பக்கம்:தமிழியல் கட்டுரைகள்.pdf/91

84 of this pertinent ruie, even in contemporary context is worthy of appreciation. Of the four kinds of words classified by Tolkāppiyar, the last category is that of Waiacol (Northern word} which accordidg to Prof. T. P. Meenakshisundaram, ‘is interpreted as referring to Sanskrit, but it must include also Prakrit and Pāli”.** According to Dr. M. Rajamanikkanar, this Nürpá (Sūtram) also gives an important clue for fixing the date of Tolkāppiyar in the 4th century B. C. He observes as follows:* “If grammarians before Tolkāppiyar had given the rules for using Sanskrit words in Tamil language, Tolkāppiyar would certainly have referred to these rules and end his sutras as “Expa’ (srsëri :) Emmazār Pulavar” (argir uosmrti Ljsp&#} etc.” Since he has not made any reference to such rules of grammar, it is evident that Tolkāppiyar himself framed these rules. In his days, some Sanskrit words might have penetrated into Tamil language and it was perhaps not possible for the people to ignore or neglect the use of those words; hence Tolkāppiyar found it, as a necessity to frame rules of grammar for using such words to suit the genius of the language. - Prof. V. Rangachariar has mentioned that the Aryan (Sanskrit) speaking people would have come to the Tamil Country in (about) the 7th century B.C.", Only in the begining of the 14th century A.D., the Islamic religion began to spread itself into the Tamil country. Kumaragurupara Swāmigal, who lived in the 17th century A.D., used the Hindustani words, Salām {&Gomth), cokkái (6]+mésirio) in his poems. On the basis of this evidence, it is clear that it will take about two to three centuries for the foreign words to enter into the language of the native soil. If we approve this it will not be wrong to say that only three centuries after the advent of the Aryans into the Tamil country, some of the Sanskrit words would have entered into the Tamil language. From this point of view, if the Aryans had come to the Tamil country about the 7th century B.C., then Tolkāppiyar might have lived in or about the 4th century B.C.” -