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	~~{{Portal bar\|India\|Tamils}}~~

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{italic title}}
'''''Tamil Lexicon''''' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]: தமிழ்ப் பேரகராதி ''Tamiḻ Pērakarāti'') is a twelve-volume [[dictionary]] of the [[Tamil language]]. Published by the [[University of Madras]], it is said to be the most comprehensive dictionary of the Tamil language to date. On the basis of several precursors, including [[Rottler's Tamil–English Dictionary]], [[Winslow's Tamil–English Dictionary]], and [[Pope's Compendious Tamil–English Dictionary]], work on a more exhaustive dictionary began in January 1913 and the first forms were printed by the end of 1923. Initially estimated at {{INR}} 100,000, the total cost of the project came to about {{INR}} 410,000. The first edition had 4,351 pages in seven volumes, including a one-volume supplement, which were printed between 1924 and 1939 and had 104,405 words, with an additional 13,357 words in the supplementary volume, totaling to 124,405 words in all.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/29/stories/2005042915320300.htm | title=Tamil lexicon to be enlarged and updated | date=29 April 2005 | work=[[The Hindu]] | access-date=27 January 2019 }}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The dictionary was reprinted in 1956 and 1982. Work on the revised and expanded edition of the dictionary, being published in twelve volumes, began on 1 May 2003, with the first volume published in 2012 under the vice-chancellorship of K. Thiruvasagam.<ref name="Hindu_DelayHowlersEmbarrassScholars"/> The revised edition of the dictionary will include words taken from secondary sources like modern and old literary works, newspapers, scientific journals and inscriptions.<ref>{{cite news
| last = John
| first = Ekatha Ann
| title = Professors craft new lexicon to make ideas come alive
| newspaper = The Times of India
| location = Chennai
| publisher = The Times Group
| date = 8 April 2013
| url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Professors-craft-new-lexicon-to-make-ideas-come-alive/articleshow/19437390.cms
| access-date = 7 February 2015}}</ref>

==History==

Although the origin of the Tamil language dates back to antiquity, the first regular lexicon of the language, with words arranged alphabetically, did not appear until the eighteenth century.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} Lexicons of the earlier period were not arranged alphabetically but metrically, on the basis of the first-letter rhyme, a characteristic of [[Tamil poetry]]. ''Agaraadhi Nigandu'' was the first alphabetically arranged lexicon published in 1594. Several dictionaries followed suit, including those by the foreign missionaries, such as ''Palporut Choolaamani'', ''Podhigai Nigandu'', Tamil–Portuguese Dictionary of Fr. Antem de Proenca, ''Dictionarium Tamulicum'', ''Chathur Agaraadhi'', Fabricius's Tamil–English Dictionary, ''Manual Dictionary of the Tamil Language'' (The Jaffna Dictionary), ''Oru Sor Pala Porul Vilakkam'', Rottler's Tamil–English Dictionary, Winslow's Tamil–English Dictionary, Pope's Compendious Tamil–English Dictionary, Classical Tamil–English Dictionary, Tamil Pocket Dictionary, Tranquebar Dictionary, N. Kadhirvel Pillai's Dictionary, Sangam Dictionary, and ''Ilakkiya Sol Agaraadhi''.

When the 67,542-words Winslow's Tamil–English Dictionary, which was sourced on the unpublished work of Rev. Joseph Night and Rev. Samuel Hutsings, was published in 1862 by the American Mission Press, it was considered the best lexicon available at that time. This dictionary by [[Miron Winslow]] was based on the works of [[Johann Rottler]], which itself was inspired from [[Johann Fabricius]]'s work in the mid-18th century. Winslow was sent out to [[Jaffna]] and then transferred to [[Madras]] by the [[American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions]]. In both the places, he collaborated with [[Arumuga Navalar]]. It had the most number of words of any Tamil dictionary up to the time. The copyright of the dictionary was held by the [[American Ceylon Mission]].<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon">{{cite news
| last = Muthiah
| first = S.
| title = The Tamil Lexicon
| newspaper = The Hindu
| location = Chennai
| date = 27 March 2011
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/madras-miscellany-the-tamil-lexicon/article1573842.ece
| access-date = 25 December 2014}}</ref>

Soon there was a demand to revise the Winslow dictionary. However, the mission suffered from lack of funds due to the [[Arbuthnot Bank crash|closure of the Arbuthnot Bank]]. Citing lack of scholars in [[Ceylon]] (now [[Sri Lanka]]), it then sought the help of the Madras branch of the Christian Literature Society.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

