Introduction to Tamil Script and Sounds for English Speakers

Understanding the Tamil Script: An Overview

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.

The Tamil Vowels (Uyir Ezhuthu)

Tamil has 12 vowels, known as Uyir Ezhuthu (உயிர் எழுத்து), which literally means 'life letters'. These vowels can stand alone or combine with consonants to form syllables.

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

The Tamil Consonants (Mei Ezhuthu)

There are 18 consonants in Tamil, called Mei Ezhuthu (மெய் எழுத்து), meaning 'body letters'. Each consonant inherently carries the vowel sound 'அ' (a) unless modified.

• க் (k)
• ச் (c)
• ட் (ṭ)
• த் (t)
• ப் (p)
• ற் (ṟ)
• ஞ் (ñ)
• ண் (ṇ)
• ந் (n)
• ம் (m)
• ய் (y)
• ர் (r)
• ல் (l)
• வ் (v)
• ழ் (ḻ)
• ள் (ḷ)
• ற் (ṟ)
• ன் (ṉ)

Combining Vowels and Consonants

When vowels combine with consonants, they form compound letters called Uyirmei Ezhuthu (உயிர்மெய் எழுத்து). For example, the consonant க் (k) combined with the vowel இ (i) becomes கி (ki). These combinations are essential for forming syllables and words.

Special Character: Āytam (ஃ)

The Tamil script includes a special character called the Āytam (ஃ), which is used to represent a voiceless sound or as a phonetic modifier in certain contexts. It is less common but important in classical Tamil.

Pronunciation Tips for English Speakers

Tamil sounds can be quite different from English. Here are some tips to help you pronounce Tamil letters correctly:

• The Tamil 'ழ' (ḻ) is a retroflex approximant, a sound not found in English. It is pronounced with the tongue curled back.
• Consonants like 'ட்' (ṭ) and 'ண்' (ṇ) are retroflex sounds, produced by curling the tongue back to the roof of the mouth.
• Vowels have short and long forms, for example, 'இ' (i) is short, and 'ஈ' (ī) is long. Length changes meaning.
• The inherent vowel 'அ' (a) is pronounced like the 'a' in 'America', not like the 'a' in 'cat'.

Common Tamil Greetings and Phrases

Practice and Resources

To master Tamil script and sounds, consistent practice is key. Use flashcards to memorize letters, listen to native speakers, and try writing simple words. Online resources and language apps can also be very helpful.