Tirunelveli Tamil also known as Nellai Tamil or ThenPaandi Tamil is one of the dialects of

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

which is spoken in the districts of

Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tam ...

Tenkasi Tenkasi is a town and headquarters of the Tenkasi district in Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Being one of the most significant spiritual and cultural places in South Tamilnadu,Tenkasi houses The Kutraleeshwarar temple (Chitra Sabha), one of the ...

Thoothukudi Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and he ...

and

Kanyakumari Kanniyakumari (; , referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland Ind ...

, as well as over the vast area of south

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

which was once ruled by the Pandiya Kings. Nellai Tamil is also known as Thenpaandi Tamil. Thenpaandi Seemai refers to the part of a Pandya kingdom which includes the present day

and

Tuticorin Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) is a port city, a municipal corporation and an industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city lies in the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Thoothukudi is the capital and ...

Districts.

Features

The Tirunelveli Tamil Dialect (TTD) has on the whole 41 phonemes of which 31 are segmental and the remaining 10 are suprasegmental. Kamatchinathan, p. 1 Nellai Tamil also preserves archaic kinship terms that other dialects have long discarded. However, the most unusual feature of the Tamil spoken in the Tirunelveli region is that the medial "c" is pronounced as a

voiceless palatal affricate The voiceless palatal affricate is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbols in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represent this sound are and , and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is c_C. The tie bar may be o ...

as in Old Tamil and has not undergone the change to the dental "s" as in most other dialects.

Regions of Nellai Tamil

Sankarankovil Sankarankovil is a city in Tenkasi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was formerly called Sankaranayinarkoil. Sankarankovil is the home to the Sankara Narayanar Temple . History Sankarankovil is home to the Sankara Narayanar T ...

Palayamkottai Palayamkottai (also Palayankottai) is a neighbourhood in Tirunelveli City, incorporated within the Tirunelveli City Municipal Corporation. It is situated on the east bank of the Thamirabarani river, with the exception of its downtown area, wh ...

* Melapalayam * Virudhunagar * Cheranmahadevi * Poovankurichi * Sivagiri *

* Rajapalayam *

Sivakasi Sivakasi () is a city and Municipal Corporation in Virudhunagar District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This city is known for its fireworks, firecracker, matchbox and printing industries. Sivakasi city alone meets about 90% fire cracke ...

* Srivilliputhur * Eruvadi * Vasudevanallur *

Kalakkad Kalakad is a Municipality in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kalakad is one of the 3 Municipalities of Tirunelveli District, and is one of the fastest-growing towns in the district. Etymology As per popular folklore, the ...

* Ilanji * Surandai * Panpoli * Vadakarai * Kovilpatti * Ambasamudram *

Kallidaikurichi Kallidaikurichi () or Kalladaikurichi is a town on the right bank of the Thamiraparani river in Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. Etymology 'Kal + idai + kurichi' meaning exactly in Tamil, ...

* Uppuvaniamuthur *

Kadayam Kadayam is a Town city in the district of Tirunelveli district, Tirunelveli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Alangulam * Thiruchendur * Manadu * Ezuvaraimukki * Srivaikundam * Nazareth * Udangudi *

Thisayanvilai Thisayanvilai is a special grade town panchayat. It is one of the taluks in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Demographics India census, Tisaiyanvilai has a population of 23,702. Males constitute 48% of the population a ...

* Kuttam *

Nanguneri Nanguneri is a panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Nanguneri is a Taluk Headquarters in the District of Tirunelveli situated at a distance of from the headquarters of the District. Vanamamalai Peruma ...

* Kanganankulam * Kadayanallur * Radhapuram * Sathankulam *

Valliyur Vadakku valliyur or Valliyur is a Special Grade Town Panchayat in Radhapuram taluk in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Valliyur is one of the fastest-growing towns in Tirunelveli district. This town is located along ...

Panagudi Panagudi is a Panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. Panagudi is known for its wind farms, the Pathini energy drink (from palm trees), brick production, and clay tiles. History Legend has it that Panagudi ...

* Pavoorchatram * Thippanampatty *

Sengottai Sengottai (also known as Shencottah, Chenkotta or Shenkottai) is a town in the Tenkasi district, of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the gateway to southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Spread over an area of 2.68 km2 with a population of over 26,82 ...

