Tamil script

Tamil
ka in Tamil
Font	Abugida
languages	Tamil
Used in	Tamil Nadu , Sri Lanka , Singapore
ancestry	Protosinaitic script  →  Phoenician script   →  Aramaic script    →  Brahmi script     →  Tamil
particularities	Belongs to the Indian font family.
Unicode block	U + 0B80-U + 0BFF
ISO 15924	Taml

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	தமிழ்
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The Tamil script , also Tamil script ( Tamil தமிழ் அரிச்சுவடி tamiḻ ariccuvaṭi ), is one of the Indian scripts . It is used to write Tamil , which is mainly found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka . Like all Indian scripts, the Tamil script is an intermediate form of the alphabet and syllabary , a so-called Abugida . It differs from the other Indian scripts in that it uses fewer characters and does not use ligatures .

story

Page from the Tamil-language "Tranquebar Bible". The Bible was translated into Tamil by Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg and Benjamin Schultze and printed in the Danish mission print shop in Tharangambadi in 1723 . The picture shows the beginning of Genesis .

With the other Indian scripts, the Tamil script shares the common origin in the Brahmi script , which was first published in the 3rd century BC. Appears. The oldest known language testimony of Tamil, a series of stone inscriptions from 254 BC. Chr., Are written in a special form of this font. Over time, the Brahmi script split into numerous regional variants, some of which differ greatly from one another graphically.

Today's Tamil script probably developed in the 8th century AD from a North Indian script with strong influences from Grantha , in which Tamil was previously written. The Granthaschrift was the Pallava and Cheraschrift originated from a southern Indian Brahmivariante and is used today in a modified form, partly still in southern India to Sanskrit , the classical language of Hinduism to write. Since the Tamil script was originally written on palm leaves , it developed from angular to round characters, as angular lettering would have split the palm leaves.

From the 16th century, the first printed products in the Tamil script were created by Christian missionaries . Some orthographic reforms in the Tamil script also go back to the Italian missionary Constantine Beschi (1680–1743). He introduced additional characters to distinguish the vowels e and ē as well as o and ō and developed the point above to distinguish a vowelless consonant from one with an inherent a . Another spelling reform took place in the late 1970s when some consonant-vowel connecting signs were regularized.

use

Like many Indian scripts, the Tamil script is essentially only used for one language, Tamil. Occasionally, smaller regional languages ​​such as Badaga or Saurashtri that are widespread in the state of Tamil Nadu are also written in Tamil script. In the case of these minority languages, however, written use is extremely rare. Tamil Brahmins rarely write Sanskrit in Tamil script - instead of the usual Devanagari or the Granthan script traditionally used in South India. Special characters had to be developed in order to be able to express the additional sounds occurring in Sanskrit in Tamil script.

Working principle

The Tamil script shares the same functional principle with all other Indian scripts. It is an intermediate form of the alphabet and syllabary , a so-called Abugida . The smallest unit of writing is the syllable : The word வீடு vīṭu consists of the two characters வீ vī and டு ṭu . These syllables are made up of one element each for the consonant and the vowel of the syllable. The basic element is a consonant sign with the inherent vowel a (e.g. க ka , ம ma ). If the consonant is followed by another vowel, the consonant sign is modified by a diacritical mark : The character ி replaces the inherent vowel a with the vowel i (e.g. கி ki , மி mi ). These dependent vowel signs can only occur together with a consonant sign and form a fixed unit with this.

Only at the beginning of a word are vowels represented by independent characters (e.g. அ a , ஆ ā ). A "silent consonant" i.e. H. a consonant that is not followed by a vowel is denoted by a point above it (Tamil புள்ளி puḷḷi ) (e.g. க் k ). Like all Indian scripts, the Tamil script is clockwise, i. That is, it is written from left to right and does not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters .

