Table of Contents
Who wrote the Tamil grammar Tolkappiyam?
Tolkappiyar
Tolkappiyar (epithet), the author of Tolkappiyam, which is the oldest extant Tamil grammar, is believed by various traditions to be one of the twelve disciples of Agattiyar. Tolkappiyar is believed to have lived during the Second Sangam and to be the author of the Tolkappiyam that has survived.
What is written in Tolkappiyam?
“ancient poem”) is the most ancient extant Tamil grammar text and the oldest extant long work of Tamil literature. The surviving manuscripts of the Tolkappiyam consists of three books (atikaram), each with nine chapters (iyal), with a cumulative total of 1,610 (483+463+664) sutras in the nūṛpā meter.
What language is Tolkappiyam written?
…work in the Tamil language, Tolkappiyam (1st–4th century ce; “Ancient Literature”), is a treatise on grammar and poetics. Its existence presupposes a large body of literature that was probably available in the form of anthologies.
Is Tolkappiyam Sangam text?
The correct answer is Option 2, i.e Second Sangam. Sangam was an assembly of Tamil poets held under the royal patronage of Pandyan kings. In total there were three Sangam held in history southern India. “Tolkappiyam” is the most ancient Tamil grammar text and the oldest surviving work of Tamil literature.
Why is Tolkappiyam important?
‘Tolkappiyam’ is known to be the earliest surviving Tamil literary work. It is supposed to have been written by Tolkappiar, one of the 12 disciples of the saint Agastya. The book stands testimony to the development of Tamil as a language.
Is Tamil the oldest language?
The Tamil language is recognized as the oldest language in the world and it is the oldest language of the Dravidian family. This language had a presence even around 5,000 years ago. According to a survey, 1863 newspapers are published in the Tamil language only every day.
How many kinds of marriage are mentioned in Tolkappiyam?
eight forms of marriages
The earliest Dharmasastras mention eight forms of marriages. These eight forms are mentioned in the Tolkappiyam and other works, and much ingenuity is spent in appropriating them into Tamil forms.
What does sangham mean?
a gathering of learned men
Sangam means a gathering of learned men. The literature compiled in such gatherings is known as ‘Sangam Literature’. It is the most ancient literature in Tamil.
How many genders are there in Tamil?
Thus there are five genders in Tamil, namely, masculine singular (ஆண்பால் āṇpāl), feminine singular(பெண்பால் peṇpāl), high-class plural (பலர்பால் palarpāl), lower-class singular (ஒன்றன்பால் oṉṟaṉpāl), lower-class plural (பலவின்பால் palaviṉpāl).
Who is father of Tamil literature?
Agastaya
Notes: As per Tamil sources, the father of Tamil literature is ‘Agastaya’.
What is Tolkappiyam in Tamil?
Tolkāppiyam ( Tamil: தொல்காப்பியம், lit. “ancient poem”) is the most ancient extant Tamil grammar text and the oldest extant long work of Tamil literature. The surviving manuscripts of the Tolkappiyam consists of three books ( atikaram ), each with nine chapters ( iyal ), with a cumulative total of 1,610 (483+463+664) sutras in the nūṛpā meter.
When was Tolkappiyam written?
Vaiyapuri Pillai, the author of the Tamil lexicon, dated Tolkappiyam to not earlier than the 5th or 6th century CE. Kamil V. Zvelebil dates the earliest layer, the core Ur-text of the Tolkappiyam to 150 BCE or later. In his 1974 review, Zvelebil places Book 1 and 2 of the Tolkappiyam in the 100 BCE to 250 CE period.
What is the oldest form of Tamil literature?
Tolkāppiyam (Tamil: தொல்காப்பியம், lit. “ancient poem”) is the most ancient extant Tamil grammar text and the oldest extant long work of Tamil literature.
What is the etymology of the word Tolkāppiyan?
An alternate etymology that has been proposed by a few purists is that the name of the work derives from the author’s name Tolkāppiyan, but this is a disputed assumption because neither the author (s) nor centuries in which this masterpiece was composed are known.