Tamil Alphabet
The Spelling of Colloquial Tamil
There is no standard convenstion of writing spoken Tamil. However, the speech forms were written sporadically in inscriptions of the pre-modern period and commonly to write the conversations of characters in fiction in the modern period. There is no singular way of writing the spoken word; authors differ amongselves and one author may use different spellings for one word in the same text. This Tamil course has developed a spelling system for the standard spoken (or colloquial) Tamil, which is a bridge to the conventional spelling of the written (or formal) Tamil and sounds of the standard speech. This is not a transcription of speech, but a spelling system. As such, it requires rules of pronunciation, which are described in the section on Alphabet: Reading pronunciation. These rules are repeated here for convenience when practicing speaking pronunication. There are words in which the speaking pronunciation cannot be obtained by applying these rules to the conventional spelling used in writing. Such words have a different, but related, spelling in spoken Tamil.
The system of spelling spoken Tamil and the correspondence between the spelling of spoken Tamil and the written Tamil are given in the Appedix, for the learners who are linguistically oriented.
The same words used to practice reading pronunciation are given here to practice speaking pronunication. The audio cassttes of speaking pronunciation should be taken as the model in the practice. Listen to the cassetes in this and other Units and repeat the words as they were spoken. Use the words in convnetional spelling as a reference point in addition to the spoken words. Note that the words that will be spelled differently in spoken Tamil are also given in the convnetional spelling. Note the difference in their pronunciation when listening to the audio cassettes. All the words, however, are given in the spelling of spoken Tamil in the Conversations that follow the Alphabet lessons in this course.
Unit 1
The six consonants below in the first set have simple strokes and curves and their shapes have common features. The six vowels in this set have secondary signs that stand separate from the consonants with which they go.
Consonants ட, ப, ம, ர, ய, வ and Vowels அ, ஆ, எ, ஏ, ஐ, ஒ, ஓ and their combinatory signs with consonants
The two stop consonants in the above set ட and ப (like any stop consonant in Tamil) have contextual variation in their pronunciation, as described above. ட does not occur in the beginning of native words excepting onomatopoeic words (marked with an hyphen at the end). When it occurs in the beginning of a borrowed or an onomatopoeic word, it often has voiced pronunciation.
. ( dot) above a consonant = no vowel with the consonant
no mark on a consonant = short vowel அ /a/
பா= ப் + long vowel ஆ /aa/
The combinatory sign for this vowel follows the consonant on its right.
ப /pa/
பாப்பா 'baby'
*பாபா 'title of a goldy person
ட /Ta/
டப்பா 'carton, box'
பட்டா 'land ownership document'
*டா டா 'bye bye'
படம் 'picture'
பட்டம் 'kite, diploma'
பாடம் 'lesson'
பப்படம் 'fried wafer'
படபட- 'flutter,throb'
படமா? 'is it a picture?'
பட்டமா? 'is it a kite?'
பட்பட்- 'flutter of a motor bike'
ம /ma/
மடம் 'Hindu monastery'
மட்டம் 'low quality, level'
மாடம் 'niche in the wall for lamp'
மடமட- 'quickly'
மடமா? 'is it a mutt?"
மட்டமா? 'is it low in quality?'
மாமா '(maternal) uncle'
மாமம்மா '(maternal grandmother'
அ /a/
அம்மா 'mother'
அப்பா 'father'
அப்பம் 'a rice cake'
அப்பாடா 'expression of relief'
ஆ /aa/
ஆமா 'yes'
ஆமாடா 'yes, to a boy'
ஆப்பம் 'a crepe'
ஆட்டம் 'game,dance'
ஆட 'to play, to dance'
ஆடா? 'is it a goat?'
மாமா படம் 'uncle's picture'
பாப்பா படம் ''baby's picture'
அப்பா பட்டம் 'father's kite'
அம்மா பப்படம் 'mother's wafer'
Rules of pronunciation
ப is pronounced by stopping the air stream by closing the upper and lower lips and releasing the closure without aspiration with the vowel அ. There is no voicing by the vibration of the vocal cords. This is similar to /pa/ in English. ட is pronounced in the same manner, but the stopping of the airstream is done at the middle of the upper palate by the tip of the tongue, which is curled back and raised. This is unlike /ta/ in English in words like top and the point of the upper palate that the tongue is farther back. ம is pronounced in the same manner as ப, but the airstream is released through the nasal cavity. This is similar to /ma/ in English. When they are double in the middle of a word (ப்ப,ட்ட,ம்ம) duration of the closure is longer than when they are single.
