Unveiling Linguistic Ties: Tamil-Indo-European Dictionary Launched

The Tamil Nadu Deputy CM launched the fourth volume of the 'Tamil-Indo-European Root Words Comparative Dictionary'. A collaboration with Oxford University, the project traces linguistic links between Tamil and Indo-European languages. The research identifies 300 root words with direct Tamil ties, spanning Western and Eastern languages.

The Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has unveiled the fourth volume of the 'Tamil-Indo-European Root Words Comparative Dictionary'. This significant work is part of a collaborative project with Oxford University Press to explore the linguistic ties between Tamil and Indo-European languages.

The dictionary project, announced in the 2022-23 State Budget with an allocation of Rs 8 crore, is spearheaded by a team of 20 scholars led by Editor-in-Chief K Arasendran. Research is based on English etymologist Walter Skeat's identification of root words, with findings suggesting 300 out of 461 roots have direct links to Tamil.

The fourth volume delves into how 19 Tamil root words form the basis of words in both Western and Eastern Indo-European languages. The project has already released several volumes and was highlighted at an international conference attended by ministers and scholars. Future volumes are expected by 2025 following a partnership with Oxford University.

(With inputs from agencies.)