[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003) › c27.s3 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s3: 7.2 Phonemic inventory Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s3 - **Language:** English ## Contents - [c27.s3.t1 7.2.1 Vowels (uyir)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.t1) — 2 parts - [c27.s3.t2 7.2.2 Consonants (mey)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.t2) — 2 parts ### 7.2 Phonemic inventory ### [c27.s3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.1) As the language of the inscriptions is Tamil, it is possible to set up the following phonemic inventory based on a comparison with Literary Tamil (LT). ### 7.2.1 Vowels (uyir) ### [c27.s3.t1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.t1.1) | | Front | | Central | | Back | | | | Short | Long | Short | Long | Short | Long | | High | \*i\* | \*ī\* | | | \*u\* | \*ū\* | | Mid | \*e\* | \*ē\* | | | \*o\* | \*ō\* | | Low | | | \*a\* | \*ā\* | | | ### [c27.s3.t1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.t1.2) The diphthong \*ai\* may be interpreted as \*ay\* (\*Tol. Eḻu.\* 56); cf. \*-aiyaṉ\* (55.3.b) and \*-a(y)yaṉ\* (55.5.b) occurring in the same inscription and also \*koṟṟantai\* / \*koṟṟantay\* (67.1 & 77.2) and \*matirai\* / \*matiray\* (24.2 & 36.1). ### 7.2.2 Consonants (mey) ### [c27.s3.t2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.t2.1) | | Stops (\*valliṉam\*) | Nasals (\*melliṉam\*) | Liquids (\*iṭaiyiṉam\*) | | Velar | \*k\* | \*ṅ\* | | | Palatal | \*c\* | \*ñ\* | \*y\* | | Retroflex | \*ṭ\* | \*ṇ\* | \*ḷ\* \*ḻ\* | | Alveolar | \*ṟ\* | \*ṉ\* | \*r\* \*l\* | | Dental | \*t\* | \*n\* | | | Labial | \*p\* | \*m\* | \*v\* | ### [c27.s3.t2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3.t2.2) The velar nasal \*ṅ\* occurs in the Corpus only as an allophone of \*m\* before \*-k\* in sandhi. (e.g.) \*peruṅkaṭuṅkōṉ\* (\*perum\* + \*kaṭum\* + \*kōṉ\*) 'a personal name' (61.9). ## Cites (1) - [Tolkāppiyam](https://indike.org/pramana/in.sangam.grammar.tolkappiyam) — Tolkāppiyar, Tamil --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s3) · Pramāṇa