Now, I give you some examples of Sanskrit and Tamizh
similarities. I am sure all Tamizh speaking people will know the corresponding
Tamizh words are the same as the following Sanskrit words.
Dukham
Narakam
Shigram
Kambalam
Abaddham
Panam
Bhumi
Toranam
Surangam
Godhuma
Chapalam
Krimi
Nagarikam
Vanthi (another word in Sanskrit
is vamata, does it not sound like
vomit?)
Valli
Raktham
Moorcha
Vivaranam
Rahasyam
Desam
Dwaram
Gramam
Shwasam
Mudra
Parihasam
Mutram
Avashyam
Mamsam
Vishamam
AAnih
Utsavam
Apavada
You have to spend a little more time finding the similarity
between the following words in Sanskrit and Tamizh. But, they are phonetically
close. (All Tamizh words are given in parantheses)
Thakshaka (thatchan) carpenter
Katuh (kaduppu) pungent
Sthanu (thoon) pillar
Katcham (kaccham) edge of a
garment
Veetthee or veethika (veedi) road or market
Apoopah (appam) a sweet
AAnih (aani) nail, axle
Kanttha (kizhisal) torn garment
Shaadah (chagathi) mud
Naavikah (naavay) boat
Dronee (thoni) bucket
Nishreni (yeni) ladder
Shanasutram ( chanal) hemp
Analah (anal) fire
AAlaapa (aalapanai) preliminary
discussion (how appropriate for Indian classical music)
Samlaapa (sallapam) friendly talk
Paththanam (pattinam) town
Yela (elakkai) cardamom
Thundi ( thondi) actually, pot
belly
Masina (masikkirathu) making
paste
Pinnakah (pinnakku) the residue
left over after crushing sesame seed or cotton seed
Shrunkala (sangali) chain
Given that both Tamizh and Sanskrit are ancient languages,
it is certain that some words came into Sanskrit from Tamizh and vice versa.
Historically, however we know that the Tamizh of ancient India was quiet
different from the Tamizh of more recent times. We also know that the vedic
language moved south from the north with the vedic customs and most historians
agree that this happened probably around the 4th and 5th
century CE.
My own position is that each language has its own beauty.
How does it matter whether my ancestors were the early ones or yours? How does
it matter which language influenced which? (I am sure that it is always in both
directions although one may be more dominant because of its political or
economic dominance) What if we borrow words if those words enrich my
mother-tongue and help me express my ideas better?
We have to look at the English language to learn how to be
open-minded. One of the reasons for the dominance of English in the modern
world is not just due to the vast British empire during 18th to 20th
centuries, but also due to its ability to borrow words from various parts of
the world ruled by the British. The evidence for my statement is a book
called Hobson-Dobson: The Definitive Glossary of British India written by
H.Yule and A.C.Burnell published originally in 1866 and republished in 2013.