Tamil தமிழ்

[TeneReef]

I would like to learn Tamil but
1. the grammar is difficult
2. the pronunciation is difficult
3. good dictionaries and courses are scarce

and last but not least
there is diglossia, it's like learning Classical Greek and Modern Greek
at the same time.


I wish they invented an Indian language that had 1. Tamil script; 2. Malayalam sounds; 3. Hindi grammar

[Meera]

lol tamil grammar is much eaiser than malayalam.

[TeneReef]

It's not, in Tamil even verbs are conjugated according to person, in Malayalam it's like in English:

I wrote, you wrote, he wrote, we wrote, you all wrote, they wrote

[Meera]

Malayalam is rlly confusing though. Much more confusing than Tamil, and the Alphabet is so hard to read.

[Michael]

Malayalam is rlly confusing though. Much more confusing than Tamil, and the Alphabet is so hard to read.

Like I said, Malayalam script looks like a genetic mutation of Tamil script gone fatally wrong!

[TeneReef]

But, Tamil is like French or French, the spelling has been kept unchanged for centuries, and the colloquial pronunciation is something completely different.


written: மரம்
pronounced: marõ

with the french Nasal
maybe it was the influence from Pondy

[Ser]

I wish they invented an Indian language that had 1. Tamil script; 2. Malayalam sounds; 3. Hindi grammar

Well, you could create it. Indian conlangs are certainly not overdone.

[TeneReef]

Good news, Collins (famous for their nice dictionaries) will release an English-Tamil dictionary later this year [ Jun 2011 ]

[Meera]

Wow thats great news

[TeneReef]

Hand-written Tamil
I can't read it

[Meera]

Its not too bad


And when did you decide to learn Tamil I just saw it in your siggie. I thought you were just doing Malayalam lol

[TeneReef]

I guess I will have to learn them both.

Some info on Trisha:

Educated with Hindi as her second subject in school, it was not an entirely difficult task for Trisha to dust her old books and recall what she learnt in her childhood. Sadly, for the sake of being known as a non-Tamil speaking actress, she knowingly says that she can’t speak Tamil so easily and go for a dubbing artist in many of her films!

Her 1st language in school was English, and 2nd Hindi,
no wonder her Tamil is basic. She was born in southern Kerala in a region where
they speak a mix of Tamil and Malayalam.

[Meera]

I dont even think Trisha speaks Hindi well.

[Michael]

Meera, I have decided that I will start learning Tamil again I mean after all, what's the point of me forcing myself not to learn the language I want to learn the most? I can't put in on my TAC 2011, because it's not a language I have concrete goals for, but I will keep on learning it passively. I might put it on the SAC 2011 though in the summertime நான் தமிழ் காதலிக்கிறேன்

[Meera]

Yay!!!! am sooo excited!

[Michael]

Meera, I don't know why, but Tamil is the only language I love nowadays. I think I've lost the will to learn all other languages, even Portuguese which I love(d) to death. I now see why you are so interested in Indian languages, because they are just so exotic, such a break from the average languages you see on this forum, and I think I've caught the Indian language bug too

As for where you're starting with your Tamil studies, are you going to be starting with formal Tamil, or dive straight into colloquial Tamil? I personally find it better to start with the formal variety, even though it's pretty useless in the Tamil language sphere, but I guess that's more because all the online Tamil resources describe the formal variety

[Meera]

Well I would start with Formal but the only problem with it is the only book I have for Tamil is Col. tamil and it teaches spoken But formal written Tamil is better in my oponion.

And your right about Indian languages! once you star one you get hooked on them. I love India and their languages. I think Indian culture is the most unique in the world.


Also micheal do you plan to visit Tamil Nadu or any part of india one day?

[Michael]

I definitely plan on visiting Tamil Nadu one day! I just don't know whether airlines have flights from Chicago which go straight to Chennai without having to pass through some of the other Indian cities.. not that I wouldn't like going to those other cities

IMO, I've come to the conclusion that it might not matter whether you start with the formal or colloquial variety, for as long as it's Tamil, it's great for me!

[Meera]

I definitely plan on visiting Tamil Nadu one day! I just don't know whether airlines have flights from Chicago which go straight to Chennai without having to pass through some of the other Indian cities.. not that I wouldn't like going to those other cities

IMO, I've come to the conclusion that it might not matter whether you start with the formal or colloquial variety, for as long as it's Tamil, it's great for me!

Thats cool. when I went to New Delhi we had a lay over in United Kingdom and then from there New Delhi. I think for Chennai you would take a flight from new york, then stop in London, and then Mumbai and from Mumbai to Chennai. But I know Chennai has it's own airport. I think Madurai might also, not postive.

yeah, most of my Tamil learning is going through TVU right now though and its just writting lessons lol

[TeneReef]

The cheapest flight to Chennai is via Frankfurt, with Lufthansa.
But I'm planning on getting a cheap airfare to Mumbai (Croatia-Istanbul-Mumbai) with Turkish airlines, and from there you can fly cheap with Kingfisher Red. 6 flights for 600 USD