தமிழ் இணையக் கல்விக்கழகம் - TAMIL VIRTUAL ACADEMY

மொழிகள்

TVU Courses

D04132 - LESSON - 2

Tamil of the age of Tolkappiar - Phonology

    The Tamil grammarian Tholkappiar classified Tamil phonemes more or less on the same lines as the modern linguists. The unique research into the pronunciation of Tamil speech-sounds even in those olden days is remarkable. Graphic forms of writing certain letters in the beginning, the middle and the end of words were listed and the conditions for such occurrence were clearly specified. You will learn about this Tamil Phonemics in this lesson.

    Tholkappiar and phonology, classification of Tamil phonemes, the manner of production of each phoneme, the graphology of these phonemes in writing the language and the method of appearence of the letters in Tamil words are described and illustrated in the five units of this lesson.

    Tholkappiar listed Tamil phonemes as only 30 and described three special variants of some of these phonemes. The twelve vowel letters from to ஒள and the eighteen consonant letters from க் to ன் are considered to produce the thirty primary phonemes and reduced '' reduced '', and aayutham as the three secondary phonemes.

    Besides identifying the short vowels of அ,இ,உ,எ and , their long forms of ஆ,ஈ,ஊ,ஏ and Tholkappiar explained the diphthongs expressed by the Tamil letters as the combination of and and ஒள as that of and . The variation of when occurring at the end of the word as in vocative case in illustrated is Annai and Annaai.

    Consonants are classified as plosives, nasals and intermediaries in Vallinam, Mellinam and Idaiyinam. Reduced 'உ' at the end of a word like Naadu and Panthu and in the beginning as in Nunthai and reduced 'இ' as in Naadu +Yaathu = Naadiyathu and in Kel + Miya= Kenmiya are identified.

    The occurrence of phonemes in words is illustrated as beginning letters, end letters of a word; and mid-word gemination of consonants called Meymayakkam On this basis, sanskrit words like Vakkiam and Akiramam are spelt as Vakkiam and Akiramam.

    Thus the scientific analysis, description and grouping of Tamil speech-sounds can be appreciated through this lesson.

Tags   :

புதுப்பிக்கபட்ட நாள் : 01-09-2016 06:22:14(இந்திய நேரம்)