staff,
who have neither evinced a genuine love for ‘I’amil, nor exhi-
bited any ability to compile a standard or first class dictionary
in Tamil.

Of thestwo Tamil” schools of thought—the Tamilian-

led orthodox and the Brahmin-led heretic—the former, the most
important section of the Tamil body of learning, was entirely
unrepresented om the editorial staff. and hence all the evils.

Almost all the niembers of ‘the editorial staff seem to

have been vegetarians, and to have had no idea of the articles
of non-vegetarian diet. ‘hough the Lexicon contains @
large number of names of fish, there are still about a hundred
to be added to them.

The bditorial staff had had no idea, at the beginning,

of the copiousness of the Tamil vocabulary, the nature of the
colloquial dialect of Tamil, and the method of collecting
the words relating to the various arts and sciences, and had
entirely depended upon “he dictionaries and the epinal glos-
saries of certain classics. Hven some grammatical terms
occuring in Tolkappiyam, for instance, Quewnes and edwons,
find a place only inthe Supplement. It was only after a
long time, that the editorial staff came to know, that there are
_a large number of words confined to the colloquial dialect.
Even then, they did not show any keen interest in collecting
them. When I offered my services in 1934, when I was a
teacher in the Bishop Heber High School, Puttur, Trichino-
poly, for collecting the thousands of words current in the
retired districts, on condition that I should be employed on a
fixed salary of Rs. 100 p. m. for a period of two years, it was
ந j
 44

flatly rejected by the Hditor. Thesonly thing he did was to

enlist myself as a. Honorary Referee, and sanction mea
complete set of the Lexicon volumes, in recognition of the list
of 200 words that I had sent him. What is curious is, that:
some of the words I sent were not incorporated in the
‘Supplement, for instance, s@msormr and s1Grré50. The
editorial staff have also not been faithful in transcribing the
meanings given in Dr. Winslow’s Distionary, though they
had first taken it as the main basis of work. For instance,
the 4th meaning given under the word us mSC pan, viz ,
‘to recite or interpret word by word, aafss,” is omitted in
the Lexicon. a
Except the Rev. J. S. Chandler, who remained in
office only for a short period, the members of the editorial
staff never visited or sent agents to the various artisans and
workmen, for collecting technical terms and ascertaining their
‘meaning, and entrusted the work entirely to Literary
Associates and Honorary Referees, who were after all only
honorary workers. Hence, many names of tools and instru-
ments are not found in the Lexicon. KE. ஐ, உருண்டையாம்‌,
6550 71D, சீட்டியாம்‌, பூவரசம்‌, பொக்தரம்‌, முூள்ளரம்‌, முதுகரம்‌, 60.
the different kinds of files used in carpentry.

Of the terms relating to castes, sub castes, social

customs and ceremonies, children’s ¢ «mes, plants and insects,
etc., there are hundreds unknown to the Lexicon.

Hven literary words are remaining in their hundreds

outside the J.exicon, forinstance, aor se காருமொழி,
ep ro rips
தொருமொமி, கெடுஞ்னை, காரை, இனைமா கற்பெயர்‌, எ.
சொல்‌, தடுமாற கொழித்பெயர்‌, பா yaan art etc. of Tolkappiyam;
அக்கரக்கோல்‌, கண்ணெழுத்து, valor Aer}, etc. of Silappadi-
karam; Y@ure, yoos@uu9» ete. of Adiyarkkuuallar,
கருங்களமர்‌,. . கருமூகமக்தி, செம்பிமீனற்றை etc. of Nachi-
narkkiniyar; @»p வெள்ளை, ஜம்படைவிருத்கம்‌, செக்தமிம்‌..
மால்‌, யாளைத்தொழில்‌, வேக்கன்குடைமங்கலம்‌, 660. 01 Panniru-

\
 : 45 ; \

pattiyal ; aripornof —Pineelam, 'அரைசுமக்கள்‌, கணக்குவாசியம்‌'

கலில்குவாரியம்‌, குடும்புவாசியம்‌, இறுதாம்‌, கடி.வழிலாரியம்‌, தட்டுக்‌
காரன்‌, நடுவிருக்கை, நாடாள்வான்‌, காடுடையான்‌, பழகியாயம்‌, பெருக்‌
தாத்துக்குமேல்காயகம்‌, பொன்வாரியம்‌ ௭4௦, 01 (196 1501400108.
Under these circumstances, the inclusion of the Hindi words
like -* and sééw in the Lexicon so early as 1929, speaks
volumes for the lukewarm attitude of the editorial staff to-
wards Tamil |

The work of the Lexicon, with the exception of the

Rev. J. 8, Chandler, has been supervised, guided and executed
by Brahmins. The editor, though a Non-Brahmin, is not an
adherent of the orthodox school. His dating of Tolkappiyam
to the early centuries of the Christian era, is in keeping with
bis habit of post-dating of all early Tamil classics. His
definition of 27¢0e10, QwpGera, HACsra and இசைச்சொல்‌
is wrong and misleading. He has not been able to construe a
simple phrase ‘au, s7a7@’ occuxing in the Tolkappiyan —
sutra “* மொழிப்பொருட்காரணம்‌ விழிப்பக்கோன்னா.? He has
mis interpreted this sutra as, “ Tolkappiyar only says that the
origin of words is beyond ascertainment.” ‘Tolkappiyar has
never said so, ' விழிப்பக்தோன்றா £? 1068௫8 “ஸூி1 not be clear at
a glance. The editor has evidently ignored the modifying
adverb ‘ofc’ in his interpretation. here is as much
difference between தோன்றா 80 விழிப்பத்‌ 2கான்றா, 85 060௭௦0
cannot talk’ and ‘cannox fluently talk.’ Even at this day.
the ascertainment of the ovigin of words is possible in the
cases of more than 50%, (for instance புள்‌ (பொள்‌) 2 புழல்‌
- >yL > 4%, ‘that which is hollow’) and it must have been
more so at the time of Tolkappiyar, who seems to have
flourished in the 8th century B. C.
Though the original Brahmin colonists of South India
seem to have settled in Tamil Nad. 3000 years ago, the
Brahmin Tajnil scholars have not yet attained that state,
which would enable them to become authorities on the Tamil
language. The reasons are the following
:—
a
%

ஃ
 46
(1) They do not identify themselves with the “Tamilians,
and aré still: keeping up their Aryan spirit. alive in
every respect.

