Tamil French Dictionary: Overcoming The Language Barrier

In an effort to help the Tamil speaking people residing in France to overcome the language barrier, H. Nagarajan, a native of Puducherry now residing in France has compiled a French-Tamil dictionary. This dictionary called Dictionnaire Français Moderne runs to more than 700 pages with detailed entries and meanings in French and Tamil. Apart from the usual word-meanings, the dictionary also features an annexure which has commonly used French terms, abbreviations, idioms and phrases, slang, colloquial words and expressions used in the French language.

Nagarajan, who learnt French at the Alliance Française in Puducherry was quoted by The Hindu as saying, “After my graduation from Tagore Arts College in 1974, I got an offer to work in France. But, language was a barrier. I sought to bridge the gap and joined a French language course at the Alliance Française. I picked up the language to help me adapt better to jobs and later settled in France”.

Nagarajan, now a French national is competent in both Tamil and French and hence was able to compile this dictionary, but not without difficulties. Seven years of hard work and efforts have gone into compiling this bilingual dictionary from classical French dictionary. Nagarajan feels that the obstacles he faced in compiling this dictionary pales in comparison to its huge success among people.

France has a considerable population of Tamilians from India and Sri Lanka, including refugees who are not very fluent in French. This bilingual dictionary will be immensely helpful for Franco-Tamils to adjust and cope better in France.