Family : Dravidian
Countries : India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Reunion
Official Status : India, Sri Lanka, Singapore
India : It is the first language to be declared as classical by the
government in 2004
First Language Users: more than 66 Million
Years : more than 2000 year history
Newspapers : 1863 Tamil Newspapers
Nearest Relative : Malayalam
Insciptions : more than 30,000 - largest in South Asia
Periods : Old Tamil (300 BC - 700 CE), Middle Tamil (700 - 1600) and
Modern Tamil (1600-present)
Early Script : Brahmi
Current Script : Vatteluttu
Earliest Work : Tolkapiyam - a work on poetics and grammar
Sangam Works : Thirukkural, Silappadikaram, Manimegalai, Sivakachintamani,
Valayapati, Kundalakesi
Religious Works : Kamba Ramayanam, Tevaaram, Periyapuraanam
English words with Tamil Root: cash (kaasu), Cheroot (suruttu), Mango (Manga), Mulligatawny (Milagu tanneer), Ginger (Ingi), Curry(Kari), catamaran (Kattu Maram), Pandal (Pandal), Coir (Kayar)