increasing upto 40,000 words but the second column (Latin) and the third column (German) had not yet been added. The whole work was on ōlai only. In 1719, Ziegenbalg died and in 1726 the dictionary was copied on paper. This was later sent to Sartorius - a missionary in Madras - who commenced to add new Tamil words and also to supply Latin words. Nine years later Sartorius wrote “I have finished about one third of it. If God gives time and strength it can be finished in two years.”18 In 1737, he claimed that the work was nearing completion and that he had finished supplying Latin words. He said, “Now it remains only to complete it finally and to improve the arrangement, to correct here and there and to make a Latin index.”19 Sartorius died in 1738, before the work was completely finished and it fell to Gesiter to continue the work; he also was unable to finish the task due to eye trouble.20 Ziegenbalg also prepared a poetical dictionary.21 This contained about 1200 words and was divided into sections according to the meaning of the words. One part had words relating to the Gods and heaven and the other words pertaining to man etc. In 1729, the report of Tranquebar mentions that it was there but nothing is heard about it after this. W. German believes that it was partly incorporated into the prose dictionary.22 This dictionary was not printed by the Tranquebar mission. The Tranquebar mission wanted to combine this dictionary with Beschi’s Caturakarāti and wrote to the latter seeking his permission but the request was denied.23 An appeal was then made to the Mylapore Bishop who wanted Beschi’s work to be separately printed. The Tranquebar Mission then resorted to ecumenical
18. Ferroli, Jesuits in Malabar, 1939, Vol. I. P. 470 19. Ibid. Vol. V., P. 1083 20. Ibid. Vol. V., P. 726 21. Ibid. Vol. V., P. 725 22. W. German, German Mission periodical (Mission Information of the East Indian Mission Institution at Halla) 1865, Vol. 17, “The Scholarly work of our old Tamil Missionaries” 23. W. German, Ibid. P. 19 |