There is a great deal of interest, particularly in the various internet discussion forums, in matters relating to Tamil Language and Culture, and their significance to Tamil Ethnicity or even Nationalism. This interest, however, often generates more heat than light.
The posts and pages in this weblog aim to provide objective descriptions, analyses and discussions relating to Tamil dialects spoken in Sri Lanka, India and elsewhere. It is also hoped that we would be able to compare and explain some of the differences between the Tamil dialects and other South Asian languages, using the approaches and methods of modern generative grammar. The emphasis is on the analysis and descriptions of the spoken dialects, though the formal or written language is also often discussed.
The other major area of interest is the evolution and shifts in the various ethnicities in Sri Lanka, particularly the role that language plays in these changes. Here again, the emphasis would be on the numerous ‘small scale’, village and district level ethnicities and how they have changed and evolved historically, rather than on the ‘mega ethnicities’ that have been disastrously conjured up and enumerated in the official censuses.
The greatest resource for the study of any dialect or language is the naturally acquired knowledge, competence and insights of individual native speakers. Your comments and contributions are vital to making this a really useful forum.
If you want to make general comments or suggestions, or if you want to contribute as a guest, please feel free to contact me at
francisxavier.emmanuel@gmail.com
About me: Somewhat late in my career, I developed an interest in linguistics and trained at University College, London, obtaining an MA in Linguistics in August 2008. The subject of the research dissertation was the syllable structure of Tamil, focusing on dialect differences between the spoken dialects of South India and Sri Lanka.
I am now based in London, but travel whenever I can to Canada, Sri Lanka and India.
Xavieremmanuel.org 