The vowel அ is pronounced with the tongue at the bottom of the mouth. It is closer to the pronunciation of the middle vowel in the English word but. ஆ is longer in duration; that is, the tongue is in the same position for a longer time. It is closer to the pronunciation of /a/ in the English word part.
ப and ட in the middle of a word between vowels or between soft consonants and vowels are pronounced as voiced flaps.
The questioned word has rising intonation both in speaking and reading. The combination of nouns making genitive phrases has running intonation reducing the pause between words.
Rules of speaking pronunciation
The rules of pronunciation in colloquial speech differ from that in formal speech and in reading. The word final ம் (after அ) is dropped in colloquial speech, but it leaves a nasal tinge on the preceding vowel அ and gives it a pronunciation with lips slightly rounded and the middle of the tongue slightly raised.
Rules of exception
These rules are specific to certain words and do not apply across the board. ட in the beginning of a word has an alternative pronunciation that is voiced /da/ as in day (e.g. டப்பா). பா in பாபா, which is a name, is pronounced voiced The English word டா டா is considered to be composed of two words and so ட in both places are pronounced voiceless.
In onomatopoeic words that have doubled segments (படபட), the stop consonant in the second segment is voiceless as if it is in the beginning of a word. It could alternatively have soft pronunciation, as if it is in the middle of a word.
ர /ra/
பார் 'see'
பார்ப்பார் '(he) will see'
பார்ப்பாரா? 'will (he) see?'
மார் 'chest'
மரம் 'tree'
மரமா? 'is (it) a tree?'
பாரம் 'heavy weight'
ரம்பம் 'saw'
பம்பரம் 'top'
படார்- 'sound of being'
டமாரம் 'big drum'
டமார்- 'sound of sudden loud falling'
ராம் 'Rama' (man's name)
ராமர் 'Ramar' (man's name)
ராமா 'hey, Rama!' (calling by the name Raman)
ரமா 'Rama' (woman's name
படம் பார். 'Look at the pictures'
பட்டம் பார். 'Look at the kites'
பாப்பா, பார். Baby, look’
மரம் பாரம். 'The log is heavy'
படம் மட்டம். 'The movie is bad'
அம்மா பாடமாட்டார். 'Mother will not sing'
அப்பா ஆட்டம் ஆடமாட்டார். 'Father will not play games'
Rules of pronunciation
ர் is pronounced by quickly flapping the tip of the tongue on the region of the upper palate. This is similar to /r/ in words like ram. It is fully pronounced as in the word initial position whether it occurs in the word final position or word medial position after a soft consonant.
Rules of speaking pronunciation
The word final ர் is pronounced with a releasing /u/ except in onomatopoeic words.
It is dropped when followed by double stop in the middle of an inflected word.
Writing
The more common writing and printing practice is to drop the bottom stroke in ர். (also in ரி, ரீ, ரு, ரூ introduced later)
Note
ர in any vowel combination does not occur in the beginning of a native word excepting onomatopoeic words. But it occurs initially in loan words. It does not occur double in the middle of a word except in inflected onomatopoeic words.
ய /ya/
யார் 'who'
ராயர் 'royal title'
மயம் 'full of'
மாயம் 'mystery'
பயம் 'fear'
பாய் 'mat'
பாயா? 'is it a mat?'
பெ = ப் + short vowel எ /e/
The combinatory vowel sign precedes the consonant on its left.
பெயர் 'name'
பெய் 'pour down'
மெய் 'body,truth'
எ /e/
எம் ‘our’
எம்மாம் 'how (big)'
பே = ப் + long vowel ஏ /ee/
The combinatory vowel sign precedes the consonant on its left. The length of the
vowel is indicated by the double loop of the sign.
பேர் 'name, person'
பேய் 'ghost'
மேய் 'graze'
ஏ /ee/
ஏப்பம் 'belch'
Rules of pronunciation
ய் is pronounced by raising the middle of the tongue close to the upper palate, but not touching it at the middle. It is similar to /y/ in yeast in English. The tongue stays longer in the raised position when this consonant is double (ய்ய).
எ is pronounced with the tongue raising upwards to the middle of the oral cavity. ஏ is pronounced in the same manner but holding the tongue in that position longer. The middle vowels in the English words met and mate come closer to their pronunciation respectively.
Rules of speaking pronunciation
ய் in the word final position is pronounced in colloquial speech with the releasing vowel /i/. When the word is a light monosyllable (i.e. one syllable word with a short vowel) ending in ய், ய் is doubled before the releasing vowel. ய் in the word final position in polysyllabic inflected words and in some simple words is not pronounced.
