This is the problem with us. Fundamentalism. Tamil alphabet design is an ancient
one. so, it's based on atriculation - pirappidam. In ancient time, it was
sufficient to meet the demand with 30 characters, but today, we are perplexed
when we have to write proper names like, Stalin, Diesel, Eiffel etc. A counter
argument that other languages also have similar shortfalls is not going to solve
our practical problem. (Science is not a belief, not a rigidity, but of
applicability).

Kindly try to pronounce 'k (ka)' in 'kathavu', 'makavu', 'mathaku' and
'aRimukam'. Same character stands for different sounds, isn't it? Actually,
Tamil phonetics are positional. To compliment this, Tamil does not have words of
similar sound-class, such as 'fish' and 'piss' as in English, which certainly
need different characters to write them.

Sanskrit alphabets may be of a later formulation. So it could have been decided
that it would be wise to have different characters to suit its phonetics.

Rajasundararajan



--- In tscii@yahoogroups.com, Sinnathurai Srivas <sisrivas@...> wrote:
>
> Tamil alphabet is based on the principle of "The places of articulation -
pirappidam", a scientific principle.
> Sanskrit alphabet is based on random sounds.
>
> Attempting to play with both in Tamil document is not an inteligent act.
>
> Sinnathurai
>