The Tamil script differs significantly from the other Indian scripts in two respects: Due to the phonology of Tamil , in which voicing and aspiration are not significant, it has a much smaller number of characters. In addition, the Tamil script has no ligatures and consistently uses the point above to represent consonant connections.

character

The Tamil script knows twelve independent vowel signs and 18 consonant signs and the special consonant sign āytam . Five other consonant signs, the so-called Grantha signs, are used for loan words from Sanskrit or English , but are not counted as part of the core inventory of Tamil script. By combining the 18 consonants with the 12 dependent vowel signs, 216 consonant-vowel connecting signs can be formed. In total, this results in an inventory of 247 characters.

In the native Tamil grammar, the vowel signs உயிர் எழுத்து uyir eḻuttu ("soul letters"), the consonants மெய் எழுத்து mey eḻuttu ("body letters") and the consonant-vowel-connecting symbols உயிர்மெய் எழுத்து uyirmey eḻuttu (roughly: "letters with body and soul") ) called. To denote a single letter, -karam (e.g. மிகரம் mikaram "the letter mi ") is added to short letters and -kāram (e.g. ஆகாரம் ākāram "the letter ā ") is added to long letters . To denote the vowelless letter, put a short i- in front of it (e.g. இக் ik ).

Independent vowel signs

The independent vowel signs only appear at the beginning of the word. In the post-consonantic position, however, the consonant-vowel connection signs ( see below ) are used. It is only in poetry that the independent vowel signs can rarely appear in the interior of a word to indicate the expansion of a vowel.

The vowel signs denote the twelve vowels (five short vowels, five long vowels and two diphthongs ) of Tamil. Their pronunciation depends in part on their position in the word and the surrounding consonants. A detailed description of the different pronunciation variants can be found in the article Pronunciation of Tamil .

character	Transliteration	Sound value
அ	a	[ a ], [ ʌ ], [ ə ]
ஆ	-	[ aː ]
இ	i	[ i ], [ ɨ ]
ஈ	ī	[ iː ], [ ɨː ]
உ	u	[ u ], [ ɯ ]
ஊ	ū	[ uː ]
எ	e	[ e ], [ j e ], [ ɘ ]
ஏ	ē	[ eː ], [ j eː ], [ ɘː ]
ஐ	ai	[ a i̯ ], [ ɛ i̯ ]
ஒ	O	[ ɔ ], [ ʋ ɔ ]
ஓ	O	[ oː ]
ஔ	ouch	[ a u̯ ]

Consonant sign

The 18 consonant signs largely correspond to the consonantic phonemes of Tamil. However, since these phonemes have a large number of positional allophones , i. That is, depending on their position in the word, can be realized as different sounds, the consonant signs can also have several different sound values. A detailed description of the different pronunciation variants can be found in the article Pronunciation of Tamil .

In addition to the 18 actual consonant signs , the Tamil script knows the special consonant sign ஃ ḵ , called āytam (ஆய்தம்). In contrast to the other consonant signs, it never occurs with a subsequent vowel and has the sound value [ h ]. The āytam comes from Old Tamil and occurs in the modern language only in a few words (e.g. அஃறிணை aḵriṇai [ ˈahrɨɳɛi̯ ] "(grammatical) lower class, neuter "). Sometimes in more recent texts there is the practice of representing the [ f ] sound occurring in English loan words , for which there is no separate character in the Tamil script, at the beginning of the word by a combination of āytam and ப் p (e.g. ஃபோன் fōṉ " Telephone ", from English phone ).

character	Transliteration	Sound value
ஃ	ḵ	[ h ]
க்	k	[ k ], [ ɡ ], [ x ], [ ɣ ]
ங்	ṅ	[ ŋ ]
ச்	c	[ ʧ ], [ s ], [ ʒ ]
ஞ்	ñ	[ ɲ ]
ட்	ṭ	[ ʈ ], [ ɖ ]
ண்	ṇ	[ ɳ ]
த்	t	[ t̪ ], [ d̪ ], [ ð ]
ந்	n	[ n̪ ]
ப்	p	[ p ], [ b ], [ β ]
ம்	m	[ m ]
ய்	y	[ j ]
ர்	r	[ ɾ ]
ல்	l	[ l ]
வ்	v	[ ʋ ]
ழ்	ḻ	[ ɻ ]
ள்	ḷ	[ ɭ ]
ற்	ṟ	[ r ], [ tː r ], [ d r ]
ன்	ṉ	[ n ]

