Tamil classical language
Topic: Sangam Age and Early South India · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A "classical language" is a status the Government of India gives to a language that is very old and has a rich, independent body of literature. In 2004, Tamil became the first language to receive this status. The main reasons were its great age and its literary tradition going back to the Sangam age (c. 300 BCE – 300 CE). Tamil's literature grew up on its own and was not borrowed from another language.
Example
Tamil was declared a classical language in 2004. Sanskrit was added the next year, in 2005. Several other languages have been added since then.
Don't confuse with
- Eighth Schedule languages: these are the languages listed in the Constitution of India. Being on that list is different from having classical language status, which is given only for great age and a long literary tradition.
Related concepts
- Tamilakam
- Sangam age
- Sangam literature
- Tamil Sangams
- Akam and puram
- Tinai
- Ettuthokai
- Akananuru
- Purananuru
- Pattuppattu