Ethnologue 14 report for language code:TCV

TAMIL: a language of India

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: TCV

ISO 639-1: ta

ISO 639-2: tam

Population

61,527,000 in India (1997 IMA). Population total all countries 66,000,000 first language speakers; 74,000,000 including second language users (1999 WA).

Region

Tamil Nadu and neighboring states. Also spoken in Bahrain, Fiji, Germany, Malaysia (Peninsular), Mauritius, Netherlands, Qatar, Réunion, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE, United Kingdom.

Alternate names

TAMALSAN, TAMBUL, TAMILI, TAMAL, DAMULIAN

Dialects

ADI DRAVIDA, AIYAR, AIYANGAR, ARAVA, BURGANDI, KASUVA, KONGAR, KORAVA, KORCHI, MADRASI, PARIKALA, PATTAPU BHASHA, TAMIL, SRI LANKA TAMIL, MALAYA TAMIL, BURMA TAMIL, SOUTH AFRICA TAMIL, TIGALU, HARIJAN, SANKETI, HEBBAR, MANDYAM BRAHMIN, SECUNDERABAD BRAHMIN.

Classification

Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil.

Comments

Kasuva is a jungle tribe dialect. Burgandi speakers are nomadic. Aiyar and Aiyangar are Brahmin dialects. CIIL has prepared syllabus for hearing-impaired children. National language. SOV. Tamil script. Hindu, Muslim. Bible 1727-1995.

Also spoken in:

Malaysia (Peninsular)

Language name	TAMIL
Population	1,060,000 in Malaysia (1993).
Comments	Bilingualism in Malay, English. Together with speakers of Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujarati, Sindhi, Panjabi they total 10% of the population or 1,528,000. Some are plantation workers. Bible 1727-1995. See main entry under India.

Mauritius

Language name	TAMIL
Population	22,000 in Mauritius (1993 Johnstone).
Comments	Often used in government and politics. Hindu. Bible 1727-1995. See main entry under India.

Reunion

Language name	TAMIL
Population	Possibly including second language speakers: 120,000 in Réunion (1991 Froise).
Comments	90% describe themselves as of Indian origin. Hindu. Bible 1727-1995. See main entry under India.

Singapore

Language name	TAMIL
Population	90,000 speakers in Singapore (1985), 3.5% of the population, out of 111,000 in the ethnic group (1993).
Comments	19% speak English at home. National language. Hindu. Bible 1727-1995. See main entry under India.

Sri Lanka

Language name	TAMIL
Population	3,000,000 in Sri Lanka (1993).
Comments	Tamil script. Hindu, Muslim. Bible 1727-1995. See main entry under India.