Chapter 5 - Mannikanum taamadamaa varradukku

Question 1

How does politeness work in Tamil?

What is the difference with English?

Answer 1

Through body language and suffices

Almost no loose words for politeness like in English

Question 2

What is the difference between suffices -num and -nga?

Answer 2

• -Nga after the infinitive has the meaning of saying please and the imperative
• -num has the meaning of ‘must’ or ‘should’

Question 3

Negation

Which word of negation is used for present and past tense?

What does its suffix form look like

Answer 3

ille

-le

Question 4

Negation

How is the -le suffix used on a verb?

Mention verb form and potential suffices

Answer 4

-le is added to the verb infinitive after adding -kka- if
1. Present tense goes with -kkir-
2. Future tense goes with -kk- or -pp-

Question 5

Negation

How is negation in the future tense handled?

Answer 5

Infinitive of a verb + maatt

Both Ts in maatt are actually a retroflex

Ex.) Naan vara maatteen = I will not come

Question 6

Negation

How does negation in the future tense work for neutral nouns?

Answer 6

• aadu is added to the Stem of the verb

Note that here it is not the infinitive, but the stem of the verb

Question 7

Verbal nouns

What is a verbal noun?

What would be the dutch name of this?

Answer 7

Verbs turned into nouns so they can be modified by adverbs

Ex.) Varradu = coming

In dutch this would be called an onvoltooid deelwoord

Question 8

Verbal nouns

How is a verbal noun made up?

You should list at least 3 components

Which tenses does this include?

Answer 8

Verb stem (PastT/PresentT) + adu + case (not necessary)

Past tense or Present tense

Question 9

Adverbs (Bijwoorden)

What can be the uses of adverbs in Tamil?

Answer 9

1. To modify a verb
2. Express idea of location

It can have a broader meaning than just -ly in English

Example.) naalaa = for days instead of daily depending on context

Question 10

Adverbs (bijwoorden)

How is an adverb formed?

Give an example

Answer 10

Add -aa to a noun

Ex.) taamadam + aa = taamadamaa -> Late

Question 11

Ablativus

What is the role of the ablativus?

Answer 11

To express the meaning ‘from’

Question 12

Ablativus

What are the ablativus suffices

When is which one used?

Answer 12

1. -Lerundu
2. -Rundu

The first one is the general form and the second one is used for adverbs that express the idea of location in a place

Question 13

Ablativus

What happens to words like viidu or maram in the ablativus?

Answer 13

They get their ‘vervoegde vorm’

So viidu becomes viitu and maram becomes maratte

The t’s here all are retroflex t

Question 14

Possibility and Permission

Which suffix is used for Possibility or Permission?

Where is it added to?

Give an example

Answer 14

-laam

It is added to the end of a verb infinitive

Ex.) peesalaam

Question 15

Appreciation

List two form of formal appreciation/gratitude

Answer 15

1. Appreciation = paaraattu
2. Gratitude = nanri

Question 16

Appreciation

List two ways of informal appreciation/gratitude

Answer 16

1. Sandoosam = happiness/happy
2. Nalladu = good

Question 17

Tag Questions

What is the use of tag questions in English?

Give two examples

Answer 17

To seek the listener’s confirmation of what was just said

Ex1) Didn’t you? -> You put the trash outside today, didn’t you?
Ex2) Won’t they? -> They are going to blow up the school, won’t they?

Question 18

Tag Questions

What is the only Tamil tag question?

And what does it mean?

Answer 18

Illeyaa from ille + aa

Can be seen as ‘niet waar? (is it not?)’ in Dutch

Question 19

Tag Questions

What is the abbreviated form of the Tamil tag question?

Give an example?

Answer 19

-le

‘Oru pustagam ezudureen-le?’ instead of ‘Oru pustagam ezudureen illeyaa?’

Question 20

Emhpasis

What does ‘taan’ mean?

Answer 20

Only

Question 21

Emphasis

What does -um mean

Answer 21

Also or And

Question 22

Emphasis

What does kuuda mean?

Answer 22

Even

Question 23

‘Kaanoom’

Which two things make the verb ‘kaanoom’ unusual

Give an example of a sentence using kaanoom (missing)

Answer 23

1. It does not have a subject, but instead a noun or pronoun
2. That noun or pronoun is an accusative form with an -e suffix at the end

en peenaave kaanoom = my pen is missing

Question 24

Habitual negative

What is the difference between habitual negative, negation and negative imperative

Give examples!

