Specialties of Inscriptions and Linguistic Personality Found in Inscriptions

Abstract

Inscriptions can survive for thousands of years. Inscriptions have been developing since the 16th century. They are the most reliable evidence of the most ancient historical messages and events. An inscription is a message engraved on a stone to be immortalized for a long time. Inscriptions are also engraved on stone, copper plate and paper. In the inscriptions mostly the edicts of the kings, their works, and victories, donations for temples, festivals, social customs, genealogical references and traditional stories are engraved. Inscriptions are often found in public places. We can see inscriptions in caves, common halls, pillars and so on. The practice of engraving on inscriptions is done all around the world. Archaeology department has brought to light many languages that are still alive and used by many people. The oldest inscriptions in Tamil Nadu are engraved on middle stones and it is proved in the book Tolkappiyam. There are references in the Tolkapiyam about the martyrs on the battlefield, stone carvings and engravings of heroic deeds. During the Pallavar period, inscriptions were inscribed in Bragirutham, Sanskrit, and Tamil languages. Cholars and Pandiars used to engrave inscriptions. Thus inscriptions flourished in Tamilnadu and much of medieval history is known. Over the 120 years hundreds of inscriptions have been found in South India. Inscriptions are carved on stones. No one can revise, rewrite and render something new in it because it is carved in stone. The uniqueness of the inscriptions is that it remains unchanged even today. Thus this article is about the ancient stone inscriptions, its features and about the linguistic personality used in this inscriptions.