Albert Henry Arden

“ As a consonant cannot be sounded without the help of a vowel, it is necessary to introduce the sound of a vowel, in order to pronounce the consonants in any alphabet. Thus, in English, the sounds of the vowels e and a respectively are introduced to pronounce the consonants b and k, as be, ka. In pronouncing the consonants in the Tamil alphabet, the sound of the vowel is uniformly introduced. It is not written, but understood: hence the vowel அ is considered as inherent in each of the eighteen Tamil consonant forms. ”

“ All the Tamil words given in this chapter ought to be entered in a pocket-book, and carefully committed to memory. In learning a living language, it is most important to store the mind with a good vocabulary. ”

“ The native running hand need not be studied till a considerable knowledge of the language has been acquired.
4. When learning to read and to speak Tamil, the greatest attention must be paid to pronunciation. There are several sounds which do not exist in English; and the meaning of a word not unfrequently depends upon the hard or soft pronunciation of a consonant. Mark carefully the teacher's pronunciation; repeat each letter and each word after him several times; and speak clearly, distinctly, in a loud voice, and with the head well up, and the shoulders thrown back. ”