Beschi, grammairien du tamoul, et l'origine de la notion de verbe appellatif

Abstract

English summary Beschi' s importance cannot be overestimated because it seems he was the first to produce a detailed analysis of the grammatical structure of Tamil that could be used in a Western language (Latin). However, a precise assessment of his role is only possible if we relate him with his historical background in Latin grammar. We discover that conceptions about «appellative verbs», deemed to be Beschi's owns by later writers such as Caldwell, have been extrapolated on the basis of non-explicit formulations, his attitude being a compromise between his Latin heritage and his willingness to do justice to Tamil.

Early Descriptors and Descriptions of South Asian Languages from the 16th Century Onwards

“…clul.ulisboa.pt/en/10-research/867-crioulos-de-base-portuguesa-no-espaco-dravidico-diacronia-esincronia. 42 For example, manuscript grammars produced by the French, such as the Dictionaire et Gramaire François Tamovl (1743) written by Dominique de Valence (James 2000: 123) and Tolkāppiyam written in verse during the early years of the Christian era by Tolkāppiyanār (see Chevillard (1992aChevillard ( , 1992bChevillard ( , 2000Chevillard ( : 191-200, 2013Chevillard ( , 2014. The grammatical tradition established by Pāṇini was not transmitted, for example, in the later Hindi grammatical tradition "which largely resulted from the importation of Western approaches to grammar" (Shapiro 2000: 178), but rather influenced early grammarians of Dravidian languages.…”

Failed Legacies of Colonial Linguistics: Lessons from Tamil Books in French India and French Guiana

“…In addition to penning the celebrated Tembavani poem (1726), Beschi authored two grammars, one focusing on common Tamil (1728) and the other on literary Tamil (1730), as well as several dictionaries in Tamil, Portuguese, French, and Latin. Since the Madurai mission had no press, Lutheran scholars in Tranquebar printed Beschi's common Tamil grammar without his permission in 1738, and British officials later published the literary Tamil grammar as an English translation in 1822 (Chevillard 1992). As the most widely consulted books printed in Tamil up until 1850, these grammars confirmed Beschi's fame as a preeminent author of Tamil literature and scholar of linguistics.…”