* Sivanadanoor * Kurumbalaperi * Puliyankudi * Vickramasingapuram * Papanasam * Kadayanallur * Kazhugumalai *

Uvari Uvari is a coastal village in Thisayanvilai Taluk, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is also called Karaichuthu Uvari. The total geographical area of the Uvari is around . History According to Tamil history, the citizens of Uvari w ...

* Peikulam * Melaseval *

Pattamadai Pathamadai or Pattamadai is a special grade town panchayath in Tirunelveli district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Demographics India census, Pattamadai had a population of 14,965. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. P ...

Peculiar Nellai Tamil Words/ Phrases

*Annaachi = அன்னாச்சி = Used to call a person of respect *Yeppadi Irukkeeya? = How are you? (with respect) *Chuvamaa Irukeyalaa? = Are you doing well, Are you in good health (with respect) *Chuvamthaana = Are you doing well? *Thoorama? = Going somewhere far? *Elei, Yala, Yelu = Dude *Kooruketta = Without sharpness of mind *Yennala Panutha = What are you doing dude? *Yabla = Feminine of Yela - Used to Call a girl (Without respect) *Aveyn Cholludhamle = He says (Without respect) *Naa Cholludhamla = I am telling you (Without respect) *Payaluva = Boys *Podusu = Little one (Child) *Payavulla = Fellow (akin to 'Homie')/ Son of (Eg: Pya Payavulla means Son of a Demon) *Pileyl = Girls *Pottachi = A girl (without respect) *Avanuvol, Ivanuvol = Those guys, These guys *Penjathi/ Ponjathi = Wife *Engana? = Where? *Inganakula = Nearby *Anganakula = Within there *Nikki = (something is) waiting / standing *Pidikki = to like, (something is) holding *Vaaren = I'm coming *...pla = it seems - used as a suffice to personal verbs (Eg.) Vanthapla = He/She came it seems, Chonnapla = He/She told it seems. *Choli = Work *Choliyatthu = without any work *Andhaanikku = So *Kalavaani = Thief *Aviya/ Avuha, Iviya/ Ivuha = Him (respectful form - III-person Singular), They (also used for III-person plural) *Thoraval = Key *Pydha = Type/ Wheel *Payya = Slowly *Anthaala = Like wise(Appadiye) *Kaangala = Not found(Kaanum) *Thaai = younger sister(thangachi) *Osaka = above (at a higher place) *Yekka= Elder Sister *Kottikaren = Fool *Vaariyal = Sweeper *Anney = Elder Brother *Atthaan/ Machaan = Brother in law, Cousin Brother *Anni/ Maini/ Mathini = Sister in law (Wife's elder Sister/ Elder brother's wife), Cousin Sister *Maini= Sister in Law (Wife's elder Sister) in some cases maternal uncle's elder daughter *Kolunthiya = Sister in Law (Husband's younger sister)d *Machi/ Mottamaadi = Terrace *Nadumatthi = Exact center *Appadi podu aruvala! = Attaboy! (Lit. Put your machete like that!) *Adichan gosu! = What a response!

Movies featuring Nellai Tamil

Nellai Tamil has been used in a number of Tamil movies. Some of them are Seevalaperi Pandi, Dum Dum Dum, Saamy, Ayya, Kovil, Thamiraparani, Roja, Thirunelveli, Kushi, Sillunu Oru Kadhal, Raman Thediya Seethai, Pidichirukku, Shankhar Ooru Rajapalayam, Kannum Kannum, Unakkum Enakkum Something Something, Dasavatharam, Seval, Thoothukudi, Veeramum Eeramum, Gentleman, Anniyan, Saadhu, Pudhu Nellu Pudhu Naatthu, Punnagai Mannan, Velai Kidaichiruchu, Thanneer Thanneer, Angadi Theru, Kadal, Osthee, Singam 1, Singam 2, Singam 3, Bhairava (Vijay Film), Asuran (Dhanush Film) Kamal Haasan's 2015 movie Papanasam, a remake of the 2013 Malayalam film

Drishyam ''Drishyam'' () is a 2013 Indian Malayalam-language crime thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph. It stars Mohanlal and Meena, with Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Asha Sharath, Siddique, Roshan Basheer and N ...

, also features Nellai Tamil.

References

Bibliography

* {{Dialects of Tamil Languages of India Tamil dialects Tirunelveli