Grantha sign

In order to be able to write sounds that do not occur in Tamil in Sanskrit loanwords, the Tamil script has borrowed additional consonant characters from the Grantah script , which was traditionally used in southern India to write Sanskrit. Today they also appear in loan words from English or other languages. The Grantha characters are the four simple characters ஜ் j , ஷ் ṣ , ஸ் s and ஹ் h as well as the ligature க்ஷ் kṣ , which is usually listed as a separate character, although it is composed of two graphemes. In older texts the Grantha symbol ஶ் ś for [ ɕ ] can still be found, but this has largely fallen out of use today.

For linguistic reasons, some authors oppose the use of the Grantha symbols and adapt the loan words in their phonetic form to Tamil phonology (e.g. விட்டுணு viṭṭuṇu instead of விஷ்ணு viṣṇu " Vishnu ").

character	Transliteration	Sound value
ஜ்	j	[ ʤ ]
ஷ்	ṣ	[ ʂ ]
ஸ்	s	[ s ]
ஹ்	H	[ ɦ ]
க்ஷ்	kṣ	[ kʂ ]

Consonant-vowel connection signs

To express post-consonantic vowels, Tamil script uses diacritical marks , the so-called dependent vowel marks . They form a fixed unit with the consonant sign. Graphically, they can merge with the consonant sign or be placed after or even in front of it. The consonant-vowel connecting signs are usually formed regularly and can be easily broken down into their individual components. Only the sounds u and ū are denoted by tied vowel signs, which have four or six different variants. The following table lists the twelve consonant-vowel characters are exemplary compound க் with the consonant k indicated

character	Transliteration	Sound value
க	ka	[ k a ], [ k ʌ ], [ k ə ]
கா	kā	[ k aː ]
கி	ki	[ k i ], [ k ɨ ]
கீ	kī	[ k iː ], [ k ɨː ]
கு	ku	[ k u ], [ k ɯ ]
கூ	kū	[ k uː ]
கெ	ke	[ k e ], [ k ɘ ]
கே	kē	[ k eː ], [ k ɘː ]
கை	kai	[ k a i̯ ], [ k ɛ i̯ ]
கொ	ko	[ k ɔ ]
கோ	kō	[ k oː ]
கௌ	chew	[ k a u̯ ]

By combining the 18 consonants with the 12 dependent vowel signs, the following 216 consonant-vowel connecting signs can be formed.

	அ a	ஆ ā	இ i	ஈ ī	உ u	ஊ ū	எ e	ஏ ē	ஐ ai	ஒ o	ஓ ō	ஔ au
க் k	க	கா	கி	கீ	கு	கூ	கெ	கே	கை	கொ	கோ	கௌ
ங் ṅ	ங	ஙா	ஙி	ஙீ	ஙு	ஙூ	ஙெ	ஙே	ஙை	ஙொ	ஙோ	ஙௌ
ச் c	ச	சா	சி	சீ	சு	சூ	செ	சே	சை	சொ	சோ	சௌ
ஞ் ñ	ஞ	ஞா	ஞி	ஞீ	ஞு	ஞூ	ஞெ	ஞே	ஞை	ஞொ	ஞோ	ஞௌ
ட் ṭ	ட	டா	டி	டீ	டு	டூ	டெ	டே	டை	டொ	டோ	டௌ
ண் ṇ	ண	ணா	ணி	ணீ	ணு	ணூ	ணெ	ணே	ணை	ணொ	ணோ	ணௌ
த் t	த	தா	தி	தீ	து	தூ	தெ	தே	தை	தொ	தோ	தௌ
ந் n	ந	நா	நி	நீ	நு	நூ	நெ	நே	நை	நொ	நோ	நௌ
ப் p	ப	பா	பி	பீ	பு	பூ	பெ	பே	பை	பொ	போ	பௌ
ம் m	ம	மா	மி	மீ	மு	மூ	மெ	மே	மை	மொ	மோ	மௌ
ய் y	ய	யா	யி	யீ	யு	யூ	யெ	யே	யை	யொ	யோ	யௌ
ர் r	ர	ரா	ரி	ரீ	ரு	ரூ	ரெ	ரே	ரை	ரொ	ரோ	ரௌ
ல் l	ல	லா	லி	லீ	லு	லூ	லெ	லே	லை	லொ	லோ	லௌ
வ் v	வ	வா	வி	வீ	வு	வூ	வெ	வே	வை	வொ	வோ	வௌ
ழ் ḻ	ழ	ழா	ழி	ழீ	ழு	ழூ	ழெ	ழே	ழை	ழொ	ழோ	ழௌ
ள் ḷ	ள	ளா	ளி	ளீ	ளு	ளூ	ளெ	ளே	ளை	ளொ	ளோ	ளௌ
ற் ṟ	ற	றா	றி	றீ	று	றூ	றெ	றே	றை	றொ	றோ	றௌ
ன் ṉ	ன	னா	னி	னீ	னு	னூ	னெ	னே	னை	னொ	னோ	னௌ

