Chapter 1.5

Transcription of slides in video 

Slide 1

Examples for pronouncing
க, ச, ட, த, ப in Tamil words

Slide 2

“க” is pronounces as “gh” when in between vowels and after ய் and
ர்

• “ச” is pronounced as “ja” after nasal consonants
• “ட” is pronounced “da” after nasal consonants and between vowels
• “ப” is pronounced “ba” after nasal consonants and between vowels
• The examples in this video are taken from the book “Tamil Language in context” By Professor. Vasu Ranganathan

Slide 3

க is pronounced ‘gh’ between vowels and after ர் and ய்

• பகல் (paghal) ‘day’
• மகன் (maghan) ‘son’
• மகள் (mashal) ‘daughter’
• ஊர்கள் (Urghal) ‘towns’
• நாய்கள்(naai-ghal) ‘dogs’

க is pronounced ‘k’ in word initial position and in clusters

• கப்பல் (kappal) ‘ship’
• கடல் (kaDal) ‘ocean’
• பக்கம் (pakkam ) ‘side’
• தூக்கம் (tuukkam ) ‘sleep’

Slide 4

ச is pronounced ‘j’ after nasal consonants:

• பஞ்சு (anjcu) ‘cotton’
• நஞ்சு (nanjcu)’poison’
• அஞ்சு (anjcu) ‘fear’

ச is pronounced ‘sa’ between vowels and optionally in word initial position

• தோசச (toosai)’dosa’
• ஆசை (aasai) ‘desire’
• மாசம் (maasam)’month’
• சனி (sani) ‘Saturday’
• செவ்வாய் (cevvaay) ‘Tuesday’

ச is pronounced ‘ch’ in word initial position and in clusters:

• சக்கரம் (cakkaram) ‘wheel’
• சனி (cani) ‘Saturday’
• செவ்வாய் (cevvaay) ‘Tuesday’
• பச்சை (paccai) ‘green’
• எச்சில் (eccil) ‘saliva’

Slide 5

ட is pronounced “da”after nasal consonants and between vowels:

• துண்டு (tuNdu) ‘towel’
• கரண்டி (karaNDi) ‘spoon’
• நண்டு (naDu) ‘crab’
• படம் (paDam)’picture’
• ஓடம் (ooDam) ‘boat’
•  நாடு (naaDu) ‘country’

ட is pronounced “ta” in word initial position and in clusters

• டமாரம் (Tamaaram) ‘a drum’
• டீ (Tii) ‘tea’
• டைம் (Taim) ‘time’
• பட்டு (paTTu) ‘silk’
• பூட்டு (puuTTu) ‘lock’
• காட்டு (kaaTTu) ‘show’

Slide 6

த is pronounced “dh” after nasal consonants and between vowels:

• பந்து (pandu) ‘ball’
• இந்த (inda) ‘this – adjective’
• அந்த (anda) ‘that-adjective’
• அது (adu) ‘that’
• பாதை (paadai) ‘route/way’
• மோது (moodu) ‘dash/strike’

த is pronounced “th” in word initial position and in clusters

• தமிழ் (tamizh) ‘Tamil’
• தண்ணீர் (taNNiir) ‘water’
• திங்கள் (tingaL) ‘Monday’
• பத்து (pattu) ‘ten’
• கத்து (kattu) ‘scream’
• எழுத்து (ezhuttu) ‘letter/script’

Slide 7

ப is pronounced “ba” after nasal consonants and between vowels:

• தம்பி (tambi) ‘younger brother’
• திரும்பு (tirumbu) ‘turn’
• எண்பது (eNbadu) ‘eighty’
• கோபம் (kooba~) ‘anger’
• அபாயம் (abaaya~) ‘danger’
• சாபம் (caaba~) ‘curse’

ப is pronounced “pa” in word initial position and in clusters

• படி (paDi) ‘study’
• பழம் (pazha~) ‘fruit’
• பணம் (paNa~) ‘money’
• அப்பா (appaa) ‘father’
• தப்பு (tappu) ‘mistake’
• துப்பு (tuppu) ‘spit’

