Colloquial Tamil

TeneReef · Postby **TeneReef** » 2011-02-26, 6:39

Let me open a topic for Colloquial Tamil only. I will be introducing some phrases and words written in Latin script and with pronunciations in brackets indicated with IPA (phonetic symbols). :wink:

It's mostly based on the Colloquial Tamil course :wink:

Basics

vaNakam ['vɐ̃ɳɐ̃kkɐ̃] - hello
peeru ['pe:rə] - name
en [jẽ(n)] - my
en peeru john [jẽm'be:ɾə dʒã:] - my name is John
naan john [nã: dʒã: ] - I'm John
aamaa [ã:'ma:] - yes
romba magizhcci ['rõmbɐ 'mahi(ɭ)tɕtɕɪ] - nice to meet you (lit.: great pleasure)
peerasiriyar [pe:'ɾasrijɐɾ] - professor
maaNavan ['mã:ɳɐ̃vɐ̃] - student
ooTTal ['o:ʈʈal] - hotel
konjam ['kõndʒɐ̃] - a little
ooyvu ['woojwə] - rest
ange ['ɐ̃ŋe] - there
niinga ['nĩ:ŋɐ] - you (plural and polite singular)

some verbs:
vaa [va:] or [wa:] - come
poo [po:] - go
eDu ['jeɖə] - take
eDunga ['jeɖə̃ŋɐ] - please take (polite imperative, niinga imperative of eDu)

As you can see, unstressed u is pronounced as [ə], and many times it's silent (not pronounced), especially at the end of the word, and especially if the word that follows it starts with a vowel:

ooyvu ['woojwə] (rest) + eDunga ['jeɖəŋɐ] (please take) =
please take rest ['woojweɖə̃ŋɐ]

(in connected speech ə of the first word and j of the second word disappeared)

TeneReef · Postby **TeneReef** » 2011-02-26, 7:26

Introducing yourself

en peeru john [jẽm'be:ɾə 'dʒã:] - my name is John
naan john [nã: dʒã: ] - I'm John

Asking a yes/no question

-aa is put at the end of the word you want to stress:
naan john-aa? [nã: dʒã:naa ] - Am I John?
niinga john-aa? ['nĩ:ŋɐ dʒã:naa] - Are you John?
(here the emphasis is on John)

naan-aa john? [nã:naa dʒã:] - Am I John?
niinga-L-aa john? ['nĩ:ŋɐɭaa dʒã:] - Are you John?
(here the emphasis is on the personal pronoun)

Notes
1. niinga gets a linking L [ɭ ] before adding aa
2. when aa is added to a word ending with a nasal vowel, the vowel is still nasal, but
the following nasal consonant is also pronounced: john [dʒã:], john-aa? [dʒã:naa].
3. Tamil normally has unrounded vowel in English loans: john [dʒã:], stop [stap]...

No linking verb ''to be''

en peeru raaman [jẽm'be:ɾə 'rã:mɐ̃] - My name is Raaman (lit. my name: Raaman)
naan raaman [nã: 'rã:mɐ̃ ] - I'm Raaman (lit. me: Raaman)
biicc(u) enge? ['bi:tɕtɕ(ə) 'ẽŋe] - where is a/the beach?