The Grantha signs form the following consonant-vowel connecting signs:

	அ a	ஆ ā	இ i	ஈ ī	உ u	ஊ ū	எ e	ஏ ē	ஐ ai	ஒ o	ஓ ō	ஔ au
ஜ் j	ஜ	ஜா	ஜி	ஜீ	ஜு	ஜூ	ஜெ	ஜே	ஜை	ஜொ	ஜோ	ஜௌ
ஷ் ṣ	ஷ	ஷா	ஷி	ஷீ	ஷு	ஷூ	ஷெ	ஷே	ஷை	ஷொ	ஷோ	ஷௌ
ஸ் s	ஸ	ஸா	ஸி	ஸீ	ஸு	ஸூ	ஸெ	ஸே	ஸை	ஸொ	ஸோ	ஸௌ
ஹ் h	ஹ	ஹா	ஹி	ஹீ	ஹு	ஹூ	ஹெ	ஹே	ஹை	ஹொ	ஹோ	ஹௌ
க்ஷ் kṣ	க்ஷ	க்ஷா	க்ஷி	க்ஷீ	க்ஷு	க்ஷூ	க்ஷெ	க்ஷே	க்ஷை	க்ஷொ	க்ஷோ	க்ஷௌ

Alphabetical order

Places of articulation according to Indian phonetics

The alphabetical order is in the Tamil magazine unlike the Latin alphabet is not arbitrary. As in all Indian scripts, it begins with the independent vowel signs followed by the consonants, which are sorted according to phonetic criteria , following the example of Sanskrit grammar :

• Vowels in the order அ a , ஆ ā , இ i , ஈ ī , உ u , ஊ ū , எ e , ஏ ē , ஐ ai , ஒ o , ஓ ō , ஔ au
• āytam ஃ ḵ
• Consonants in pairs of plosive and nasal ordered according to the place of articulation :
  • Velare (1): க் k and ங் ṅ
  • Palatals (2): ச் c and ஞ் ñ
  • Retroflexes (3): ட் ṭ and ண் ṇ
  • Dental (4): த் t and ந் n
  • Labiale (5): ப் p and ம் m
• Half vowels ய் y , ர் r , ல் l and வ் v
• special Tamil characters ழ் ḻ , ள் ḷ , ற் ṟ and ன் ṉ with no equivalent in Sanskrit
• Grantha signs ஜ் j , ஷ் ṣ , ஸ் s , ஹ் h and க்ஷ் kṣ

With the consonant signs, it should be noted that the vowelless consonant signs precede the consonant-vowel connecting signs, so பட்டம் paṭṭam “title” comes before படம் paṭam “image”.

