HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF MALAYALAM LANGUAGE

The word Malayalam has originated from the word Mala which significantly means mountain and “Alam” meaning the region or township. In the mediaeval era, Kerala was known as Malabar foreign trade circles. The linguistics, Scholars and grammar ones have put forward their ideas about the history and evolution of the Malayalam language. Their views are more ideas than the realistic aspect one of themselves that Malayalam has originated from Sanskrit. Others believe that the Malayalam language has developed from the ancient Prakrit. Other scholars, on one hand, believe that the Dravidian language has evolved into Malayalam over time. Some people claim that Malayalam is the daughter of Tamil, while others disagree. On the other hand, some other researchers have stated that Tamil’s sister is Dravidian, whose daughter has become known as Malayalam with time.

Who is the Founder of the Malayalam language? 

Ezhuthachan is significantly known as the father of the modern Malayalam language. The development of the modern Malayalam language has been scripted and was heavily influenced by the Tigalari script. It was significantly used to write the Tulu language; hence some scholars say that the Tuluva Brahmins in Kerala have influenced it.

What is the History of the Malayalam language?

The word Malayalam has originated from the meaning of mountainous country. Malayalam significantly belongs to the southern group of Dravidian languages along with Kota, Tamil, Kodagu and lastly Malayalam. It was highly influenced by the Tamil language. However, the origin of the Malayalam language is considered a distinct language that may be traced to the last quarter of the 9th century. Malayalam first appeared in the writing of Vazhappalli inscription about 830 AD. The history and evolution of the Malayalam language as an independent language have been found in the record of the proclamation of the 9th century. Among the four major Dravidian languages, Malayalam has been independent and evaluated to develop literary works of its own.

How does the Malayalam language develop and grow? 

From the 13th century onwards the Malayalam language has started to develop as a separate language. The History and evolution of the Malayalam language have been found in “Vattezhuthu Script’ which was scripted in Malayalam from the 9th century onwards. The modern script of the Malayalam language has been developed from “Grandha script” which came into existence by the end of the 16th century. However, the Malayalam language among the Dravidian languages mostly originated as the script from Tamil even more and ancient and has become an independent language by the 9th century. As per the statistics, there are more than 38 million people who speak Malayalam.

Several opinions and views exist regarding the script of the Malayalam language and the history of Malayalam. Kerala Panini, according to A. R. Raja Varma’s classic Malayalam grammar book, ‘Kerala Paanineeyam’ was a tribute to the Malayalam language. Thereby besides Kerala Paanini, grammaticians like George Mathan, Herman Gundart, Kovunni Nedungadi, and others have authored such grammar books and contributed to the history of the Malayalam language. 

Who wrote the history of Malayalam literature? 

Thunchathu Ezhuthachchan is significantly known as the father of Malayalam literature. He has contributed and influenced the history of modern Malayalam literature. In its early form, Kunchan Nambiar, who was a poet of the eighteenth-century CE has also contributed enough to Malayalam literature that has influenced the literature of perspective of this Malayalam language. “Oyyarathu Chandu Menon’s Indulekha” Is the first novel in Malayalam which appeared in 1889 this Novel portrays the effect of Western ideas on the orthodox Hindu family. Modern Malayalam literature began at the beginning of the 20th century and has been influenced by western literary forms.

Conclusion 

The Malayalam language is only spoken mostly in the state of Kerala and its adjoining areas. There is a debate that Malayalam language was nothing more than a local dialect of the pure Tamil language. They were in the history and the evolution of Malayalam language. There are many Puran that have been written during the post-Thunchathu Ezhuthachchan period and closely imitate his style of writing. In the 20th century, it has been discovered as a favourable time in order to grow the literary as well as the Kerala-based  cultural activities on the Malayalam language. 

The influence of Tamil on the Malayalam language can be ascertained on its very first take it off the history and evolution of the Malayalam language.  Despite the fact that Malayalam was the language of administration, Tamil has been designated as a scholarly language in Kerala’s western regions. Gradually with time the Malayalam language has risen to dizzy heights and found a place for the Royal proclamations as well as documents. That has made them an individual language in the world.