Tamil Language Research Articles

Interlingual Error Analysis in the Writing of Tamil-Speaking College Students

Writing is one of the most challenging language skills for students to master. Because of the structural differences between languages, interference from the pupils' mother tongue can cause problems when writing in English. The current study attempts to investigate how the first language's influence can hinder language acquisition, particularly in terms of writing skills. This research explores this issue deeper by looking at how the Tamil language, in particular, influences Tamil speakers' English essay writing. The respondents are chosen from the intermediate proficiency group. Intermediate proficiency suggests a score of B to C in their form five Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). The lexical, morphological, semantic, and syntactical aspects of 42 writing samples from college students will be examined for this study. Errors will be identified, categorised, and evaluated in the writings. The findings will highlight the primary errors in the students' works: omission, overinclusion, misselection, misordering, and blends or direct translations of Tamil. While we must comprehend why and how mother tongue interference impacts their writing, it is critical to address these difficulties to reduce errors as they go to higher levels of writing. The study's findings will recommend students notice the distinctions between their first language (L1) and the English language, as well as learn to understand the languages' distinctive features and structures to compose communicative and proper sentences.

Subword Dictionary Learning and Segmentation for Expanding the Vocabulary of Automatic Speech Recognition in Tamil and Kannada

We present automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems for Tamil and Kannada based on subword modeling to effectively handle unlimited vocabulary arising due to the highly agglutinative nature of the languages. We propose a variant of the byte pair encoding (BPE) algorithm named extended-BPE, and Morfessor tool to segment each word into its subwords. We have effectively incorporated maximum likelihood and Viterbi estimation techniques with weighted finite state transducers framework in these algorithms to learn the subword dictionary from a large text corpus. Using the learned subword dictionary, the words in the transcriptions of the training data are segmented into subwords. We train deep neural network ASR systems that recognize the subword sequence for any given test speech utterance. The output subword sequence is then post-processed using deterministic rules to get the final word sequence. Because of this subword design, the number of words that can be recognized is much larger than the number of words in the training corpus. For Tamil ASR, we use 152 hours of data for training and 65 hours for testing, whereas for Kannada ASR, we use 275 hours for training and 72 hours for testing. Upon experimenting with different combinations of segmentation and estimation techniques, we find that the word error rate (WER) reduces drastically when compared to the baseline word-level ASR, achieving a maximum absolute WER reduction of 6.24% and 6.63% for Tamil and Kannada, respectively. Further, comparing our results with that of an end-to-end ASR model available on Github, we have seen that our subword language models can perform comparable to or exceed that of recent end-to-end ASR models for Kannada and Tamil languages.

Retraction Note: Optical handwritten character recognition for Tamil language using CNN-VGG-16 model with RF classifier

Retraction Note: Optical handwritten character recognition for Tamil language using CNN-VGG-16 model with RF classifier

Present Status of Dalit Writings in Haryanvi Society: Issues and Scope of Translation

The present paper intends to explore the underlying issues blocking the ways of Regional Dalit texts in India, particularly in Haryanvi society. The non-availability of translations of texts like those got appreciated by the literary critics of the regional as well as national level but found no way to come to the level of other regional works in India like the Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and other regional languages. The paper will discern the socio-cultural issues in the translation of Dalit texts apart from the practical issues like commercialization, publishing endeavors, and academic indifference towards the translation of the regional texts discussing Dalit perspectives in the current scenario.

Development and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Tamil Version of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SSQoL) and Assessment of its Reliability and Validity.

In this current modern industrial world, strokes are the major reason for causing disability and death in the adult population. In spite of the various tools available to measure the physical, psychological, and social impact of strokes, the appropriate method in various languages around the world is not available. In that sense adapting the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SSQoL) in different languages and cultures is essential to ensure their validity and efficacy across diverse populations. This study aims to translate the original SSQoL English version into the Tamil language and assess the scale's reliability and validity among Tamil-speaking subjects with chronic stroke survivors. A methodological framework was applied to translate and culturally adapt SSQoL, involving forward and backward translation, committee review, and testing. A total of 220 participants were recruited to assess demographic characteristics, validity, and reliability of the Tamil-translated SSQoL-T using measures such as internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. The content validity analysis of the translated Tamil version of SSQoL-T showed strong positive outputs for both total score and sub-score assessments. In test-retest reliability analysis, good reliability with Cronbach's alpha (≥0.9) was observed for both total score and sub-score assessments. Conclusion: This study's findings underscore the content validity and good reliability of SSQoL-T as a screening tool for assessing stroke among Tamil-speaking populations, providing valuable insights for clinicians and researchers in the assessment and management of strokes.