(2) They do not move closely with the Tamilian peasants, —

whose dialect is tolerably pure and richest in colloquial
- idioms.

(3) They are not interested in learning Tamil words and

idioms and using them, but are bent upon adulterating
Tamil by introducing unnecessary Sanskrit words.

It is possible for’ one to master the literature of a

foreign people but not their idioms, unless one moves inti-
mately with them for a long time-

Even in the field of Tamil literature, the Brahmin

scholars, with a few exceptions, are not reliable masters as
they make it a point to misinterpret all vital passages and
key-words of Tamil classics, which serve as evidences of the
pre-Aryan and pre-historic antiquity and excellence of Tamil
culture, on the basis of Aryan notions, and to introduce Aryan
ideas into Tamil literature wherever possible, even by chang-
ing the text. This odd behaviour on the part of the Brahmin
scholars, seems to have been prompted by a desire, to keep
up the ill-gotten social supremacy of the Brahmins to the very
end of the world.
The Brahmin historians of South India with the
co-operation of the Brahimin Tamil scholars and some un-
enlightened Tamilians have embarked on a compaign for -
misreperesntation of Tamil history and culiure abroad, taking
full advantage of certain social and political conditions still
favourable to them, in a deliberate attempt to foreclose any
revolutionary social change, that may take place in future and
deal a deata-blow to Brahminism. This attempt at suppression _
of truth and misrepresentation of Tamil. culture, is best
illustrated by the following quotations: Lo
 47

“The attempt to-support the Lemurian theory from

references to Tamil literature, e.g. Silappadikaram, xi,
ll. 18-20, capnot be considered satisfactory ae
—(The:Pandyan Kingdom, p. 1, foot-note)
“The Tolkappiam states definitely that marriage as a
sacrement attended with ritual was established in the Tamil
country by the Aryas.”’
—(A History of South India, p. 125)
The following observation made by Prof. Sundaram
Pillai so early as 1908, is worth considering with utmost
seriousness.
. “The attempt to find the basic element of Hindu
civilization by a study of Sanskrit and the history of Sanskrit
in Upper India, is to begin the problem at its worst and most
complicated point. India, south of the Vindhyas — the
Peninsular India — still continues to be India proper. - Here
the bulk of the people continue distinctly to retain their Pre-
Aryan features, their pre-Aryan languages, their pre-Aryan
social institutions. Hven here, the process of Aryanization
has gone indeed too far, to leave it easy for the historian to
distinguish the native warp from the foreign woof. But, if
there is anywhere any chance of such successful disentagle-
ments, it is in the south; and the further south we go the
larger does the chance grow-”
“One may know “by a handful the whole sack.’ The
Lexicon has deplorably failed to “satisfy the Tamil Scholars
of the orthodox style,” to a great majority of whom it is either
inaccessible owing to its costliness, or seems, inexplorable
owing to its voluminousness, and hence their silence, which
means by no means approval.
Tamil, though the highly cultivated and philosophically
developed primary classical language of the world, has been
purposely shown in the Lexicon to be a linguistic: mixture of
no. great importanee, and hence, the inevitable corollary is
that to entrust the preservation, publication, promotion, and

®
 48

propogation of the Tamil language and literature to the heretic

school, is ‘to set the fox to keep the geese.’
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE
; . TAMIL LEXICON. ;
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Tamil words
lingering in the Tamil, Malayalam, Tulu and Kanarese
countries, which have not yet entered the Tamil Lexicon.
A touring collector of words may be appointed forthwith by
the Madras University, to collect all the unrecorded words
current in those regions which were once 'l'amil. Such words
after collection, together with the 3000 words and idioms
already collected by me, can be incorporated in a purgatory
edition of the Lexicon, which is to be treated as an urgent
matter of public importance, and which is urged by two other
considerations that the Supplement is to be merged in the main
Lexicon, and that copies of the 1st edition are already ex-
hausted.
Such an edition will not only foster the growth of
modern high class prose literatue in Tamil, as anticipated
in the Preface to the Lexicon, but also facilitate coinage
of scientific and technical terms, so indispensable for making
Tamil the state language of Tamil Nad immediately, and for
introducing Tamil medium for the university courses of study
in due course.
Some competent person may also be sent abroad,
to catalogue the printed and manuscript copies of Tamil works
preserved in the metropolitan libraries of foreign countries.
Some of the statements contained in this report may
seem pungent to:some of the readers, but, [am sure, impartial
outlook, calm reflection and’ courageous judgment. will
convince them of the truth at the end.
“Oil and trath get uppermost at last.”
/ Salem, Yours Sincerely.
15-655. . G. DEVANESAN. |
 CORRIGENDA | :

Page Line Erroneous Corrected

8 4 Tntransitive form Intransitive form or

sense
ன்‌ 5 உசும்பு உசும்பு (86086)
3 6 உண உன... (10100)
9 10 of phrase phrase
12 3 necessary unnecessary
1 21 foreign of _ foreign
36 9 Casia Cassia
44 Bocca Distionary Dictionary