The Tamil alphabet is an system composed of 12 vowels, 18 consonants, and one special character. While Sinhala and Tamil share roots in the ancient Brahmi script , they differ significantly in appearance; Tamil uses a mix of straight lines and curves, whereas Sinhala is known for its rounded, "voluptuous" characters. Tamil Vowels ( Uyir Eḻuttu ) with Sinhala Equivalents
To understand this hybrid concept, one must first appreciate the evolution of the Sinhala script. The modern Sinhala alphabet (Sinhala Akṣara Mālāva) descends from the Brahmi script, much like Tamil-Brahmi did. However, around the 8th to 10th centuries CE, the Sinhala script began to diverge significantly, developing rounded, cursive forms influenced by palm-leaf manuscript writing. Crucially, it retained and expanded a feature that the modern Tamil script deliberately abandoned: the systematic representation of both voiced and unvoiced consonants (e.g., ga, kha, ja, dha), as well as aspirated sounds. In contrast, the modern Tamil script (Vatteluttu and later Grantha-derived) streamlined its alphabet to represent only one stop consonant per point of articulation (e.g., க் k can represent /k/, /ɡ/, /x/, /ɣ/ depending on context).
The Tamil alphabet, with its rich history and adaptability, allows for the representation of various languages, including Sinhala, through either direct mapping or the use of diacritical marks. However, for formal or academic purposes, especially in language learning or linguistic studies, standardized transliteration systems are recommended for clarity and accuracy. full tamil alphabet with sinhala letters
Since the Tamil script is phonetic but has fewer characters than the Sinhala script (which accounts for aspirated sounds like 'kh' or 'gh'), mapping them requires a clear guide. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the Tamil alphabet (Uyir and Mei) with their closest Sinhala phonetic equivalents.
Here is the basic Tamil alphabet:
For precise representation, especially in linguistic or educational materials, specific transliteration schemes or adaptations are used. However, in casual writing or unofficial communication, direct substitution with existing Tamil letters or combinations might be observed.
Guttural consonants (5): ක (ka), ඛ (kha), ග (ga), ඝ (gha), ඞ (ṅa) Palatal consonants (5): ච (ca), ඡ (cha), ජ (ja), ඣ (jha), ඤ (ña) Sinhala Alphabet Guide: Learn Vowels, Consonants and Script The Tamil alphabet is an system composed of
Special Character: (Ayutha Eluthu) is often represented as ඃ (Visargaya) in Sinhala.