Why does the Tamil language always seem to be competing with the Sanskrit language?

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Srujith

Experienced language and art instructor with 7 years of teaching experience

Tamil and Sanskrit languages are distinct with different origins and structures. The historical and cultural context has led to competition between the two. Sanskrit has been used for religious, scholarly, and literary purposes by the upper castes. Tamil, on the other hand, has been used by the common...
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Tamil and Sanskrit languages are distinct with different origins and structures. The historical and cultural context has led to competition between the two. Sanskrit has been used for religious, scholarly, and literary purposes by the upper castes. Tamil, on the other hand, has been used by the common people as well as the elites. The competition can be traced back to the medieval period when there was a linguistic divide between the northern and southern parts of India. Sanskrit was dominant in the courts and administration, while Tamil was used by the common people. The Tamil Renaissance in the 19th and 20th centuries renewed interest in Tamil language and literature. Tamil scholars and activists worked to promote Tamil language and culture and to challenge the dominance of Sanskrit. This led to a competition between the two languages in terms of their literary, cultural, and historical significance. Both languages have their unique features and cultural significance and should be appreciated and celebrated for their contributions to Indian culture and history. read less
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Experienced language and art instructor with 7 years of teaching experience

The competition between Tamil and Sanskrit is rooted in historical and cultural factors. Sanskrit has been traditionally associated with Brahminical culture and Hindu religious texts, while Tamil has a strong Dravidian identity. The perceived rivalry arises from differing linguistic, cultural, and political...
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The competition between Tamil and Sanskrit is rooted in historical and cultural factors. Sanskrit has been traditionally associated with Brahminical culture and Hindu religious texts, while Tamil has a strong Dravidian identity. The perceived rivalry arises from differing linguistic, cultural, and political perspectives, as both languages have their own distinct histories and significance in Indian heritage. read less
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Experienced and certified teacher from Delhi University

Sanskrit scholars always called Tamil as a sister language, and others as daughters. Thus Sanskrit can borrow from Tamil but not from others. The fact that Sanskrit words form 40% of Tamil vocabulary even today, hence Sanskrit is older.
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