OCT. — MAR. 1859-60.] 



eft Roman characters. 



2S7 



that the second p is a decided " b." The Tamil language is pe- 

 culiar in this respect, as observed by Professor Wilson in the 

 Preface to his Glossary, and I think the Report requires amend- 

 ment in this matter, as regards the Tamil letters & ^ ^ Ut 



With regard to ^ I would observe that as an initial (I am not 

 speaking of words derived from the Sanskrit) it is not a true 

 sibilant, but something between " ch" and " sh," but more of the 

 former. If I recollect right Dr. Caldwell in his work on the 

 Dra vidian languages states that according to theory, it ought to 

 be " ch," and we find its sound well shewn in the words commonly 

 written " Chinna," " Chuttrum," " Chunam," " Chuckler," " Chat- 

 ty," " Cheroot," &c. On this account I proposed in my Memo, 

 (pp. 31-32 of printed Pamphlet) to render it s. The printer has 

 however omitted the infra linear mark, but has shewn it in some 

 of the words in p. 46. I do not propose in this case to use a 

 different letter, but to use a diacritical mark. 



With regard to the letters ^ u I propose to use a different 

 letter in certain positions. The Report (p. 11) does not admit 

 this, and I see by Mr. Elliott's Memo. (p. 21 of the printed Pam- 

 phlet) that he objects. But I submit that the subject requires 

 farther consideration. As I said before, if the reader always knew, 

 when he met with a word the original of which was Tamil, that is 

 was Tamil, the distinction might not be necessary, but in looking for 

 words in a Glossary, how very few people would know what was 

 the original language of the word sought. I have instanced uiTL&i-j 

 which I think should be written " pambu." Professor Wilson 

 admits this, and writes ^nun^j (wasteland) " karambu," &c. I 

 pointed out in my Memo. (p. 32 of the printed Pamphlet) the va- 

 riations in the sound of an ^ &, I would therefore write 

 LDfr&fTGfflTLD (a sub-division of a District,) " maganam," and 

 QpscQ, (the name of a certain tribe of Tamulians) " Mudali." 



Had these points been once discussed and settled by a majority 

 of the Committee, I would not have urged them ; but they were 

 not discussed, and I hope it is not too late to request their con- 

 sideration, before Government finally determines on a scheme of 

 transliteration. 