Geometric Morphometric and Pattern Discrimination of Handwritten Numeral Characters Based on Local Ethnicities and Native Linguistic Disparities in Malaysia for Forensic Applications

Handwriting can be influenced by factors like culture and native language disparities; however, the specific research to discriminate handwritten numeral characters for forensic questioned document investigation involving the diverse ethnicities (Malay, Chinese and Indian) in Malaysian population remains unreported. Despite its application in forensic anthropology, utilization of the landmark based analysis using the Geometric Morphometric (GMM) technique for examining handwritten numeral character specimens appears sparse. Therefore, this present research that attempted to discriminate ethnicities background of 390 consenting adult participants in Malaysia based on the handwritten numeral characters (0-9) using GMM technique, merits forensic and scientific considerations. Results revealed that while there were universal ones, ethnic-specific handwritten numeral characters that may possibly be influenced by culture and native language (Malay, Chinese and Tamil languages) also prevailed. Significant differences (p < 0.0001) in ethnic-specific characters for the Malay, Chinese and Indian participants who attended the different national primary school settings in Malaysia were also observed. In conclusion, the discrimination of handwritten numeral characters for forensic examination of questioned documents among Malay, Chinese and Indian authors for the development of forensic intelligence is empirically supported.

Arabic Vocabulary And Its Cultural Influences On The Colloquial Tamil Language: Special Reference To South Tamil Nadu India/ المفردات العربية وتأثيراتها الثقافية في اللغة التاميلية العامية : جنوب ولاية تاميل نادو في الهند أنموذجا

Language is vital for exchanging opinions and ideas, expressing feelings, and fulfilling daily needs. Arabic stands out among other languages due to its various advantages and features. Tamil Nadu, one of the states in India, is known as the historical frame of the Dravidian civilization, one of India's oldest. It is situated in the southernmost part of Asia. Tamil Nadu's residents speak Tamil, an ancient and expressive language celebrated for its rich literature and esteemed position among Indian languages. Tamil Nadu's global prominence stems from its historical oceanic and commercial connections. Centuries ago, the state actively traded with China, Babylonia, Rome, the Levant, the Turks, and, notably, the Arabs. These trade interactions facilitated vigorous import-export activities and improved cultural exchange and integration among diverse peoples. This study focuses on the influence of the Arabic language on Tamil, particularly in contemporary usage, where many Arabic words have been integrated into Tamil vocabulary. This research emphasizes the everyday use of Arabic terms, especially in fields such as law, exemplified by terms like amal, asal, bark, taraf, waterish, wakeel, and wayeetha, etc. It examines the linguistic and cultural similarities and shared usage of words between these two distinct languages. The methodology adopted is qualitative. The primary data was collected through personal interviews and original texts. Secondary data were obtained from related books, and scholarly works and data were analyzed. This study concluded that Arabic influence in colloquial Tamil, especially in southern Tamil Nadu, needs more extensive research. The persistent Arabic influence on Tamil civilization and cultural practices is frequently mistaken for indigenous Tamil elements in academic and administrative contexts. Arabic words used in Tamil have their roots and origins, emphasizing their originality in the Arabic language rather than being borrowed from Tamil.

Etirkālat talaimuṟaiyiṉariṭam Tamiḻc caiva camaya uṇarvaip perukkuvataṟkāṉa vittum viḷaivu [Strategies and methods to effectively root Saivism among our future generation

The term ‘Samayam’ in Tamil language refers to a process which nurtures souls into maturity and differentiates humans from animals. It is also said to elevate an average one to become a Godlike being. Here, Godliness is that one becomes highly aware of his/her self and the cosmological realm; realizing one’s ultimate Saviour Sivam; becoming an invincible compassionate being in this world. However, the contemporary world has brought severe abatement upon a pious lifestyle. The Saivite exponents who have foreseen these social symptoms have left us with insights and possible ways to instill Saivism to the future generations. Furthermore, Periyapuranam greatly exhibits how a child can be gradually introduced to Saivism commencing from even before the day of conception and continuing throughout life. The aim of this study is to ascertain established methods used in Periyapuranam in instilling Saivism into the future generation which are also applicable in present times.

