Stalin releases two books on comparative etymological dictionary of Tamil and Indo-European languages

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday released a general introduction book and the first volume of comparative etymological dictionary of Tamil and Indo-European languages at the Secretariat in Chennai.

The initiative is a part of the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation’s collaboration with the Oxford University Press to bring out a 12-volume comparative etymological dictionary of Tamil and Indo-European languages. The State government had sanctioned ₹8 crore for the project in which 20 experts, headed by Professor G. Arasenthiran, have been working since 2022.

The first volume is a compilation based on a hypothesis of the etymology of 19 words in Western Indo-European languages such as Latin, Greek, German, French, English and Eastern Indo-European languages such as Sanskrit, Pali and Sinhalese, which are originated from Tamil, a press release said.

Sukanta Das, Managing Director, Oxford University Press for India branch, experts of Indo-European languages and officials were present. Ministers M.P. Saminathan, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, senior officials of the State government were present.