Also 8 Tamoul. [ad. Tamiṛ, Tamil, native name (known in 8th c.) of the people and language; in Pālī and Prākrit Damiḷa, Daviḷa, Daviḍa, Sinhalese Demaḷa, Skr. Dramiḷa, Dramiḍa, Draviḍa (whence Dr. Caldwell’s term Dravidian for the Tamulic or Tamil family of languages). So Pg., Du., Ger. Tamul, F. Tamoul.]
One of a non-Aryan race of people belonging to the Dravidian stock, inhabiting the south-east of India and part of Ceylon. b. The language spoken by this people, the leading member of the Dravidian family. Also attrib. or as adj.
[1579. (title) Doctrina Christam … feita em Portugal … Tresladada em lingua Malavar ou Tamul. [Cochin].]
1734. (title) A Grammar of the Damul or Tamul Language. [Tranquebar.]
1778. (title) A Grammar for learning the Principles of the Malabar Language, properly called Tamul or the Tamulian Language. (Wepery.)
1788. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), I. 491/1, s.v. Alphabet, From this Shanscrit are derived the sacred characters of Thibet, the Cashmirian, Bengalese, Malabaric, and Tamoul.
1807. F. Buchanan, Jrnl. fr. Madras, II. 44. In the Tamul language it is called Shuri cull, or itch-stone.
1811. T. S. Moodelliar (title), A Tamil Expositor. [Madras.]
1842. W. C. Taylor, Anc. Hist., xviii. (ed. 3), 575. By the persecution of the Buddhists … a great portion of the literature of India has been lost, and in particular,… all the ancient literature of the people that speak the Tamul language.
1864. M. C. Swamy, in Reader, 12 March, 336/2. The Tamils [of Ceylon belong] … to the Dravidian race…. Their religion is Sivaism, and their language the Tamil.
1903. Daily Chron., 30 Aug., 8/1. To expel from the British Empire the Tamil-speaking tribes who presume to influence its policy.
Hence Tamilian (Tamulian) a., Tamulic; sb. a member of the Tamil people; Tamulic a., pertaining to the Tamils or their language, Tamil.
1764. Ann. Reg., 114. Dr. Francke, in Germany had sent them a number of Tamulian types … the government having erected a printing-office in the city of Madrass.
1863. Lepsius, Standard Alph., 226. The four letters … which the Tamulians have added to the Sanscrit alphabet.
1800. Misc. Tracts, in Asiatic Ann. Reg., 81/1. The Tamulic termination en … creates a striking resemblance between Pooden and the Wooden of the Goths.
1872. Morris, Eng. Accidence, i. 12. The Dravidian or Tamulic [groups], including Tamul, Telegu, Malabar, Canaries.