More characters

Obsolete characters

In a spelling reform carried out in 1978, some bound consonant connecting characters were replaced by more regular forms. The reform goes back to a proposal that the social reformer EV Ramasami had already made in 1935. Today the Reformed signs have generally prevailed. The old characters can still be found in texts that were printed before the reform. The following letters are affected:

The connecting symbols from ṇ- , ṟ- , ṉ- and -ā :

• instead of ணா ṇā
• instead of றா ṟā
• instead of னா ṉā

Correspondingly, the connection characters with -o and -ō :

• instead of ணொ ṇo
• instead of ணோ ṇō
• instead of றொ ṟo
• instead of றோ ṟō
• instead of னொ ṉo
• instead of னோ ṉō

The connecting symbols from ṇ- , ṉ- , l- , ḷ- and -ai :

• instead of ணை ṇai
• instead of னை ṉai
• instead of லை lai
• instead of ளை ḷai

Special characters and abbreviations

The special ligature ஸ்ரீ is used for the respectful prefix srī . There are also abbreviations for some words. The most common are:

• ௳ for தேதி tēti "date"
• ௴ for மாதம் mātam "month"
• ௵ for வருஷம் varuṣam "year"
• ௹ for ரூபாய் rūpāy "rupee"
• ௸ for மேற்படி mēṟpaṭi "see above"
• ௺ for நம்பர் nambar "number"

Digits

The Tamil script originally had its own numerals , but these have now been almost completely superseded by the European-Arabic numerals . Some of the digits resemble certain letters, while others have their own shapes.

number	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	100	1000
Digit	௧	௨	௩	௪	௫	௬	௭	௮	௯	௰	௱	௲

punctuation

In earlier times, no punctuation was used in Tamil . In the meantime, however, the common western punctuation marks have been adopted, but no fixed rules for their use have yet emerged.

Coding

The Unicode block Tamil covers the range U + 0B80… U + 0BFF.

0

1

2

3

4th

5

6th

7th

8th

9

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

B80

ஂ

ஃ

அ

ஆ

இ

ஈ

உ

ஊ

எ

ஏ

B90

ஐ

ஒ

ஓ

ஔ

க

ங

ச

ஜ

ஞ

ட

BA0

ண

த

ந

ன

ப

ம

ய

BB0

ர

ற

ல

ள

ழ

வ

ஶ

ஷ

ஸ

ஹ

ா

ி

BC0

ீ

ு

ூ

ெ

ே

ை

ொ

ோ

ௌ

்

BD0

ௐ

ௗ

BE0

௦

௧

௨

௩

௪

௫

௬

௭

௮

௯

BF0

௰

௱

௲

௳

௴

௵

௶

௷

௸

௹

௺

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r} Code point is not assigned

In addition, the 8-bit character encodings TSCII , TAB / TAM, Bamini and others are used.

See also

• Tamil Bell

literature

• Helga Anton: The Script and Pronunciation of Modern Tamil. Alamu Printing Works, Madras 1976, pp. 1-18.
• Albert Henry Arden: A Progressive Grammar of Common Tamil (= Tamil Study Series. No. 2). 5th edition. Christian Literature Society for India, Madras 1942, pp. 33-63 (5th edition, 5th reprint. Ibid. 1976).
• William Bright: The Dravidian Scripts. In: Sanford B. Steever (Ed.): The Dravidian Languages. Routledge, London et al. 1998, ISBN 0-415-10023-2 , pp. 40-71.
• Tamil writing. In: Florian Coulmas : The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Writing Systems. Blackwell Publishers, Oxford et al. 1996, ISBN 0-631-19446-0 , p. 490 ff.

Web links

• Tamil Ancient Scripts
• Tamil Omniglot

Individual evidence

1. ^ E. Annamalai, Sanford B. Steever: Modern Tamil. In: Sanford B. Steever (Ed.): The Dravidian Languages. London / New York 1998, here p. 101.
2. ^ William Bright: The Dravidian Scripts. 1998, p. 45.
3. ^ Francis Britto: Diglossia. A Study of the Theory with Application to Tamil. Georgetown University Press, Washington DC 1986, ISBN 0-87840-195-4 , p. 93.
4. ↑ K. Nambi Arooran: Tamil Renaissance and Dravidian Nationalism. 1905-1944, Madurai: Koodal, 1980, pp. 167-168.

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on February 1, 2008 .