(ii) The tendency to nasalisation is one of those characteristics which distinguish Malayalam from Tamil; this tendency is very prominent in the sounds of both Sanskrit and native words: e.g.,
Tamil [ʋɑˑŋɡɯ] receive > Malayalam [ʋɑˑŋŋə];
Sanskrit [ɑŋɡɑm] limb > Malayalam [ʌŋŋəm]. In writing, the Sanskrit spelling is preserved.
(iii) The plural ending [kʌḷ], when it combines with the "anusvāra"=final [m] of a noun, becomes [ŋŋʌḷ]; [mʌrʌm] trees+[kʌḷ] > [mʌrʌŋŋəḷ] trees; Tamil [peṇ] girl+[kʌḷ] > Tamil [peŋɡʌḷ], but Malayalam [peŋŋəḷ].
(iv) In association with palatal vowels, the value of [ŋŋ] is "fronted" a little and a small glide [ʲ] comes in between: e.g., [pʌʲŋŋa] areca-nut; [ʋʌɹ̣utənəʲŋŋa] brinjals.
19. [ɲ]. This is another nasal which is very prominent in Malayalam. This sound is absent in Tamil except when combined with [c͡ʃ], as in [kʌɲc͡ʃi] gruel. It is the prominence of this sound in Malayalam that makes Tamilians say [tʌmiɹ̣ɯ muːkkɑˑle pʌreɲc͡ʃɑˑl mʌləjɑˑḷəmɑˑkum] Tamil uttered through the nose becomes Malayalam.
(ii) Tamil initial [n] occurs as [ɲ] in Malayalam: Tamil [nɑːn] I > Malayalam [ɲæˑn].
Tamil [næˑttikkəɹ̣əme] = Mal. [ɲæˑjerɑˑɹ̣c͡ʃa] Sunday.
A passage with many [ɲ] sounds:
[tʌŋŋʌliŋŋəne joroː ʋɑːkkukəḷ ʌŋŋu pʌrəɲɲu nirəɲɲæˑn pʌṭʌjiṭətiŋŋi jiṭəɲɲu nʌṭənnu tuṭəŋŋi......].
The army collected itself in the midst of this mutual talk; and thick in crowded members, began to march along.
20. The cerebral [ṇ], the usual retroflex sound, does not call for any special remarks.
21. [n]. (i) This is a peculiar dental nasal in Malayalam and is the proper nasal representative of the [t] series.
(ii) Though there is a special symbol for [n] in Tamil, the accurate sound is not given to it; it is pronounced in the same way as [n]. In Malayalam, the sounds exist separately but, the same symbol is used both for [n] and [n], so that very often confusion arises as to the character of the sound to be given to the symbol: e.g.,
[ninnɑːnʌnəm nʌnnə nʌnəɲɲə tuṭʌŋŋi] your face well to become wet began.
(iii) [n] appears singly only at the beginning of words, and consequently whenever the symbol appears at the beginning of words, the sound [n] is alone given to it.
