SOURCES OF THE TAMIL LEXICON |
The
Rev, M.Winslow's Dictionary was originally taken as the main basis of
work. But,the vast amount of literature
belonging to the early, the medieval and the modern periods that has
been published since Winslow's time has made it absolutely necessary to
widen the basis and the scope of the Tamil Lexicon.1 |
a) |
The great Tamil classics of the sang am period, the grammatical works, Tolkappiyam and Iraiyanar Aka-p-porul and the ethical and other works included in the Patinen-kil-k-kanakku represent the earliest stage of literary Tamil. The Sangam and post-Sangam classics have been mostly edited by the late Rao Bahadur C.W.Damodaran Pillai. |
|
(b) |
Religious
and philosophical treatises closely followed the early Tamil literature. These
are the first 11 Tirumurais of the Saivites,the
Nalayira-tivviya-p-pirapantam of the Vaisnavites,the Jain works like
Culamani,Civaka-cintamani,etc.,the Buddist works,like Manimekalai,etc.The
longer poems like Perunkatai,Cilappatikaram,etc.,and the early nikantus
like Tivakaram also belong to this period. |
|
|
c) |
Kamban's
Ramayanam, Periya-puranam, Kalinkattu-p-parani,
the three Ulas, Takka-yaka-p-parani,etc.,
represent the early medieval Tamil
literature. To this period must be assigned the
Yapparunkalam,Viracoliyam and few other notable grammars. Among
the philosophical and religious
works of the period may be mentioned the 14 sastras of the saivites
and the exegetical works of the god
on the Nalayria-tivviya-p-pirapantnam. The Commentaries on Tolkappiyam ,sangam
works, etc., were written
during this period. |
|
d) |
Villiputturar,s
Paratam and the Puranic works such as Koyir-puranam,Paka
vatam,kanta-puranam,Tiru-v-alavay-utaiyur-puranam
represent the late medieval period of Tamil literature. Commentaries
on the 14 saiva sastras, religious and philosophic treatises like Nanavacittam,Merumantara
-puranam etc., several minor
pirapantams and nikantus like Akarti-nikantu and
Cutamani-nikantu belong
to this period. Some of the special treatises on arts and science ,like Cinentira-malai and Cuttamani
Ullamutaiyan(Astrology),Parata-cattiram (Dancing),Kanak-k-atikaram
(Mathematics) must also be counted among the works of this period. |
|
e) |
Contact
with the European nations may be taken to inaugurate
the modern period. Pirapantams of Kumarakurupara-cuvamikal,Civa-p- |
1
Winslow
himself remarks (in his preface to Spaulding's English and Tamil Dictionary,
1852) 'The period' is to come when a sufficient number of generally received
classic authors in the Tamil Language shall be in print or accessible in uniform
manuscripts, to enable any lexicographer to fix with certainty the standard of
language.
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