Tamil Language - Sounds

Sounds

Tamil phonology is characterised by the presence of retroflex consonants and multiple rhotics. Tamil does not distinguish phonologically between voiced and unvoiced consonants; phonetically, voice is assigned depending on a consonant's position in a word. Tamil phonology permits few consonant clusters, which can never be word initial. Native grammarians classify Tamil phonemes into vowels, consonants, and a "secondary character", the āytam.

Read more about this topic:  Tamil Language

Famous quotes containing the word sounds:

    I suppose any note, no matter how sour, sounds like a song if you hold onto it long enough.
    Dewitt Bodeen (1908–1988)

    Then sounds the voice of One who like the heart of man
    Was once a child who among beasts has lain—
    ‘Still do I love, still shed my innocent light, my Blood, for thee.’
    Dame Edith Sitwell (1887–1964)

    Dylan used to sound like a lung cancer victim singing Woody Guthrie. Now he sounds like a Rolling Stone singing Immanuel Kant.
    —Also quoted in Robert Shelton, No Direction Home, ch. 2, “Prophet Without Honor” (1986)