Letters

PHONOLOGY I.      The Tamil language has 30 simple letters :

-  5 short vowels (5 குறில்)

    அ, இ, உ, எ & ஒ

-  7 long vowels (7 நெடில்)

    ஆ, ஈ, ஊ, ஏ, ஐ, ஓ & ஔ

-  18 mute consonants (18 மெய்எழுத்துக்கள்)

    க், ச், ட், ப், த், ற் Vallinam (வல்லினம்)

   ங், ஞ், ண், ந், ம், ன் Mellinam (மெல்லினம்)

   ய், ர், ல், வ், ழ், ள் idayinam (இடயினம்)

   There is an extra letter called Aayitha Ezhuthu which looks like the dots on the shield and is denoted by ∴

   It is neither a vowel nor a consonant. It is not frequently used. It softens the hard consonant following it.

II.     Consonants is Tamil is called Uyir Mei Ezhuthu (உயிர்மெய்எழுத்து) : The vowels, when subjoined to mute consonants, lose their initial form, thus:

- the short vowel அ, is inherent in every consonant, and is always understood, except where the mark shows (•)that the consonant is to be pronounced mute, thus க, is ka, ச,cha, etc.

- The long vowel ஆ, is changed into п and affixed, thus: கா, is kā, சா

- The short vowel இ, i,. is changed into ி,and affixed thus: க + இ = கி; த+இ=தி;

- The long vowel ஈ, ī , is changed into ீ and affixed, thus க+ஈ=கீ; ம+ஈ=மீ;

- The short vowel உ, u,. is changed into ு, thus: க + உ = கு; ச + உ = சு; ம + உ = மு;

- The long vowel ஊ, ū, is changed into ூ, thus: க + ஊ = கூ; ச + ஊ = சூ; ம + ஊ = மூ;

- The short vowel எ, e is changed into ெ, and prefixed to the consonant after which it is pronounced, thus க + எ = கெ; ச + எ = செ;

- The long vowel ஏ, ē, is changed into ே, and prefixed to the consonant and thus: க + ஏ = கே; ச + ஏ = சே; ம + ஏ = மே;

- The long vowel ஐ, ai, is changed into ை, and prefixed to the consonant and thus: க + ஐ = கை; ச + ஐ = சை; ம + ஐ = மை;

- The short vowel ஒ, o is changed into ொ, the consonant being placed between them, thus க + ஒ = கொ; ச + ஒ = சொ;

- The long vowel ஓ, ō is changed into ோ, the consonant being placed between them, thus க + ஓ = கோ; ச + ஓ = சோ;

- The long vowel ஔ, ou is changed into ௌ, the consonant being placed between them, thus க + ஔ = கௌ; ச + ஔ = சௌ;

If the vowels and consonants combine then they will result in 216 soul body letters. So altogether the number of total letter becomes 247.

The Tamil speech has borrowed the following grantha letters from Sanskrit ஜ, ஷ், ஸ், ஹ், க்ஷ் and ஸ்ரீ.

In recent times four combinations of Tamil basic letters are generally used to depict sounds of English letters 'f', 'z', and 'x' and the 'kh' sound in Arabic/Persian. This is helpful for writing English and Arabic names and words in Tamil. The combinations are ஃப for f, ஃஜ for z, ஃஸ் for x, and ஃக் for kh. For example: asif = அசிஃப், aZaarudheen = அஃஜாருதீன், rex = ரெஃஸ், Genghis Khan = செங்கிஸ் ஃகான்.

Letter	Examples
ஜ	ஜாடி jādi (jar) மேஜை mējai (table) ராஜா rāja (king) ரோஜா rōja (rose) ஜுரம் juram (fever)
ஷ்	புஷ்பம் pushpam (flowers) வாஷிங்டன் Washington வேஷ்டி Vēshti (dhoti)
ஸ்	மாஸ்கோ Moscow ஸ்பெயின் Spain ஸர்ப்பம் sarppam (snake) சரஸ்வதி Sarswathi
ஹ்	ஹிந்தி hindi ஹனுமான் (Hanuman)
க்ஷ்	பக்ஷி pakshi (bird) திராக்ஷை thirākshai (grapes)
ஸ்ரீ	ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணா Sri Krishna ஸ்ரீதேவி Sri Devi