Porutham - Creating varied Rhythmic Cadences with Chart Templates

Porutham is a Tamil word meaning ‘matching’. The word has varied meanings according to the context in which it is used in Tamil language. Porutham in Astrology means ‘match making between two astrological charts’ at the time of marriage. Porutham also means perfectly matched partners or friends. ‘Nalla Porutham’ is the phrase which means ‘Good Match’. It also means that it will be ideally suited for the particular object.Musically ‘Poruthams’ can be used as part of various cadential forms like Korvai, short ending items like Muktayi, theermanam, arudi etc. This can also be used in ‘Jati Pallavis’, in the Pallavi portion of Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi and in Kritis where neravals are sung. Porutham is generally done as a rhythmic exercise, where Jatis are employed when a percussion artiste uses Poruthams and Swaras are used when a Vocalist/instrumentalist uses them.This article also covers various examples covering porutham ideas for various kritis where neravals are popularly sung. Sample kritis have been taken from different Talas like Adi Tala, Rupaka Tala and Misra Chaapu Tala. Ragam-Tanam-Pallavis and Jati Pallavis have not been covered in this article, as we propose to cover them extensively in a separate article.

Linguistic reconciliation in contexts of conflict: Tamil language learning in Sri Lanka

Linguistic reconciliation in contexts of conflict: Tamil language learning in Sri Lanka

LINGPASS: An approach for multilingual passphrase generation by integrating English and Tamil

AbstractIn today's world of ever‐increasing cyber threats, safeguarding digital accounts is paramount. Traditional passwords are often vulnerable to brute force attacks and can be easily guessed, leading to a shift towards passphrases. However, using monolingual passphrases can pose several challenges, such as lack of diversity, predictability, memorability, and accessibility. To address this issue, this paper presents a model called LINGPASS, short for Language INtegrated Graph‐based PASSphrase, which generates multilingual passphrases by combining English and Tamil languages. The proposed approach is implemented as a web application for user convenience, and the entropy of the passphrase is evaluated using Shannon entropy. The LINGPASS model generates higher entropy passphrases than existing multilingual passphrase generators, increasing the security of digital accounts. By integrating two languages, LINGPASS increases the entropy of the passphrase by approximately 72%, making it less vulnerable to dictionary attacks. Additionally, the copy/paste functionality reduces typing errors, making it more user‐friendly.

Enhancing Asian Indigenous Language Processing through Deep Learning-based Handwriting Recognition and Optimization Techniques

Asian indigenous language or autochthonous language is a language which is native to a region and spoken by indigenous people in Asia. This language is a linguistically different community created in the region. Recently, researchers in handwriting detection studies comparing with indigenous languages have attained important internet amongst the research community. A new development of artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), cognitive analytics, and computational linguistics (CL) find it helpful in the analysis of regional low-resource languages. It can be obvious in the obtainability of effectual machine detection methods and open access handwritten databases. Tamil is the most ancient Indian language that is mostly exploited in the Southern part of India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. Tamil handwritten Character Recognition (HCR) is a critical procedure in optical character detection. Therefore, this study designs a Henry Gas Solubility Optimization with Deep Learning-based Handwriting Recognition Model (HGSODL-HRM) for Asian Indigenous Language Processing. The proposed HGSODL-HRM technique relies on computer vision and DL concepts for automated handwriting recognition in the Tamil language, which is one of the popular indigenous languages in Asia. To accomplish this, the HGSODL-HRM technique employs a capsule network (CapsNet) model for feature vector generation with the HGSO algorithm as a hyperparameter optimizer. For the recognition of handwritten characters, wavelet neural network (WNN) model is exploited. Finally, the WNN parameters can be optimally chosen by sail fish optimizer (SFO) algorithm. To demonstrate the promising results of the HGSODL-HRM system, an extensive range of simulations can be implemented. The simulation outcomes stated the betterment of the HGSODL-HRM system compared to recent DL models.

Assessing Binaural Auditory Processing in Native Tamil Speaking Children.

