There are more than 80 million Tamil speakers worldwide. Tamil language might have originated in India but it has spread all over the world. It deserves people’s attention due to its status as a classical language and it is the oldest living language in the world. Whether you want to learn to speak colloquial conversational Tamil to converse with others or the formal version to be able to read and write, both forms are equally important.
We live in a world that becoming increasingly interconnected and interdependent due to technological advancements. Learning a new language will be an useful skill to have which will help you connect with others. In this article, we'll present you with a number of advantages and benefits that come with learning Tamil.
Learn and Understand Tamil Culture
Language and culture are interlinked. By learning Tamil, one inevitably learns about Tamil culture as well. Many tend to assume that Tamil culture is solely embodied externally through the traditional dance, Bharatanatyam, movies, songs and dramas. However, people tend to forget that peoples’ behaviour, relationships and conflicts which are internal, forms the foundation of a culture. The dance and songs are the external manifestations of this inwardness. Tamil culture is reflected in the way their people live their lives from around 2000 years ago till now. The many religions which originated from India like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism has influenced their culture as well. These values, morals and traditions are reflected in the Tamil language. For example, when you learn Tamil, the materials you read will either directly or indirectly reflect the Tamil culture. It cannot be denied that better understanding leads to greater tolerance, empathy and compassion of others. Learning Tamil often encourages the speakers to learn more about the culture like speaking to other locals about their favourite dishes, reading their literary works like novels, poems or plays which is rich in history and culture or watching Tamil movies to have a better understanding of the culture.
Click here to find out the difference between Tamil and Hindi.
Increase Self-Confidence
Learning a new language means extending one’s skills and working towards something that we can achieve. Researchers from the University of Cambridge conducted a review of multiple studies that have shown clear evidence that learning as an adult increases self-esteem and self efficacy. When you decide to learn Tamil as a second language or you are Tamil but don’t speak the language and would like to learn it, you are moving out of your comfort zone to learn something new. As you make progress, it will boost your self-confidence which will motivate you to try other new things that you might have been afraid of before. You can try speaking to other native speakers to practice. No one will expect you to have perfect grammar right away, they will most likely be impressed of the effort you have put in to learn Tamil.
For Fun
It is always fun and beneficial to learn something new. It gives you a chance to increase your knowledge on a new area. By learning a new language, you will not only be able to converse in this new language but also better appreciate the culture associated with it. Of course learning Tamil would require you to memorise all the 247 Tamil alphabets. Not to mention having to roll your tongue to pronounce certain words. However, it will be worth it once you master it. You will be able to incorporate Tamil in everything that you enjoy doing. Think about all the fun you will have being able to understand the Tamil movies, songs or the famous literary works like Silappatikaram or Kamban’s Ramayana. If you are planning to make a trip to Tamil Nadu for example, you will have more fun being able to converse with the locals.
Large Number of Tamil Speakers
There are a large number of Tamil speakers all around the world. It is the official language of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry. It also commonly spoken in the nearby states and cities like Bangalore. It is also one of the national languages of Sri Lanka and Singapore. In Malaysia, there are Tamil schools as there are significant numbers of Tamil people in the country. United States of America is a popular migration destination for emigrating Tamils. There are around 150,000 Tamils living in the United Kingdom and around the same numbers residing in Canada.
Therefore, it is a great advantage to learn Tamil as there is a large population who speaks the language. It will come in handy when you meet someone who speaks the language either during travel or business venture.
Help Brain Development
Studies have shown that learning a second language is one of the most effective brain workouts that you can do. Learning a new language improves your memory and makes you smarter. According to a Swedish study, learning a foreign language causes some brain area to increase in size. Like any muscle in the body, regularly exercising your brain can make it stronger and more flexible. The areas such as the cerebral cortex and hippocampus are involved in learning and memory retention. Multilingual people have increased connections between different brain regions which results in higher cognitive intelligence. Since multilingual brain has built up strong neural networks overtime, it is equipped to bounce back when damage like stroke occurs. By keeping different parts of the brain active as you grow older, you help keep cognition sharp and neural connections healthy.
Rich Literature
Tamil is one of the oldest language that has existed since roughly around 300 BC. Due to being such an old language, it has a rich and vast amount of literature. Like the Greek and Latin languages, Tamil unfortunately has lost a big portion of its early literature. However, what survives reveals original elements and fresh history of Tamil literature. From the Sangam age which was the golden age of Tamil literature to its current modern period, the literary works among the most remarkable contributions by Tamil language the same way as the poems by Homer or plays by Shakespeare. The following are some of the outstanding literary works:
Ettuthogai (The Eight Anthologies)
Ettuthogai comprises eight works. Aham and Puram is reflected in these works. Aham is a literay genre which deals with highly idealistic form of human love. Meanwhile, Puram describes the outer or social features of Tamil culture.
Thirukkural
Thirukkural which literally means sacred verses is a masterpiece of ethics and morality by Thiruvalluvar. It has 1330 couplets and is known for it universality and secular nature.
Silapathikaram
This epic Silapathikaram was written by Ilango Adigal between 200 and 300 AD. It brings out important issues dealt by humans for a long time like love, war, evil, fate and death.
India’s Growing Economy
India’s growing economy shows good potential of taking centre stage in the global economy in the near future. Tamil Nadu is one of the fastest growing state in India with the second highest contribution towards India’s GDP. The state has diversified its manufacturing sectors and made many business opportunities available in various industries like textile products, automotive parts, pharmaceuticals and many more. India has also made its name in the digital and technology world where many of its local tech companies are on par with the international firms. If you own a business, it is a good idea to expand to Tamil Nadu or since India is a growing market, there is a good chance the company you are working for might have business ventures in Tamil Nadu. Even though people in Tamil Nadu can communicate in English, knowing Tamil will give you an advantage over others. Being able to speak Tamil and understand the locals will make them feel more comfortable with you and ease your dealing with them.
A Variety of Resources Available
Another good reason to learn Tamil is that there is ample resources available. There are resources available for complete beginners until advance Tamil speakers. You can find suitable resources to learn Tamil easily. There are face to face Tamil classes with tutors teaching either in a group or individually. There are apps, podcasts, word games, Youtube videos and textbooks for you to choose from according to your needs and goals. Some may prefer to learn Tamil by watching online podcasts or Youtube. Others might prefer to join online classes whether with a tutor or an online course without a tutor but with only materials. Some might already know Tamil but would like to further improve. Whatever your reason, there are resources available to ensure that you achieve your goals.
Learning a new language is an achievement to be proud of. If you’re looking to learn Tamil and do not know how to begin, reach out to a tutor on Superprof to help you master the language.
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Thanks, when my son ask why to learn Tamil, I approached many tamil scholar/teachers/scheools and my friends. They always give cliche answer about mother tongue or father tongue/birth place/tradition/culture/parent interest etc. Never talks about student/kids interest.
That is not sufficient to motivate todays kids. If you could add Tamil language strength/weakness(in comparison with other languages, population strength, countries present , economic value), emotional, spiritual, scientific, modern and data oriented details, will help to address this question from multiple angle.
Also add some your tube, or funny viedos, which can helps students learn.