Interrogative Particle “Aekaaram” and Emphatic Particle “Aekaaram”

இடைச்சொல் ஏகாரமும் உரிச்சொல் ஏகாரமும்

Abstract

Letters that have a prolonged sound are called long vowel letters or elongated letters. These letters are aa, ee, oo, ae, ai, no, and au. What is special about this is that according to Tholkappiyar’s reference, the long letter ‘Ae’ has a unique characteristic. The letter ‘ae’ is noted by Tholkappiyar and other grammarians as standing as an interrogative letter, conveying the meaning of a question. Tholkappiyar also states that the letter ‘Ae’ is used as a conjunction. Further, he specifies that the elongated form expresses meaning even as a word. This article explores in detail the ways in which the letter ‘Ae’ is used.