The objective of this study is to develop and validate the Binaural Fusion Test (BFT) in the Tamil language for children with learning disability. As many children with learning disability exhibit an auditory processing deficit there is a need for language specific assessment tool for these children. The BFT in Tamil comprises 100 words organized into four lists, with each list containing 25 words. A total of 84 children with normal auditory processing and 45 children diagnosed with learning difficulties were administrated the BFT in Tamil. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in a sample of 30 children who exhibited normal auditory processing. The results of BFT in children with normal auditory processing demonstrated satisfactory reliability by the Cronbach Alpha test. A statistically significant difference was seen in the mean scores of BFT in Tamil when comparing the groups. The present study offers novel normative data for the binaural fusion test in Tamil, which has not been previously documented in the existing literature. For children, the BFT in Tamil, which is a part of the CAPD test battery, can be used to find binaural interaction deficiencies.

Al-Taghayyurāt al-Ṣawtīyyah bayna al-Lughatayn al-ʻArabīyyah wa al-Tāmiliyyah: Dirāsah Taqābuliyyah

Sounds affect each other. It brings to change one of the sounds. The phonological changes that occur as a result of the influence of sounds on some of them are; assimilation, dissimilation, and replacement. The question "Are there similarities in phonological changes between Tamil and Arabic languages which are from two different language families" is the research problem. Thus, this research aims to identify the similarities and differences in phonological changes among them. This research uses contrastive methodology under the descriptive analysis to find out the similarities and differences among them. Secondary data were collected from books, research and previous studies. At the end of the study, the researchers concluded that the phenomenon of assimilation in the Arabic language often exists between the sounds of a single word, while in the Tamil language this phenomenon occurs between the two words when they are linked to create a new word from them. It is divided into several in the two languages in terms of the characteristics of the sounds, and in terms of the degree of effect, place, and the relationship between the influencer and the affected; among them, assimilation of Arabic consonant is divided into six types, such as complete, partial, contiguous, non-contiguous, progressive and regressive. There are five types in the Tamil language, such as progressive, regressive, complete, contiguous, and non-contiguous. Assimilation of Tamil vowels is in three forms: assimilation of vowel with a vowel, assimilation of consonant with a vowel, assimilation of vowel with consonant while in the Arabic language it occurs in four forms: assimilation of vowel with a vowel, assimilation of semi-vowel with a vowel, assimilation of semi-vowel with a consonant, assimilation of vowel with a semi-vowel. When comparing the dissimilation in Arabic and Tamil, this term in both languages indicates one thing. It is the difference between the influenced sound and the one affecting it, in addition to the fact that it occurs in the Arabic language in a specific system and in specific cases. But no rules and order were followed for this phenomenon, nor were there any types for it in the Tamil language even though it exists in the Arabic language. Learners face many problems in identifying phonological changes without comparative knowledge of their mother tongue and adequate applications.

TOLKAPPIA MEIPADUGAL IN KANNADASAN'S YESU KAVIYAM

The Jesus epic composed by the poet Kannadasan is considered one of the most significant texts in the epic genre of the ancient Tamil language. This book is an epic that is written in a manner that is accessible and comprehensible to individuals of all social strata. The poet has composed a poetic rendition of Jesus' complete life story. This research aims to explore the performance of songs as dance with the support of the meipadugal in Tolkappiyam, the first grammar book of the Tamil language. This research was conducted to assist dancers in enhancing their performance of a certain dance by emphasizing the background and character of the song.

SUBALTERN IDENTITY AND FILM CODE IN CINEMA FROM THE SOUTH OF INDIA

In 2023, the Indian film industry's market size surpassed 197 billion rupees, showcasing a significant recovery trajectory following the COVID-19 pandemic (Statista, 2024), with South Indian cinema in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu languages gaining notable popularity. South Indian cinema has historically been interwoven with regional politics, with films reflecting social and political tensions through ideologically charged narratives. These cinematic narratives frequently construct heuristic, hyperreal imagery, drawing upon real-life references yet developing unique symbolic characteristics on screen

Translation and Validation of the Niigata PPPD Questionnaire into Tamil: A Tool to Assess Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness.

PPPD is a chronic and functional disorder without diagnostic data and definitive laboratory tests. In such conditions, questionnaires are the easiest quantifiable measures to identify and rate the severity of individuals suffering from PPPD. The current study aimed to adapt the Niigata PPPD Questionnaire (NPQ) into Tamil language and analyze its psychometric properties. A conventional method of translation involving forward and backward translation was carried out, followed by subsequent content validation. The translated version was field tested in three groups, the controls, the dizzy group, and PPPD group, for further analysis. The final Tamil version of the questionnaire, NPQ-T, had good reliability and validity. This version was identified to have good sensitivity and specificity in discriminating the PPPD group from the dizzy group. The NPQ in Tamil (NPQ-T) is a valid tool for identifying individuals with PPPD and noting the severity of the exacerbating factors.

