PLAN
OF THE TAMIL LEXICON |
All
words, derivatives and compounds as well as parent-words, are arranged in a
strictly alphabetical order,viz.,(1) vowels, (2) the aspirate aytam, (3)
mute consonants, each with its syllabic series, and lastly the Grantha
letters adopted (vide the Transliteration Table). The general order in the arrangement of an article is as follows:- (1) The word, (2) the transliteration, (3) the part of speech,
(4) the origin and derivation,(5) the cognates, (6) the meaning (a) in
English and (b) in Tamil and (7) quotations under each meaning, with
chapter and other details of the authorities cited, as also illustrative expressions. All
these seven features are not, of necessity, present in all
or even in the majority of words; (4), (5)and (7)may be absent under many
words for obvious reasons. |
To take up each of these in order: | ||||||
I. The Word. |
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1.Compound words as well as uncompounded individual words are given in the Lexicon. The compound words admitted are either
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2.
Words of all parts of speech, words in ordinary use in Tamil, either of
native origin or derived from Sanskrit or other languages, words incorrupt
forms that usage has sanctioned, words with veiled, euphemistic or ironic meanings, the
argot or canto special classes, technical words of the arts
and sciences, local words and expressions, literary words and phrases, technical
terms of Tamil Grammar, Prosody and Rhetoric, the special
vocabulary of the nursery, the dialectal speech of the vulgar and of
special communities-all these find their appropriate places in the
Lexicon. |
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3.
Up to the end of page
506(i.e.,to the end of the second part of Volume I), words of
non-Tamil origin, used either singly or in combination with other words, are
indicated by asterisks preceding them. As the origins
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