எ, ஏ in the word initial position is /y/ tinged. ஏப்பம் comes close in pronunciation to யேப்பம். No native word, however, begins with யெ or யே.
The initial stop consonant in a word, commonly a loan word, may have voiced pronunciation, as mentioned above, more so when speaking than reading. This cannot be predicted. Examples: பயம் bayam, பாய் baay as a term of friendly address to a Muslim.
பை = ப் + vowel ஐ /ai/
The combinatory vowel sign precedes the consonant on its left.
பை 'bag'
பைய 'slowly'
மை 'ink'
அமை 'set up'
ஆமை 'turtle'
படை 'army'
பாடை 'funeral pyre
பட்டை 'broad stroke/cinnamon'
மட்டை 'bat'
மட்டையா? 'is (it) a bat?'
மடையா! 'hey, fool!'
பெட்டை 'female of a bird'
பேட்டை 'local place'
எடை 'weight'
ஐ /ai/
ஐயா 'sir, father'
ஐயர் 'priest, Brahmin'
ஐயாப்பா '(paternal) grandfather'
அய்யா அய்யர் அய்யாப்பா
ஐயப்பா
'name of a god’
அய்யப்பா
Alternative way to write ஐ in the words in the first line, where following consonant is ய். There is no difference in pronunciation.
Rules of pronunciation
ஐ is a diphthong, which means that the pronunciation of the vowel அ ends with a non-sonorous இ- like sound. It is similar to ய் in pronunciation, but is not quite a consonant like it. It is similar to the pronunciation of the vowel in the English word high, not guy.
Rules of speaking pronunciation
ஐ with a consonant in the word final position is pronounced as a simple vowel that is between அ and எ (படை as between பட and படெ). It tends to be pronounced that way in the middle of a word also (மடையா as மடயா). ஐ in the beginning of a word with or without a consonant is closer in pronunciation to அய் (ஐயர் as அய்யர், பை as பய்)
வ /va/
வா 'come'
வர 'to come'
வரவர 'as days pass'
வரவா? 'shall (I) come?'
பாடவா? 'shall (I) sing?'
வை 'place down'
வைவார் '(he) will scold'
வைப்பார் '(he) will place down'
வடை 'a lentil cake'
வாடை 'smell,cold'
வெப்பம் 'heat'
வேட்டை 'hunting'
பாவை 'figurine'
பார்வை 'sight'
அப்பாவே 'father himself'
அம்மாவே 'mother herself'
மாமாவே 'uncle himself'
அப்பாவை 'father (obj)'
அம்மாவை 'mother (obj)'
மாமாவை 'uncle (obj)'
மாமாவா? 'is it uncle?'
ஆட வா. 'Come to dance'
பாட வா. 'Come to sing'
ஆட வை. 'Make (one) dance'
பாட வை. 'Make (one) sing'
அப்பா பாட வரமாட்டார். 'Father won’t come to sing'
அம்மா பெயர் வைப்பாரா? 'Will mother will give a name.'
அம்மா பையைப் பார்ப்பார். 'Mother will see the bag.'
ஐயர் மை வைப்பாரா?. 'Will he priest do black magic?'
Rules of Pronunciation
வ is pronounced by the upper teeth closing the airstream at the lower lip by touching it, but allowing the air to squeeze through the sides. It is similar to /v/ in the English word veal. The closure is longer when it is double (வ்வ)
The question, exclamation and emphatics are differentiated by intonation also in addition to their suffixes. So are the question of the infinitive (பாடவா) and the command (பாட வா), which use the same words.
No two pure vowels occur in a sequence; that is there are no vowel clusters. When a word ends in a vowel and the following word begins with a vowel, a linking consonant (called glide) is introduced between them. If the ending vowel is அ, ஆ, (ஒ), ஓ the linking consonant is வ்; if it is (எ), ஏ, ஐ (and front vowels to be introduced later), the linking consonant is ய்.
வர + ஆ = வரவா; ஆமை + ஏ = ஆமையே
Pure stop consonant at the end of a word within a sentence is a result of sandhi. It is not fully pronounced in reading and speech beyond keeping the following stop consonant voiceless. Ex. பையைப் பார்
Note
When a word that ends in ஐ combined with a consonant is followed by a pure vowel (which will be a suffix), a liaison consonant ய், called a glide, appears between them. Ex.மட்டை + ஆ = மட்டையா. When a word that ends in அ, ஆ with a consonant, the liaison consonant is வ். Ex. வர + ஆ = வரவா, மாமா + ஏ = மாமாவே. Remember that there is no sequence of two vowels in Tamil (*மட்டைஆ, *மாமாஏ).
