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TAMUL GRAMMER. to distinguish them, write, when the figure expresses à long; but when it is to be taken for ra, they after the Grandonic (Sanscrit) fashion, slightly bend up the anterior stroke and write . But in their Grammar called நன்னூல், as well to distinguish a long from the letter ra, as the simple consonant from the consonant joined with a short, they teach certain marks to be written over them, which they call of thus when the letter is the simple conso- nant they say this sign is to be inscribed; e. g. if you write, it must not be read arradam as would be the case were that mark not there, but it is read, artam, signi- fication. As regards the second aequivocation, if this figure r, is to signify a long, nothing will be superscribed; but if it is to express the short syllable ra, the mark is to be supers- cribed; e. g. the word without any mark you may read you may read taram. Therefore tam; with this mark this word பலா may be read pala, and then is not marked and signifies a certain tree; it may also be read paler, more (in number), and then is marked thus, uer. So wer, if it be written, is read maler, flowers; if it be written or, it is read malera and is the infinitive of the verb wop, to blossom. In the same way when the figure expressing è short and long, and ô short and long, is the same, for the sake of distinction they direct that mark to be superscribed over the short letters, the long being left unmarked. Thus Glow is read měy long, since is unmarked, and means feed