Chapter 2.2

More about pronouns

1. Subject Pronoun
   1. First Person: I நான் and We நாம்/ நாங்கள்
   2. Second Person: You நீ/ நீங்கள்
   3. Third Person: He, She, It, They, அவன் , அவள் , இது , அது , அவர், அவர்கள் , அவை
2. Object Pronoun
   1. First Person: Me என்னை , Us நம்மை / எங்களை
   2. Second Person: You உன்னை / உங்களை
   3. Third Person: Him, Her, It, Them, That அவனை , அவளை , இதை/அதை , அவர்களை , அவற்றை
3. Indirect Object Pronoun
   1. First Person: To me, To us ,எனக்கு , நமக்கு/எங்களுக்கு
   2. Second Person: To you உங்களுக்கு
   3. Third Person: To him, To her, To it , To them , அவனுக்கு/அவருக்கு , அவளுக்கு , அதற்க்கு , அவர்களுக்கு/அவற்றிற்கு
4. Possessive Pronoun
   1. First Person: Mine, Ours, என்னுடையது , நம்முடையது
   2. Second Person: Yours, உங்களுடையது
   3. Third Person: His, Her, Its, Their , That, அவனுடையது / அவருடையது , அவளுடையது , அதனுடையது , அவர்களுடையது , அவற்றின்
5. Pronoun with Ablative Cases
   1. First Person: From me, From us, என்னிடமிருந்து , நம்மிடமிருந்து / எங்களிடமிருந்து
   2. Second Person: From you, உங்களிடமிருந்து
   3. Third Person: From him, From her , From it , From them, அவனிடமிருந்து / அவரிடமிருந்து , அவளிடமிருந்து , அைனிடமிருந்து , அவர்களிடமிருந்து.
6. Pronouns with Associative cases
   1. First Person: With me, With us, என்னுடன் , நம்முடன் /எங்களுடன்
   2. Second Person: With you , உங்களுடன்
   3. Third Person: With him, With her , With them , With that, அவனுடன் , அவளுடன் , அைனுடன் , அவருடன் , அவர்களுடன் , அவற்றுடன்
7. Pronouns with Locative cases
   1. First Person: in / on me, in /on us, என்னிட்த்தில் , நம்மிட்த்தில் , எங்களிடம்
   2. Second Person: in / on you உங்களிடம்.
   3. Third Person: in / on him, in / on her, in / on it , in / on them , in / on that, அவனிடம் , அவளிடம் , அதனிடம் , அவரிடம் , அவர்களிடம் , அவற்றிடம்.

Chapter 2.4 Pronouns and Case Suffixes

Chapter 2.4 Prepositions

Prepositions – 2nd Type

vEtRumai: 2 (ai)

வேற்றுமை: 2 (ஐ)

Usage: The 2nd vEtRumai is used when you apply an action on an object or person. (English does not have any explicit preposition that is used in this context. Only some pronouns seem to follow Tamil like pattern. For example, “Call him / Call her” – note that we do not say “Call he / Call she”. However, we say “Call Raman / Call it”).

Note:

1. In Tamil, the preposition is not written separately. It is invariably merged with the associated object as a suffix.
2. There are rules and conventions that may cause some additional letters to get inserted before the preposition.

Prepositions – 3rd Type

vEtRumai: 3 (Al, Odu, udan)

வேற்றுமை: 3 (ஆல்‌, ஓடு, உடன்‌)

Usage: The 3rd vEtRumai is used when you do something using or with an object / person.

Note:

3. In Tamil, the preposition is not written separately. It is invariably merged with the associated object/person as a suffix.
4. There are rules and conventions that may cause some additional letters to get inserted before the preposition.

Prepositions – 4th Type

vEtRumai: 4 (ku)

வேற்றுமை: 4 (கு)

Usage: The 4th vEtRumai is used when you do something to an object/person.

Note:

5. In Tamil, the preposition is not written separately. It is invariably merged with the associated object/person as a suffix.
6. There are rules and conventions that may cause some additional letters to get inserted before the preposition.

Prepositions – 5th type

vEtRumai: 5 (il, in, ai vida, inindRu, iliru~ndhu)

வேற்றுமை: 5 (இல்‌, இன்‌, ஐ விட, இனின்று, , இலிருந்து)

Usage: The 5th vEtRumai is used when you compare something to another. It is also used when something is separated from another.

Note:

7. The preposition for comparison in current usage is “ai vida” (ஐ விட).
8. The preposition for ‘from’ in current usage is “iliru~ndhu” (இலிருந்து).

Prepositions – 6th Type

vEtRumai: 6 (adhu, Adhu, a, udaiya)

வேற்றுமை: 6 (அது, ஆது, அ, உடைய)

Usage: The 6th vEtRumai is used to indicate possession/ownership/association.

Note:

9. The preposition for possession/ownership in current spoken usage is “udaiya” and “inudaiya” (உடைய, இனுடைம்‌).

Prepositions – 7th Type

vEtRumai: 7 (il, idaththil, kaN, mEl, kIzh)

வேற்றுமை: 7 (il, idaththil, kaN, mEl, kIzh)

Usage: The 7th vEtRumai is used to indicate location.

Prepositions – 8th Type (Calling Someone)

vEtRumai: 8 (thani urubu kidaiyAdhu)

வேற்றுமை: 8 (தனி உருபு கிடையாது)

Usage: The 8th vEtRumai is used when you call someone. Depending on whether the person is near or far, the last vowel in the name may be short or long. If the name has any masculine suffix like ‘an’, then the ‘n’ will be dropped. If the name has respectful ending like ‘ar’, ‘gaL’, then a long vowel ‘E’ is appended.

Note:

10. In Tamil, the preposition is not written separately. It is invariably merged with the associated object/person as a suffix.
11. There are rules and conventions that may cause some additional letters to get inserted before the preposition.

