Tamizh is an interesting language. Apart from being an interesting language, there are so much of interesting facts behind this beautiful language. Here are some Tamizh facts that will make you go mind-boggling and wow about the language.
- Are you pronouncing ‘Tamizh‘ right?
Actually, Tamil is pronounced as Tamizh (தமிழ்) and not Tamil (டமில்).
The “zh” has to be pronounced as ழ. It is the unique alphabet in the world and no language has the equivalent of that. Even some Tamil people will find it difficult to pronounce that word correctly with the correct phonetic sound.
- Oldest living classical languages
Tamizh is not the oldest language, but it is among the oldest living language that is still being used today.
- Tamizh is part of UNESCO’s “Memory of the World”
The largest collection of Shaiva Siddhanta manuscripts was preserved at the French Institute and consists of 11,000 palm-leaf and paper writings written in Sanskrit, Tamizh, and Manipravalam.
- The Tamizh language worshipped as God
According to a source, it is believed that the Tamizh language is born out of a pellet drum that fell from Lord Shiva while he was dancing. As per mythology, it is believed that Lord Shiva played ‘Thiruvilayadal’ to test the knowledge of Tamizh poets. The above would only mean that the Tamizh language is connected with Gods.
- Official Language of three countries
Tamizh is the official language of three countries: India, Sri Lanka, and Singapore It is also the official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
- Tamizh is the first Indian language to be printed and published
Thambiran Vanakkam, a Tamizh prayer book written in an ancient Tamizh script, was produced in 1578 by Portuguese Christian missionaries, making Tamizh the first Indian language to be printed and published.
- Root words of Tamizh are found in languages across the world
Tamizh is not just a complex of words but it’s used and known as grammar in almost 400 languages. For instance, in Egypt, more than 4000 town names are in Tamizh.
- The only language to have a separate community ruled by kings
In the ancient period, Tamizh is the only language to have a separate community named Mudhal Tamizh Sangam (முதல் தமிழ்ச்சங்கம்) and ruled by 89 kings, 4400 years long ago.
- Google and Tamizh have similar phonetics
Google has a similar pronunciation in Tamizh. In Tamizh, it is written as Koogil.
Koo is koovu: one meaning is to call
kiLL is kiLLudhal which has meanings to pluck/search/analyze
- The word ‘Tamizh’ has several meanings
Apart from being the name of the language, ‘Tamizh’ also means things like beauty, sweetness, and nature.
Source : (1)
