Karintamil is a hypothetical term used to refer to the western coastal dialect of Middle Tamil spoken in ancient Kerala until the 9th century CE or possibly later. It is thought to be the earliest predecessor of the modern Malayalam language. The Sangam literature can be considered as the ancient predecessor of Malayalam.[1]
The term Karintamil was first coined by T. K. Krishna Menon in his 1939 book "A Primer of Malayalam Literature".[2] Menon proposed that Karintamil was spoken in Kerala between 3100 BCE and 100 BCE and was distinct from the Tamil spoken in neighboring kingdoms.
However, the concept of Karintamil has been largely rejected by mainstream linguistics. Critics view it as a term with propagandist and ideologically driven nature.[3]
This late date for the oldest inscription believed to be in Old Malayalam (850 CE) further weakens the case for its proposed predecessor, Karintamil, especially considering the proposed timeline of 3100 BCE to 100 BCE. Additionally, the complete lack of any concrete evidence for a separate language predating Middle Tamil in Kerala leads most linguists to reject the concept of Karintamil entirely.[4]
The earliest records in Karintamil are claimed to be the pattu literature (songs). Prominent were songs praising the goddesses of the land, ballads of brave warriors, songs related to the work of a particular caste and songs intended just for entertainment, including compositions by Kulasekhara Alvar (9th century CE) and Pakkanar.[5]
Notes
↑ Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus – 2019 (Malayalamed.). Kozhikode: P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode. 2018. p.450.
Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus - 2019 (Malayalamed.). Kozhikode: P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode. 2018.
Malayalam is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was designated a "Classical Language of India" in 2013. Malayalam has official language status in Kerala, Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé), and is also the primary spoken language of Lakshadweep and is spoken by 35 million people in India. Malayalam is also spoken by linguistic minorities in the neighbouring states; with a significant number of speakers in the Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka, and Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. It is also spoken by the Malayali Diaspora worldwide, especially in the Persian Gulf countries, due to the large populations of Malayali expatriates there. They are a significant population in each city in India including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune etc. Malayalam is closely related to the Tamil language.
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The culture of Kerala has developed over the past millennia, influences from other parts of India and abroad. It is defined by its antiquity and the organic continuity sustained by the Malayali people. Modern Kerala society took shape owing to migrations from different parts of India and abroad throughout Classical Antiquity.
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