Tolkappiyam, Tolkāppiyam: 4 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Vyakarana
2. Natyashastra
India history
Languages
1. Tamil
See also

Introduction:

Tolkappiyam means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Tamil. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Hinduism

Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Source: Knowledge Traditions & Practices of India: Language and Grammar (vyakarana)

Tolkāppiyam is the name of a philosophical work partly inspired by the science of Sanskrit grammar (vyākaraṇa).—Many grammarians such as the Buddhist Candragomin, the Jain Hemacandrācārya, Pali and Prakrit grammarians andTamil grammarians (Tolkāppiyar and his Tolkāppiyam) have immensely enriched the traditions of language studies in India.

context information

Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (natya)

Tolkāppiyam is the name of a “source book on linguistic and grammatical study, social anthropology, psychology and cultural ecology” and represents an important piece of Tamil literature.—Tolkāppiyam, the most ancient Tamil grammar extant, was written around the 2nd century BC. The author of this book is Tolkappiyar, one of the twelve students of Agastya. He belonged to Tholkappiyakudi, a village situated to the south of Madurai.

The Tolkāppiyam deals with the grammar of literature and its conventions. This text has three parts and counts 1610 sutras. The three parts of it are eluttu (orthography), coll (etymology), and porul (matter) each with nine sections. Each division is called an atikāram. Among them, Porulatikāram (treatise on grammar of love poetry) describes akam (people’s inner personal life), and puṟam (people’s external worldly life).

In Tolkāppiyam both the art forms of dance and drama are codified to the area of kūttu. One of the poems in Tolkāppiyam says that the kūttar is the community of artistes which fostered together the nāṭakaviyal (dramatology) that consisted of acting and the nāṭyaviyal (techniques of dance) which consisted of dance, abhinaya (expressions) and aḍavu (movements). Along with them the field of music also flourished. There are also references to various other dances in the period of Tolkāppiyam.

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

India history and geography

Source: Wikipedia: India History

The Tolkāppiyam (Tamil: தொல்காப்பியம்) is a work on the grammar of the Tamil language and the earliest extant work of Tamil literature written by Tholkappiyar. It is written in the form of noorpaa or short formulaic compositions and comprises three books – the Ezhuttadikaram, the Solladikaram and the Poruladikaram. Each of these books is further divided into nine chapters each. It has been dated variously between 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE.

Tolkappiyam, deals with orthography, phonology, morphology, semantics, prosody and the subject matter of literature. The Tolkāppiyam classifies the Tamil language into sentamil and koduntamil. The former refers to the classical Tamil used almost exclusively in literary works and the latter refers to the dialectal Tamil, spoken by the people in the various regions of ancient Tamilagam.

etymology: The name Tolkāppiyam derived from the combination of the two words Tonmai and kāppiyam. Tonmai means ancientness and Kappiam means literature.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Tamil dictionary

Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil Lexicon

Tolkāppiyam (தொல்காப்பியம்) [tol-kāppiyam] noun < தொல்காப்பியன். [tholkappiyan.] The most ancient Tamil grammar extant, by Tolkāppiyaṉār; மிகப் பழமொழிையதும் தொல் காப்பியனார் இயற்றியதுமான தமிழிலக்கண நூல். [migap pazhaiyathum thol kappiyanar iyarriyathumana thamizhilakkana nul.]

context information

Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

Relevant text

Search found 8 books and stories containing Tolkappiyam, Dholkappiyam, Dolkappiyam, Tholkaappiyam, Tholkappiyam, Tol-kāppiyam, Tol-kappiyam, Tolkāppiyam; (plurals include: Tolkappiyams, Dholkappiyams, Dolkappiyams, Tholkaappiyams, Tholkappiyams, kāppiyams, kappiyams, Tolkāppiyams). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Love in Tamil Poetry < [January-February, 1929]

Reviews < [July-August, 1929]

The Tamil Academy: A Myth < [November, 1928]

+ 10 more chapters / show preview

Socio-Religious Life of the Pre-Pallava Period < [Chapter 3 - Socio-Religious Life]

Introduction (the study of cultural life) < [Chapter 4 - Material Culture of the People]

Introduction (to thesis) < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]

+ 2 more chapters / show preview

Images of Durga < [Chapter 5]

The Trader (or) Merchandile Community (vaniyars) < [Chapter 2]

Images of Subramanya < [Chapter 5]

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