[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) › c8.11 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c8.11 Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c8.11 - **Language:** English ### [c8.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c8.11) | Section | Page | Section | Page | | 6.15.2 Empirical rules for the special usage of \*u\*-vowels | 239 | 6.21.3 Loss of anusvāra \*ṁ\* | 246 | | 6.16 Dual values of the letters \*e\* and \*o\* | 239 | 6.21.4 Loss of \*h\* | 246 | | 6.17 Doubling of consonants in Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions | 240 | 6.21.5 Substitution of sibilants | 246 | | 6.17.1 Doubling of consonants in loanwords | 240 | 6.21.6 Intervocalic \*-p-\* \> \*-v-\* | 247 | | 6.17.2 Doubling of consonants in Tamil words | 241 | 6.21.7 IA non-initial \*-n\* \> Ta. \*-ṇ\* | 247 | | 6.17.3 Doubling of consonants as a grammatical feature | 242 | 6.21.8 IA final \*-ā\* \> Ta. \*-ai\* | 247 | | 6.17.4 A special orthographic convention for doubling of consonants | 242 | 6.22 Voicing of consonants: evidence of Tamil-Brāhmī orthography | 247 | | 6.17.5 Doubled consonants in Early Tamil inscriptions | 242 | 6.22.1 Caldwell's Law | 247 | | 6.18 Analytical writing in Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions | 242 | 6.22.2 Absence of voiced consonants in Tamil-Brāhmī | 248 | | 6.18.1 Consonant followed by vowel | 243 | 6.22.3 Substitution of voiced with voiceless consonants in loanwords and Prakrit inscriptions | 248 | | 6.18.2 Vowel followed by vowel | 243 | 6.22.4 Weakened articulation of consonants | 249 | | 6.19 Pause in Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions | 244 | 6.22.5 Minimal presence and loss of the sibilant \*s\* | 249 | | 6.19.1 Pause in lieu of doubling of consonants | 244 | 6.22.6 \*Tolkāppiyam\* silent on voicing | 249 | | 6.19.2 Pause indicating that the following vowel is a diphthong | 244 | 6.22.7 Evidence of voicing only from the early medieval period | 249 | | 6.20 Assimilation and epenthesis in loanwords | 245 | 6.22.8 Interpreting the evidence | 249 | | 6.20.1 Where the changes had taken place in Prakrit | 245 | 6.22.9 Discussion | 250 | | 6.20.2 Where the changes appear to have taken place in Tamil | 245 | 6.22.10 Conclusion | 251 | | 6.21 Orthographic changes in loanwords | 245 | ## 7. Grammar | | | 6.21.1 Loss of voicing | 245 | I. PHONOLOGY | | | 6.21.2 Loss of aspiration | 246 | 7.1 The Tamil alphabet | 253 | | | | 7.2 Phonemic inventory | 253 | | | | 7.2.1 Vowels (\*uyir\*) | 253 | | | | 7.2.2 Consonants (\*mey\*) | 253 | - [Previous: c8.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c8.10) - [Next: c8.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c8.12) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c8) ## Linked texts (1) - [Tolkāppiyam](https://indike.org/pramana/in.sangam.grammar.tolkappiyam) — Tolkāppiyar, Tamil --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c8.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c8.11) · Pramāṇa