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Thread: Learning Tamil

  1. #1
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    Learning Tamil

    Namaste fans of Language and Li gustics!

    I have been ordering several spiritual and Sacred text books based on recommendations of members - Thanks again!

    Also, I just ordered two books on introductory Tamil language and script.
    One is called Learn Tamil in a Month by S. Krishnamurthi (Readwell series), and Learn Tamil in 30 Days by N. Jegtheesh.

    I know the One Month, 30 Days part of the equation is a laugh, but it's going to be a start. The two books haven't arrived yet in shipping so I don't know if they are good or not. I image materials are somewhat difficult to find.

    I just want to get the basics down, reading the script, saying simple things, understanding some Bhajans.

    Any suggestions, resources for learning Tamil? I am not ready for tutoring, but any other ideas?

    Om Namah Sivaya

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    Re: Learning Tamil

    I am a Tamilian but I am not helping here , this question simply made me wonder how those cine people learn other languages so quickly... private tutoring?

  3. #3
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    Re: Learning Tamil

    Let me know how it goes. I'm a Tamilian who doesn't speak Tamil, and I'd really like to change this laughable state of affairs.

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    Re: Learning Tamil

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constanzo_Beschi

    'Veeramamunivar' was a 17th century Italian Christian priest, born and raised in Italy but came to South India and learnt Tamil, and wrote several important Christian works in Tamil language.

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    Re: Learning Tamil

    I learnt Tamil , but it was a horrible experience - mostly due to the fact that spoken tamil is an entirely different language from the tamil that is taught by any of the methods. If you watch Tamil TV , even that is an different. One advantage in learning Tamil is that you can get by Kerala , Sri Lanka & Malaysia.

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    Re: Learning Tamil

    Quote Originally Posted by Aspirant01 View Post
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constanzo_Beschi

    'Veeramamunivar' was a 17th century Italian Christian priest, born and raised in Italy but came to South India and learnt Tamil, and wrote several important Christian works in Tamil language.
    Looks like we need to guard our secrets more closely.

  7. #7
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    Re: Learning Tamil

    Namaste

    My book order Learn Tamil in 30 Days by N. Jegtheesh arrived today on India Independence Day! I am happy with this book, and also waiting on my book order Learn Tamil in One Month.

    Many of the basic vowel pronunciations are the same as in Hindi, I am already learning the script the first day and the script makes sense to me -- so I know it will be difficult, but I can see that I can do this! My objective is to learn to read the script pronunciation, even if I do not know the meaning of the word, but to learn some basics so I can read and understand things such as bhajans and some scripture!

    On the back of the book it lists some famous Tamil Literature and gives mention of the Kamba Ramayanam (Tamil retelling of Ramayana)! This immediately got me excited to see if there was version on eBay or amazon that had both the Tamil with English translation. But no luck, though there were the English only Kamba Ramyana by N. S. Jagannathan Though there was a version by Shantilal Nagar I never saw before but this looks like English only, no Tamil. But the cover has a beautiful art work of Ram worshipping the Lingam.

    Any help on a Kamba Ramayana which has both TAMIL and English translation?

    Om Namah Sivaya

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    Re: Learning Tamil

    I have not managed to find a translation,but the kamba ramayana is universally acknowledged as a classic.I have read some expcerpts in translation,and they are amazing.

    The two most important works of hindu literature in tamil-scratch tgat,in any indian language in the past two milennia are the divya prabandham and tirumantiram respectively.

    They can be regarded as the foundational texts of vaishnavism and shaivism respectively.Translations of both are available.
    namastE astu bhagavan vishveshvarAya mahAdevAya tryaMbakAya|
    tripurAntakAya trikAgnikAlAya kAlAgnirudrAya nIlakaNThAya mRtyuJNjayAya sarveshvarAya sadAshivAya shrIman mAhAdevAya ||

    Om shrImAtrE namah

    sarvam shrI umA-mahEshwara parabrahmArpaNamastu


    A Shaivite library
    http://www.scribd.com/HinduismLibrary

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    Re: Learning Tamil

    vaNakkam ShivaFan.

    First learn the Tamizh alphabets thoroughly. Although the sound is the same for the alphabets of most Indian languages, you would notice that for consonants like 'ka,Ta,ta,pa' there is only one form in Tamizh which is pronounced in all the four ways depending on the context, and this would surely be confusing, until one gets sufficiently acquainted with such quirks that are common in English.

    Going by their titles, it seems the books you have ordered should give you a good idea of the language and provide some basic skills. It seems that you might supplment that knowledge with what you can gather from this Website:
    http://www.panai.org/learntamil/
    http://www.learntamil.com/
    http://www.tamilcube.com/tamil.aspx

    I would also suggest that you try the Baraha Indian languages software and learn the transliteration scheme they give (which is similar to Avinash Chopde's ITRANS), since this scheme is free of diacritic marks and is easy to read and type.
    http://www.baraha.com

    All the best!
    रत्नाकरधौतपदां हिमालयकिरीटिनीम् ।
    ब्रह्मराजर्षिररत्नाढ्यां वन्दे भारतमातरम् ॥

    To her whose feet are washed by the ocean, who wears the Himalayas as her crown, and is adorned with the gems of rishis and kings, to Mother India, do I bow down in respect.

    --viShNu purANam

  10. #10
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    Re: Learning Tamil

    Quote Originally Posted by saidevo View Post
    vaNakkam ShivaFan.

    First learn the Tamizh alphabets thoroughly. Although the sound is the same for the alphabets of most Indian languages, you would notice that for consonants like 'ka,Ta,ta,pa' there is only one form in Tamizh which is pronounced in all the four ways depending on the context, and this would surely be confusing, until one gets sufficiently acquainted with such quirks that are common in English.

    Going by their titles, it seems the books you have ordered should give you a good idea of the language and provide some basic skills. It seems that you might supplment that knowledge with what you can gather from this Website:
    http://www.panai.org/learntamil/
    http://www.learntamil.com/
    http://www.tamilcube.com/tamil.aspx

    I would also suggest that you try the Baraha Indian languages software and learn the transliteration scheme they give (which is similar to Avinash Chopde's ITRANS), since this scheme is free of diacritic marks and is easy to read and type.
    http://www.baraha.com

    All the best!
    Namaste Saidevo!

    You are a hero! Thank you so much for sharing these links as well as the link to the software! I appreciate it A LOT! Thanks again many times!

    Om Namah Sivaya

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