Editing Tamil language (section)

== Geographic distribution ==
Tamil is the primary language of the majority of the people residing in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]], (in India) and in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern]] provinces of [[Sri Lanka]]. The language is spoken among small minority groups in other states of India which include [[Karnataka]], [[Telangana]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Kerala]], [[Maharashtra]],  [[Gujarat]], [[Delhi]], [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]] in India and in certain regions of Sri Lanka such as [[Colombo]] and [[Central Province, Sri Lanka|the hill country]]. Tamil or dialects of it were used widely in the state of Kerala as the major language of administration, literature and common usage until the 12th century CE. Tamil was also used widely in inscriptions found in southern [[Andhra Pradesh]] districts of [[Chittoor district|Chittoor]] and [[Nellore district|Nellore]] until the 12th century CE.<ref name="Talbot 2001 27–37">{{Harvnb|Talbot|2001|pp=27–37}}</ref> Tamil was used for inscriptions from the 10th through 14th centuries in southern Karnataka districts such as [[Kolar District|Kolar]], [[Mysore]], [[Mandya]] and [[Bengaluru]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Murthy|Rao|Veluthat|Bari|1990|pp=85–106}}</ref>

There are currently sizeable [[Tamil diaspora|Tamil-speaking populations]] descended from colonial-era migrants in [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]], [[Philippines]], [[Mauritius]], [[Tamil South Africans|South Africa]], Indonesia,<ref>{{Harvnb|Ramstedt|2004|p= 243}}</ref> Thailand,<ref>{{Harvnb|Kesavapany|Mani|Ramasamy|2008|p= 60}}</ref> [[Burma]], [[Brunei]], and [[Vietnam]]. Tamil is used as one of the languages of education in [[Malaysia]], along with English, Malay and Mandarin.<ref name="Tamil Schools">[http://www.indianmalaysian.com/education.htm Tamil Schools]. Indianmalaysian.com. Retrieved 28 July 2013.</ref><ref>Ghazali, Kamila (2010). [https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/national-identity-and-minority-languages UN Chronicle – National Identity and Minority Languages]. United Nations, accessed 28 Jan 2021.</ref> A large community of [[Tamils in Pakistan|Pakistani Tamils]] speakers exists in [[Karachi]], [[Pakistan]], which includes Tamil-speaking Hindus<ref name="TNP">{{Citation
 |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-98530-Strangers-to-their-roots-and-those-around-them
 |title=Strangers to Their Roots and Those Around Them
 |author=Shahbazi, Ammar
 |date=20 March 2012
 |work=The News (Pakistan)
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617043012/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-98530-Strangers-to-their-roots-and-those-around-them
 |archive-date=17 June 2013
}}</ref><ref name="PHP">Sunny, Sanjesh (21 September 2010) [http://pakistanhindupost.blogspot.com/2010/09/picture-of-tamil-hindus-in-karachi.html Tamil Hindus in Karachi]. ''Pakistan Hindu Post''</ref> as well as Christians and Muslims – including some Tamil-speaking Muslim refugees from Sri Lanka.<ref name="HBL">Raman, B. (15 July 2002) [http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2002/07/15/stories/2002071500050800.htm Osama's shadow on Sri Lanka?]. ''The Hindu Business Line''</ref> There are about 100 Tamil Hindu families in [[Madrasi Para]] colony in Karachi. They speak impeccable Tamil along with Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Paul |first=Sumit |date=2018-11-03 |title=For Tamil cuisine, away in Pakistan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/for-tamil-cuisine-away-in-pakistan/article25414464.ece |access-date=12 July 2019 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Many in [[Réunion]], [[Guyana]], [[Fiji]], [[Suriname]], and [[Trinidad and Tobago]] have Tamil origins,<ref name="ucberkeleydiaspora">{{Citation|url=http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/SouthAsia/overview.html |title=Overview of the South Asian Diaspora |access-date=23 April 2008 |last=McMahon |first=Suzanne |publisher=University of California, Berkeley }}</ref> but only a small number speak the language. In Reunion where the Tamil language was forbidden to be learnt and used in public space by [[France]] it is now being relearnt by students and adults.<ref name="ucberkeleydiaspora1">{{Citation|url= http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/SSEAL/SouthAsia/tamil.html |title= Indentured immigration and social accommodation in La Réunion |access-date=8 January 2010 |last= Ghasarian |first=Christian |publisher=University of California, Berkeley }}</ref> Tamil is also spoken by migrants [[Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora|from Sri Lanka]] and India in [[Tamil Canadians|Canada]], the [[Tamil Americans|United States]], the [[United Arab Emirates]], the [[British Tamils|United Kingdom]], [[Tamil South Africans|South Africa]], and [[Tamil Australians|Australia]].