Answer 24

• Habitual negative = Negation of a habitual act
• Negation = Negative of single action happening in the past, present or future
• Negative imperative = Telling someone not to do something

HN = I never walk to the supermarket; N = I don’t walk to the supermarket; NI = Don’t walk to the supermarket

Question 25

# Habitual negative How does one form a habitual negative in Tamil?

Answer 25

Stam in present tense + adu + ille | Maatt- (fut) can also be used as a habitual negative ## Footnote Does form does not vary for person, number or gender

Question 26

# Habitual negative Which suffices are used for the habitual negative | They are interchangable ## Footnote Which verb form do they follow?

Answer 26

* Adulle * Adille ## Footnote They form the present tense stem of the verb

Question 27

# Habitual Positive How does one form a habitual positive in Tamil?

Answer 27

It is the same as the future tense of a verb

Question 28

# Unknown or unspecified Which suffix denotes uncertainty or doubt? | What happens if you put it after a question word? Example? ## Footnote Where in the verb does it go?

Answer 28

-oo | It gains the meaning of 'some' Ex.) yaaroo = someone ## Footnote It goes after the 'vervoegde werkwoord'

Question 29

# Unkown or unspecified What is the difference between * Avan varuvaanaa? * Avan varuvaan-le * Avan varuvaanoo?

Answer 29

* Will he come? * He will come, won't he? * He might come/Maybe he will come

Question 30

# Unkown or unspecified What happens when multiple (pro)nouns have the -oo suffix? ## Footnote Give a grammatically correct example

Answer 30

It denotes alternatives ## Footnote Avanoo avaloo vaaruv*aanga* = He or she will come; also note that the verb has plural ending

Question 31

What does the postposition patti mean? ## Footnote How is it used grammatically?

Answer 31

Patti = 'about'/'concerning' ## Footnote It follows a noun in the accusatice case (so -e) Ex.) Avane patti

Question 32

# Another permissive What does the -ttum suffix mean? | Where is it added? ## Footnote How does it change depending on the person that is subject

Answer 32

It is a permissive just like -laam | It comes after the infinitive of a verb ## Footnote For third person it has the meaning of 'let' for first person it has the meaning of 'shall'

Question 33

# Subject in Dative case Which two types of verbs normally occur with a subject in the dative case? | Which verb endings do these verbs usually have? ## Footnote Give an example

Answer 33

1. Verbs of knowledge 2. Verbs of mental state | Neutral ending (so -um) Ex.) Teriyum ## Footnote Neutral endings are still 'vervoegd' in the normal way. So Ex.) ongalukku viidu pidikkidaa?. Where pidikkidaa = pidikku (3rd neutral) + aa (question)

Question 34

# All and any 1. How does all work for 'human' nouns 2. How does all work for 'non-human' nouns

Answer 34

1. For human nouns it is ellaarum or ellaam 2. For non-human nouns it is only ellaam

Question 35

# All and any List the 3 ways 'all' in Tamil can be written

Answer 35

1. Ellaarum after human nouns 2. Ellaam after human and non-human nouns 3. Ellaa before the noun and -um after it

Question 36

# All and any How does one express any if there are no nouns in the sentence? ## Footnote Give an example

Answer 36

Questions word and add -um to the end ## Footnote eduvum = anything

Question 37

# All and any List the two ways to express any in a sentence that does contain nouns ## Footnote Give examples

Answer 37

1. The question word with -um may occur after the noun 2. Interrogative adjective before the noun and then -um is added to the noun ## Footnote Pustagam eduvum = any book & Enda pustugamum = any book

Question 38

# Adjectives What does an adjective do?

Answer 38

It modifies a noun

Question 39

# Adjectives How can an adjective be made from a noun?

Answer 39

Add -aana

Question 40

# Adjectives Where do *simple adjectives* end with? ## Footnote Give an example

Answer 40

They generally end on -a ## Footnote nalla, pazeya, etc..

Question 41

# Thousands What is the word for thousand in Tamil?

Answer 41

Aayiram

Question 42

# Thousands How do we make multiples of thousands? | Give an example ## Footnote What are the three thousands that have alternate forms as well?

Answer 42

Take a number from 1 to 10 and add -aayiram to it (removing the final -u from the number) | Pattaayiram ## Footnote muuvaayiram = 3000, ayyaayiram = 5000, ennaayiram = 8000