தமிழ்

Tamil

Etymology

Uncertain. Various hypotheses have been adduced. The main ones consider this word a compound of some sort:

1. K. V. Zvelebil (1990) proposes that தமிழ் (tamiḻ) is derived from the verb தகு- (taku-, “to fit properly”) with the evolution tak- > tav- > tam-.
2. Koskinen (1996) speculates a relationship with the name of the lotus flower தாமரை (tāmarai), attested also with the variant தம்மி (tammi), and having cognates in Malayalam താമര​ (tāmara​), Kannada ತಾಮರೆ (tāmare), Tulu ತಾಮರೆ (tāmare) and Telugu తామర​ (tāmara​).
3. Southworth (1998) suggests a derivation like *tam-miẓ > tam-iḻ “one's own speech”, considering the final part as a reduced form of மொழி (moḻi, “word, speech”).

However, there are problems with each of these attempts. The sounds -k- and -v- are nowhere attested as variants; moreover, the underlying form of மொழி (moḻi) is Proto-Dravidian *moẓ-, not *miẓ-. The etymology of the word remains therefore unknown.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t̪amiɻ/, [t̪ʌmɨɻ]

• Audio

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Proper noun

தமிழ் • (tamiḻ)

1. Tamil

Derived terms

• கொடுந்தமிழ் (koṭuntamiḻ)
• செந்தமிழ் (centamiḻ)
• தமிழன் (tamiḻaṉ)
• தமிழ் நாடு (tamiḻ nāṭu)
• தமிழ்நாடு (tamiḻnāṭu)

 

Descendants

• → Malayalam: തമിഴ് (tamiḻŭ)
• → Kannada: ತಮಿೞ​ (tamiḻa​)
• → Tulu: ತಮುಳು (tamuḷu)
• → Sanskrit: द्रमिल​ (dramila​), द्रविड​ (draviḍa​), द्राविड​​ (drāviḍa​​) (although may be the opposite direction)

References

• University of Madras (1924-1936) , “தமிழ்”, in Tamil Lexicon, Madras [Chennai]: Diocesan Press.