பொ = ப் + short vowel ஒ /o/
The combinatory vowel sign for this vowel follows the consonant on its right
and left.
பொய் 'lie'
மொய் 'return gift/ in cash'
மொட்டை 'shaved head'
மொடமொட- 'sound stiff (of textile)'
ரொம்ப 'much, many'
ஒ /o/
ஒட்ட 'to stick'
ஒப்பம் ‘consent’
போ = ப் + long vowel ஓ /oo/
The combinatory vowel sign for this long vowel follows the consonant on its
right and left. The length is indicated by the double loop of the left sign.
போ 'go'
போய் 'having gone'
போடா 'go, to a boy'
போட 'to put down'
மோட்டார் 'motor car'
மோப்பம் 'sniffing'
மோர் 'buttermilk'
ரோமம் 'hair'
ஐயோ 'alas'
ஐயாவோ? 'is it father?'
ஓ /00/
ஓட 'to run'
ஓடம் 'boat'
ஓட்டம் 'running/ a run'
ஓரம் 'edge/border'
ஓமம் 'ritual fire/ a spice'
ஓம் 'a mantra'
ஓட்டமா? 'is (it) a run'
ஓடவா? 'to run?'
ஆட்டம் ஆடப் போ. 'Go to play a game'
மோட்டார் ஓட்டப் போ. 'Go to drive a motor car'
அப்பா ஓடப் பார்ப்பார். 'Father will try to run'
அம்மா பாடப் பார்ப்பார். 'Mother will try to sing'
ஐரோப்பா பார்ப்போம் ‘Let us see Europe’
யாரை வைவோம்? ‘Who shall we scold?’
அவர் யார்? ‘Who is he?’
அவர் யாரோ. ‘He is someone’
Rules of Pronunciation
ஒ is pronounced with the tongue raising upwards to the middle of the oral cavity like எ, but the lips are rounded.ஓ is pronounced in the same manner but holding the tongue in that position longer. Their pronunciation is similar to that of the vowels in the English words won and own respectively.
Rules of speaking pronunciation
ஒ, ஓ in the beginning of a word have a /w/ tinge. No native word begins with வொ or வோ.
Writing
Note the length is indicated by the loop at the bottom. This and the loop on top are small in circumference.
Note
ஒ and ஓ do not occur in non-initial syllables in uninflected native words. It means they do not end these words.
Exercises
1. Fill in the letters in the words below by listening to their pronunciation in the audio cassette. Note: This is yet to be added.
ப---டம் 'kite'
---ப்பா 'father'
ஆப்ப--- 'a rice cake'
---மா 'yes'
ப---ம் 'fear'
ஆ--- 'turtle'
---யா 'sir'
மட்--- 'bat'
---டை 'weight'
---யர் 'name'
---ய் 'ghost'
---ப்பம் 'consent'
--- ம்ப 'very'
---மம் 'hair'
---ட்டம் 'run, running'
2. There is a spelling error in each word. Correct it by listening to the cassetted for correct spelling and pronunication.
அம்பா 'mother'
மர்ம் 'tree'
படம் 'kite'
மாம 'uncle'
பரம்பம் 'top'
பய் 'bag'
யாரே 'someone'
பெய் 'ghost'
பேயர் 'name'
வட 'a lentil cake'
ஏபம் 'belch'
மடயா 'hey, fool'
மொர் 'buttermilk'
ரெம்ப 'very'
ஒட்டம் 'running'
3. Speak out ten words choosing letters from the twenty letters given below. All letters in the words must be from these twenty letters. You can use the same letter more than once.
பா, ம், அ, ட, ர, ம, ப், ஓ, ட், ர், வ, ய, ஆ, ய், மை, ரோ, யா, வா, மா, பே
4. Make these words into questions by adding -ஆ at the end and pronouce them with the right intonation.
Ex, மரம் மரமா?
படம்
பாடம்
பாய்
பேய்
பெயர்
மோர்
அப்பா
அம்மா
ஆமை
பொம்மை
பை
மை
பாட
வர
5. Make the above words into the question of doubt by adding -ஓ at the end and pronounce them with the right intonation.
Ex. மரமோ?
6. Make the above words into emphatic by adding -ஏ at the end and pronounce them with the right intonation
Ex. மரமே!
7. Circle the following letters identifying them by their pronunciation. The letters are pronounced in a different order.
ட, பா, ப, ம், வ, ர், அ, எ, மே
In the classroom, write down the words dictated, after carefully listening to the word spoken each time. Write them in the spelling you have learned, though the words may be pronounced differently, remembering the rules of pronunication Each word will be said three times. This exercise will be repeated in every lesson.