Tamil Language Resources on the Web

Thanks to many people, mostly anonymous, who continue to send in links, updates and bug reports to help keep these pages going. [^N= New link] [^B= Broken link] Report any errors, changes or additions

Basic Information

• Information card in the Ethnologue database.
• Altavista search.
• Gopher server at the Institute of Indology and Tamil studies, University of Cologne, Germany.

Fonts and Software

• Proprietary:
  • C-DAC, Pune: Unix, DOS, Windows, Mac; a range of wordprocessing and related software.
  • InProS: IBM PC and Mac; TrueType fonts in three families (TamiProi, Vidya and Devi).
  • ILKeyb (Indian Languages Keyboard Program): Windows 3.1 and Windows 95; simplified keyboard assignment and TrueType fonts for use with any editor (by Avinash Chopde).
  • Softech: Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Power PC and Mac; TrueType fonts Ananku Helvetica Ananku Classic and Ananku Regular.
  • Unitype: Windows 95/98 or NT 4.0; multi-language software including translations between supported languages.
  • Vijay: IBM PC and Mac; type of font not specified.
  • TruTamil: no web information.
• Shareware/Freeware:
  • Adhawin: Windows; transliteration package using the Adhawin TrueType fonts, can also be converted to other fonts, including Mylai (see below).
  • Anjal: Windows, Mac and Unix; Mail tool with Murasu fonts and the Murasu text editor (see below) for use with SMTP and POP compatible mail or news readers.
  • ITRANS: rather widespread package for transliteration of Indian languages. The home page has links to further information.
  • Murasu: Windows; variable keyboard mapping and scalable fonts for use with a text editor and a file finder tool. See also Anjal.
  • Mylai: Windows and Mac; phonetic keymapping and TrueType fonts (for Windows) and Postscript (for Mac), for use with application software running under these systems. See also the Mylai web forum.
  • Neelameggham: Details not given.
  • TamilComm and TamilEase: Windows, Mac, Sun OS and NeXT; Gonsalves fonts, keyboard driver (only for Mac).
  • Tamilnet and Tamilfix: Windows, Mac and Unix; character encoding software with proportional and fixed width TrueType (for Windows and Mac) and BDF (for Unix) fonts.
  • Tamil TeX: is available either from CTAN (UK), or from any of the CTAN mirror sites. Check also the mirror site at the University of Beyreuth.

Language Tutorials and Teaching Aids

• Web assisted Tamil learning: joint project of the Tamil faculties of the Universities of Chicago, Cornell and Pennsylvania. Includes downloadable software (Windows and Mac) for learning Tamil.
• List of Tamil Instructional Software.

History and Relationship to other Languages

The Language, Literature and Songs

• The Tamil Language Page.
• Tamil Literature:
  • 1
  • Singapore's first Tamil story (needs font download).
  • Electronic texts in Tamil.
  • 20th century Tamil literature
• Tamil poetry:
  • 1
  • Poetry archives
  • Poems by Athmanam
  • Divya Prabandham
• Tamil songs:
  • 1
  • 2
  • Tamil Music Jukebox
  • Tamil film songs
  • Songs index
  • The forum hub
  • Thenisai: online Tamil FM radio^N
• Tamil newspapers and media:
  • Aaraamthinai.
  • Dinakaran daily.
  • Dinamani: needs font download.
  • Kalki weekly: needs font download.
  • Kanaiyazhi: needs font download.
  • Nakkheeran: needs font download.
  • Tamizh-c-Cholai: needs font download.
  • Tamil Murasu: needs font download.
  • Thinaboomi: needs font download.
  • Thinnal: needs font download.

Trivia

• Thesaurus of Tamil Names.

Other Pages for Information on Tamil

• Center for Advancement of Language Learning: a good list of a variety of Tamil resources on the net.
• Inventory of Language Material: Gopher library resource for fonts, including a short description and pricing information.
• List of fonts in Metafont: Extensive list, worth checking even though it was written on Sep 24, 1994.
• Multilingual PC directory: Extensive set of links to Tamil software.
• New World Tamil Links: links to a variery of Tamil resources on the net.
• Ravindran's Tamil page has a nice collection of links including some lessons in Tamil.
• South Asian Language Fonts: Collection of posts on the Indology mailing list giving information on available fonts.
• The Tamil Archives in Singapore.
• The Tamil Electronic Library: list of fonts, texts, literature and so on. If you want only one site, this is it.
• Tamil Guide: Requires the freeware Murasu fonts (see list of freeware above).
• The Tamil Nadu Pages:
• The Tamil-nation pages:
• Tamil Software Digest: Index of software from ComStar.
• Usenet post (dated Aug 24, 1994) collecting and summarizing data on Indian fonts.
• Yamada: Small but useful set of links to Tamil resources, including mailing lists and news groups.