Chapter 3.1

Tamil Verbs and its different forms slides

வினைச்சொற் களின் வகைகள்

The Role of Tamil Verbs

• The verbs take on suffixes and change their form to explain the gender/number/tense and mood of the action.
• The mood is weather it is Indicative,Imperative or operative.
• In the next slide we will look at the kinds of Tamil verbs

Types of Tamil Verbs

Verbs வினைச்சொல்:

• Finite முற்று
  • Definite தெரிநிலை
  • Indefinite குறிப்பு
• Non-Finite எச்சம்
  • Adjectival Participle பெயரெச்சம்
    • Definite தெரிநிலை
    • Indefinite குறிப்பு
  • Verbal Participle வினையெச்சம்
    • Definite தெரிநிலை
    • Indefinite குறிப்பு

1. Finite Verb – வினைமுற்று

The verb will be completed giving the action, the tense, the gender and number.

அவன் செய்தான் /Avaṉ ceytāṉ (He did )

This gives us the following information:

அவன்: masculine, third person, singular,

செய்தான்: past tense, (he did)

The finite verb is divided into two let us see this in the next two slides

1.1 Definite Verb – தெரிநிலை வினைமுற்று

These give us the subject, gender, tool, place, act, tense and object.

செல்வி பாடம் படித்தாள் /Celvi pāṭam paṭittāḷ (selvi studied/read the lesson)

Subject: Selvi (ள் female, singular tense marker name of female)

Tool: Eye (needed for reading traditionally)

Act: Read (படி/pati)

Tense : Past (த்தா tense marker)

Objective : Studying (reading)

1.2 Indefinite verb குறிப்பு வினைமுற்று

These do not show the tense it describes only the subject.

அவன் உழவன் (avan uzhavan) (He is a farmer)

அவன்: Male singular

உழவன் = உழவு (farming) + வன் (male singular used to indicate profession)

The verb shows the noun as masculine. There is no other suffix attached showing that this could he in all three tense. He was a farmer, he is a farmer and he will be a farmer.

2. Non-Finite Verb வினையெச்சம

These verbs do not give us the complete meaning of the action clearly. There is something that is left out and this is called “echam” எச்சம் in Tamil.

செய்தான்: Finite (he did)

செய்த: Non–Finite (did)

Here the first word gives us all the information but the second word is incomplete. This is further divided into two kinds Adjectival and verbal participles. Let us see that in the next slide.

2.1 Adjectival Participle பெயரெச்சம்

When an non-finite verb is followed by a noun that completes it becomes a “peyarecham” பெயரெச்சம் or Adjectival participle.

செய்த பெண் /seitha pen, Here we see that the verb is now complete. Giving the meaning “The woman/girl that did it” .

This is further divided into Definite and Indefinite.

2.1a Definite Adjectival Participle தெரிநிலை பெயரெச்சம்

When a non finite verb ends with a noun and it shows the tense it is called a definite participle.

செய்த பெண் This same example we saw in the last slide, tells us that this is past tense.

செய்: to do

த: past tense marker

பெண்: Female (women/girl)

2.1b Indefinite Adjectival Participle குறிப்பு பெயரெச்சம்

When the Non finite verb that is completed with a noun does not show us the tense then it is a குறிப்பு பெயரெச்சம் or Indefinite adjectival participle.

அழகிய வீடு azhakiya veedu/ beautiful house

Here we do not have tense shown. We assume this is for all the three tense.

2.2. Verbal Participle வினையெச்சம்

When a nonfinite verb ends with another finite verb (auxiliary verb) it is called a Verbal Participle or வினையெச்சம். This second verb will complete the first one and give all the meaning needed.

பார்க​ வந்தான் Paarka vandan, he came to see

This is again divided into two Definite and indefinite verbal participle.

2.2a Definite Verbal Participle தெரிநிலை வெனையெச்சம்

When the verb that ends the non finite verb compleats it by showing the tense/gender/number it is called a Definite Verbal Participle or தெரிநிலை வெனையெச்சம். The way the first verb ends indicated the tense for the next verb to follow and complete it.

வந்து போனான் vandhu nindran (he came and stood)

Shows us the tense/gender and number and completes the meaning that this phrase conveys.

2.2b Indefinite Verbal Participle குறிப்பு வினையெச்சம்

When the added verb does not show the tense but gives us a meaning through an attribute it is called a indefinite Verbal Participle ஒர் குறிப்பு வினையெச்சம்.

மெல்ல​ நடந்தான் mella nadanthan (He walked slowly)

Here it does not specify when he walked slowly.

Affirmative and Negation

All of the Finite and Non finite verbs as well as the Adjectival participle and the verbal participle can be a affirmative or a negation. The suffixes of negation like + ஆத, + ஆமல், +ஆதே, + வில்லை can be added to make them into negation.

Other Suffixes a Verb Can Take On

The Tamil verb takes on the following suffixes

1. Conditional: affirmative and negation
2. Immediate
3. Cohesiveness of fact
4. Concessiveness of supposition

In the mood form it can take on suffixes for

1. Imperative: Affirmative and negation
2. Permissive
3. Potential

The ending of these differ based on the number/gender/polite/impolite