Tamil is one of the longest surviving classical languages in the world. It is the official language of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry(Pondicherry). It is also an official language in Sri Lanka and Singapore and has significant numbers of speakers in Malaysia, Mauritius, Fiji, and South Africa. In 2004 Tamil was declared a classical language of India, meaning that it met three criteria: its origins are ancient; it has an independent tradition, and it possesses a considerable body of ancient literature. In the early 21st century more than 66 million people were Tamil speakers.

 

Few interesting facts about the Tamil Language (Source: scoopwhoop):

 

1. Tamil is the oldest living language in the world

 

The simple fact that the Tamil language is still in such wide use is as surprising as it is amazing. It is thought to have been born before 500 BC, as Tamil-Brahmin inscriptions from 500 BC have been found on Adichanallur, an archaeological site in Tamil Nadu. It's not the oldest language in the world, but it is the oldest living language that's still being used today.

 

2. Tamil was declared a classical language by UNESCO

In 2004, the Union Cabinet created a new category of languages known as classical languages, which would be based on certain criteria. Tamil was the first to be included in this. The criteria requirement was based on antiquity, a rich and varied ancient text and original literary tradition.

 

3. Tamil is the only language that is also personified as a god

Located at Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu is a temple for 'Tamil Thai' ('Thai' means mother), which is a god that is considered the deified personification of the Tamil language as a mother

​

4. Tamil is actually pronounced Tamizh and not Tamil (Ta-mil)