[[G. U. Pope]], upon hearing of these plans, offered to give his collection of material for an exhaustive lexicon of the Tamil language. As he had retired to [[Oxford]] to work on the Tamil Classics, he suggested an editor be sent out to Oxford to work with him on the re-issue of Winslow's dictionary. The [[Madras Presidency|Government of Madras]] and the University of Madras reacted positively to Pope's suggestion. However, before any concrete decision could be taken, Pope died in 1907. In 1909, his son came to Madras with his father's papers and gifted them to the [[Oriental Manuscripts Library]], permitting the use of the material for any new Tamil dictionary. In 1910, [[J. S. Chandler]] of the American Mission, then residing in [[Kodaikanal]], forwarded a proposal to the Madras government on the new Tamil dictionary project.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

With the Pope's collection it had, the government reacted to Chandler's proposal in January 1911 by appointing a five-member Lexicon committee comprising a representative each from the government, the university, the [[Madras Tamil Sangam]], and the missionary bodies of Ceylon and [[South India]]. Chandler, who was nominated by South Indian missionaries, was appointed chairman of the committee and was asked to work full-time as editor of the project.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

Detailed discussions took place for the next couple of years, and the University of Madras was made supervisor of the project. The total cost of the project was estimated at {{INR}} 100,000 for a period of five years that the project was expected to take.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

Work on the project began on 1 January 1919, with the appointment of three pundits, three clerks and two typists. The scholars included a Tamil pundit, a [[Sanskrit]] pundit and one familiar with the other [[Dravidian languages]] and [[Urdu]]. [[M. Raghava Iyengar]] of [[Ramnad]], a Tamil scholar, assumed the leader of the team. Incidentally, the Tamil [[typewriter]] used for the project, with a keyboard developed by Yost of the American Mission, was the first to be ever used in an office in India.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

When Chandler retired in 1922 at the age of 80, about 81,000 words had been compiled. Few more words were added soon, and in 1924 the Lexicon went to press. With the University of Madras holding the copyright, the printing of the work was entrusted to the Diocesan Press (now CLS Press), which had earlier printed the Winslow's dictionary as the American Mission Press.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

In 1926, S. Vaiyapuri Pillai was appointed editor for the project. Further delays resulted in the final volume of the dictionary getting published only in 1936, with Pillai continuing as editor till the project was completed in 1939.<ref name="Hindu_DelayHowlersEmbarrassScholars"/> In 1939, an additional 20,000 words collected for the Lexicon were published. In 1954, a concise version of the lexicon was published.<ref name="Hindu_TheTamilLexicon"/>

The dictionary was digitised in 2011.<ref>{{cite book
| title = Tamil Lexicon
| year = 1936
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=UXNFAQAAIAAJ
| access-date = 25 Dec 2014}}</ref>

==Editions==
[[File:MadrasUniversity TamilLexiconVol1 BackCover.JPG|thumb|210px|Back cover of the ''Tamil Lexicon'' dictionary]]
The first edition of the lexicon was published in 1924, with reprints in 1956 and 1982. In 2012, a revised and enlarged edition was published. The lexicon was digitized on 1 April 2011.

==Criticism==
In addition to the delay in publishing, the first volume of the revised and enlarged edition published in 2012 was found to have numerous spelling mistakes, bloopers, and grammatical and typographical errors. A complaint was sent to the [[Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu|Chief Minister's]] Cell. V. Murugan, one of the members of the expert committee who subsequently resigned, sent a detailed note to the Madras University's Tamil department, listing the errors.<ref name="Hindu_DelayHowlersEmbarrassScholars">{{cite news
| last = Kolappan
| first = B.
| title = Delay, howlers in Tamil Lexicon embarrass scholars
| newspaper = The Hindu
| location = Chennai
| date = 22 June 2014
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/delay-howlers-in-tamil-lexicon-embarrass-scholars/article6138747.ece
| access-date = 25 December 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[University of Madras]]
* [[Tamil language]]
* [[List of dictionaries by number of words]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Portal bar|India|Tamils}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/tamil-lex/ Online version of the ''Tamil Lexicon'']
* [http://www.unom.ac.in/index.php?route=department/department/deptpage&deptid=67 Official website of the University of Madras, Tamil department]

{{Tamil language}}
{{University of Madras}}

[[Category:1924 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Tamil dictionaries]]
[[Category:Tamil non-fiction literature]]
[[Category:Tamil culture]]
[[Category:Tamil language]]
[[Category:University of Madras]]
[[Category:English bilingual dictionaries]]

Tamil Lexicon dictionary - Revision history

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