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8
VOWELS.
4. Vowels or uyir-eṛuttugaḷ ('* life-letters ") : —
| Tamil Characters. | Transliteration | Pronunciation | Phonetic signs.[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial | Medial | |||
| அ | a[2] | Like u in cut or a in America | u,ŭ | |
| ஆ | ா | ā | {{{1}}}„ a in rather or ear | ah |
| இ | ி | i[3] | {{{1}}}„ i in sit | i |
| ஈ | ீ | ī[3] | ||
- ↑ These phonetic signs are employed in the third column on pp 15-17.
- ↑ அ a before ர் r, ல் l, ள் ḷ, ற ṛ, ன் ṉ, and ண் ṇ, at the end of a polysyllabic word, is pronounced somewhat like e in pen.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Before the cerebrals iL d, zsur n, tp r, dr /, and /^ r, these vowels Are pronounced with some modification, as a " modified vowel " (umlaut) in German.
