presented in Tamil, its most ancient exponent, ” differs “essentially from that of Sanskrit.”²³ The short and long vowels are peculiar to Tamil.²⁴ The short u(Kuṟṟiyalukaram) is alien to Indo-European languages nor is it derived from Sanskrit and apart from this it is opposed to the Sanskrit laws of sound. Short e and o are phonetics in Sanskrit but phonemes in Tamil. Au is a letter borrowed from Sanskrit and it is generally used in Sanskrit derivations. On that score, we cannot definitely say that au is derived from Sanskrit. Further investigation is needed.

Beschi describes āytam and says that it is pronounced almost as the consonant ‘g’ with a heavy guttural sound.²⁵ Dr. Caldwell follows in his footsteps and in addition says, it is found “in the poets and is generally considered a pedantical invention of the grammarians.”²⁶ Rhenius and Pope point out that it was written as ஃ or கூ.²⁷ Rhenius and Caldwell believe that “it seldom occurs in common language.” One, may not share the opinion that āytam is “a pedantic invention of the grammarians.” Dr. P.S.S. Sastri says that it is a consonant.²⁸ Dr. T.P. Meenakshisundaran discusses the above theories and aptly traces the history of this letter.²⁹

Caldwell says that surds are converted into sonants in certain instances.³⁰ It is not dialectical but inherent in the language. Beschi has already anticipated this and this Caldwell builds up into law (What Beschi has stressed).³¹ He points out that it is quite a characteristic of Tamil. Native grammarians have been silent on this point. The surds and sonants caught the attention of the foreigners. It probably was the result of the peculiar

23. C. C. G. D. L.; P. 139

24. B. K. T. Rule 5

25. Ibid. Rule 51

26. C. C. G. D. L.; P. 130

27. R. G. T. L.; P. 8, A Large Grammar of The Tamil Language, p. 7 Q. No. 12

28. P. S. S. Sastri, History of Grammatical Theories in Tamil, P. 66

29. T. P. M. Kalaikkaḷañciyam, Volume 2

30. C. C. G. D. L.; P. 138

31. B. K. T.; Rules 17 to 32