A Comparative Study of Hunger and Satiation of Hunger in the Literary Works of M.T. Vasudevan Nair and Perumal Murugan

The ‘presence’ and ‘absence’ of food, has been an oft-deliberated topic right from the Palaeolithic Age in India. Starting from the Bhimbetka Rock paintings to the famous Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings to Nandlal’s artworks depicting the famine and drain of economy due to the imperial greed in Bengal - all of which depict the creative artist’s and writer’s colossal engagement with hunger and satiation of hunger. Likewise, several fiction writers have explored the idea of hunger, especially in Malayalam and Tamil language. The idea of hunger has been used as a trope by several indigenous writers to explore multiple social turmoils and transformations. For example, writers like M.T. Vasudevan Nair use memories of hunger by child narrators to depict the fall of the feudal system, collapse of matrilineal structures, social neglect and gender marginalisation. In the present essay, we focus on two aspects of hunger a) the representation of memories of hunger amongst the rural agrarian communities b) the role that mothers play and the methods that they incorporate in mitigating hunger and creating a feeling of illusory self sufficiency (of food) amongst children. The essay argues that memories of hunger, dearth, and abundance of food are forged not just by the physical lack of it but by the experiences of lack of social security, denial of identity and the rupture of familial ties. To substantiate our arguments we draw upon the literary works of M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and Perumal Murugan and use the theoretical framework of memory studies.

The Cultural and Social Impact of Poet Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram's Lyrics in Tamil Cinema: A Hermeneutic Analysis

Music and songs have long been integral to Tamil culture, particularly in the realm of cinema. Tamil film song lyrics, a significant component of mass communication and entertainment in the twentieth century, have captivated audiences with their narratives and melodies. Among the eminent lyricists in Tamil cinema history, Pattukottai Kalyanasundaram (13 April 1930 – 8 October 1959), known as "Makkal Kavingnar", stands out as an iconic figure. His profound impact on global Tamil communities through his cinematic compositions is widely acknowledged. Kalyanasundaram's lyrics not only entertained but also conveyed powerful social messages, encompassing diverse facets of human life. This paper is considered to be the first to explore Poet Kalyanasundaram (“Siruvar Seerthirutham, Arasiyal Aram, Naatu Nalam”) in English, although several articles have been written in the Tamil language. Employing hermeneutics as a qualitative research methodology, the study conducts a comprehensive content analysis of his songs, revealing thematic insights relevant to personal development and cultural enrichment.

Similarities and differences between phonological phenomena in Arabic and Tamil languages: syllable-focused study

Phonological phenomena mean the rules and phonetic characteristics that help to build words and vocabulary, create and use speech, and differentiate between them according to context. Accordingly, in a language there are phonetic units that are studied at non-structual level and structual level. They have an impact on teaching the Arabic language to native speakers in general and to non-native speakers in particular. Errors in phonetic phenomena lead to linguistic errors. The research problem is defined by the question: “Is there a similarity in the syllable system of phonological phenomena between the Arabic and Tamil languages, which are from two different language families? This research aims to clarify the syllabic system of phonological phenomena between Arabic and Tamil languages, and to identify the similarities and differences in syllabic system of phonological phenomena between them. This research relies on qualitative methodology under contrastive descriptive analysis to identify similarities and differences in phonological phenomena between the languages. Secondary data were gathered from books, researches and literary studies. This research titled “Similarities and differences between phonological phenomena in Arabic and Tamil languages: syllable-focused study” finds that the syllables are divided based on length and the closing and opening in the two languages are in the same form. There are no two consecutive consonants at the beginning of the word in them. In terms of differences, the Arabic syllable begins with a consonant only, and there is no Arabic syllable that begins with a vowel, while the Tamil syllable begins with a consonant and a vowel. More than two consonants can not exceed in the middle of the Arabic word, meanwhile can exceed in Tamil. The places where the syllables occur in the two languages are differed according to characteristics of both languages. The Arabic syllable system is very similar to Tamil language.