Introduction to Tamil Script and Pronunciation for English Speakers

Overview of the Tamil Script

Tamil is a classical language with a unique script that has been used for over 2,000 years. The Tamil script is an abugida, meaning each consonant has an inherent vowel sound that can be changed with diacritics. It is written from left to right and consists of 12 vowels, 18 consonants, and one special character called the āytam.

Vowels (உயிரெழுத்துக்கள்)

Tamil has 12 vowels, known as uyirezhuthukal. These vowels can be short or long, and their length affects the meaning of words. The vowels are:

• அ (a)
• ஆ (ā)
• இ (i)
• ஈ (ī)
• உ (u)
• ஊ (ū)
• எ (e)
• ஏ (ē)
• ஐ (ai)
• ஒ (o)
• ஓ (ō)
• ஔ (au)

Consonants (மெய்யெழுத்துக்கள்)

There are 18 consonants in Tamil, called meyyezhuthukal. Each consonant has an inherent vowel sound 'அ' (a) unless modified by a vowel marker. The consonants are:

• க (ka)
• ங (ṅa)
• ச (ca)
• ஞ (ña)
• ட (ṭa)
• ண (ṇa)
• த (ta)
• ந (na)
• ப (pa)
• ம (ma)
• ய (ya)
• ர (ra)
• ல (la)
• வ (va)
• ழ (ḻa)
• ள (ḷa)
• ற (ṟa)
• ன (ṉa)

Special Character: Āytam (ஃ)

The āytam (ஃ) is a unique character in Tamil used to represent a voiceless sound or as a marker in certain words. It is not a vowel or consonant but plays a special role in pronunciation.

Pronunciation Tips for English Speakers

Tamil pronunciation can be challenging for English speakers due to sounds that do not exist in English. Here are some tips to help you:

• The letter 'ழ' (ḻa) is a retroflex approximant, pronounced with the tongue curled back. It is unique to Tamil and some Dravidian languages.
• Short and long vowels are distinct; for example, 'அ' (a) is short, while 'ஆ' (ā) is long and held longer when spoken.
• Consonants like 'ட' (ṭa) and 'த' (ta) are retroflex and dental stops respectively, differing from English 't' sounds.
• The inherent vowel 'அ' (a) is pronounced like the 'a' in 'about' when not modified.
• Practice listening to native speakers to get accustomed to the rhythm and intonation of Tamil.

Common Pronunciation Examples