(v) When [l] and [ḷ] combine with a succeeding nasal to form a conjunct consonant, especially in compounds, the character of these sounds changes into the corresponding alveolar [n] and cerebral [ṇ] respectively:
[nel] paddy + [mʌṇi] grain > [nenmʌṇi] paddy grain;
[veḷ] paddy + [niːr] > [veṇṇiːr] ashes.
29. [v] and [ʋ]. (i) The true value of the Malayalam symbol [v] is the dento-labial fricative; but very often only the bilabial [ʋ] is uttered in actual speech.
(ii) [v] or [ʋ] occurring inter-vocally disappears: e.g.,
[ʌʋən] he in North Malabar dialect becomes [ʋəːn] > [oːn];
[poːkumo] will go > [poːkuʋoˑ] > [puˑʋoˑ] > [poː];
(iii) [ʋ] and [m] are easily interchangeable as already shown.
(iv) [v] and [ʋ] changes an immediately following [ʌ] into [ə] or [e]: e.g.,
[vʌra] line > [vera].
(v) In sounding conjunct consonants where [v] or [ʋ] forms second component, purity of pronunciation is maintained only by the educated classes; e.g., in the colloquial, we find alterations like
[guruttvəm] grace > [guruttəm] > [kuruttəm]
[viddɦittvəm] foolishness > [viddɦittvəm].
(vi) [ʋ] appears as a guttural glide in connected phrases and in sentences where the proximity of two dissimilar vowels creates a hiatus, e.g., [ʋeḷutta] + [oruʋən] fair-complexioned > [ʋeḷutta ʋoruʋən].
[ʋ] acts as a glide between back vowels, while [j] acts as a palatal glide.
30, 31, and 32. (i) [ʃ], [ʃ̣] [s] are not interchangeable but are separately and distinctly pronounced. [ʃ] is an alveolar, [ʃ̣] is a cerebral, and [s] is also an alveolar where the fore-blade of the tongue is flattened out so as to allow more air to pass through with a sharp hissing noise than when [ʃ] is uttered.
(ii) [ʃ] and even [s] sometimes become [c͡ʃ] in the colloquial: e.g., [ʃʌŋkərən] > the [c͡ʃʌŋkərən] proper name Śankaran; [sʌmʌjəm] time > [c͡ʃʌməjəm].
33. [ɹ̣]. (i) This is a sound peculiar to Tamil and Malayalam; the position of the tongue is exactly the same as for [ʃ̣] but the air is allowed to pass through without the hissing sound and, besides, the sound is a voiced one.
