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6 TAMUL GRAMMAR. From these letters they form others, which may more truly be called syllables than letters, since they are forms in which vowels are joined to a consonant. For the Tamulians do not. after the excellent plan of Europeans place the vowel after the consonant to form syllables; but of the consonant and vowel united they form a third figure. And as they have called the vowel the soul, and the consonant the body, they accordingly call these syllables auiou, as if they should say an animated body. But the above mentioned figures of vowels they use only at the beginning of a sentence. Since however the twelve vowels may be joined to every consonant, if you except, from every consonant arise twelve figures, which I shall here represent. 3. And 1. To express a short, they add nothing to the consonant, and the same figure, viz.,, expresses both the simple consonant c, and the syllable ca; and so of the rest; which certainly cannot be approved, and will give no light trouble to beginners. 2. To express a long they add the figure . Thus, ca;, tā; ur, & c. Except 6, 6, p. to which in order to express & long they do not add, as to the others, but they change the figure in this way,, . Yet since the said figurer, may also be the letter ra it is liable to become equivocal; thus rin, may be read tam, he, himself, a term of honor; or it may be read taram, which is taken for turn, (pro vice). Wherefore some
