1923, did not received adequate attention. On a rough estimate, the first volume contains 17,600 words, the second 18,100, and the third, including the appendix, 28,200. Altogether, the number of words in the Sangam Dictionary is about 63,900. 

While this dictionary was in the course of publication, another small work, which aimed at meeting the scholar's need only, was prepared and published. It was Ilakkiya-c-col-akarƒti. Its author was the late Mr. A. Kumƒra-swƒmi Pillai Jaffna. It deals mainly with nouns in nika–—u works and literary works lik the Rƒmƒya–am, Pƒratam, Kkali-t-tokai, and Cinatƒmani. About 1500 new works are said to have been incorporated in this small dictionary and these new words are marked with asterisks. The work was published in 1914.

Much, however, remained to be done before a truly comprehensive dictionary could be produced. There were sources that still had to be studied and utilized for lexicographical purposes. The sources already utilized by previous lexicographers had to be carefully examined afresh in the light of more recent research. 

In the treatment of words also, there was scope for considerable improvement: 

(a)  In each of the three dictionaries, Winslow's the Tranquebar and the Sangam, were found special and distinctive features not found in the earlier dictionaries. A progressive conception of lexicography demanded the combination in one dictionary of all these good features. These features, moreover, had to be further developed and more systematically adopted.

(b) The meanings had to be arranged , following definite principles,

The majority of the Tamil dictionaries gave the meanings in alphabetical order. This precluded any attempt at a logical, historical or etymological treatment of the meanings.

(c) Careful attention had to be paid to the definitions both in English and in Tamil. The earlier lexicons were defective in this particular in many ways, The English definitions were, in many instances, far from correct. The Tamil renderings in several dictionaries were altogether unsatisfactory. As a rule, the Tamil dictionaries did not attempt to give definitions at all. 

(d) Etymology had received little attention at the hands of the earlier lexicographers. Winslow quoted Wilson's Sanskrit Dictionary occasionally.

(e) Illustrative quotations with sources had been rarely given in the earlier works. The practice of quoting passages from Tamil works was introduced.