|
|
| 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. |
| Mauritius |
Language name |
TAMIL |
|
Population |
22,000
in Mauritius (1993 Johnstone). |
|
Comments |
Often
used in government and politics. Hindu. Bible 1727-1995. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Sri Lanka |
Language name |
TAMIL |
|
Population |
3,000,000
in Sri Lanka (1993). |
|
Comments |
Tamil
script. Hindu, Muslim. Bible 1727-1995. |
Source:
Ethnologue.com
|
|
|
