A study on the classification of Tamil verb roots and past tense verb conjugation

Abstract

In Sri Lanka, where the majority of the Sinhala-speaking population lives, there is also a group of people who speak Tamil as their mother tongue. Tamil has a prominent place among the languages spread in the world today, as it is currently included among the thirty most widely used languages in the world. It is needless to mention that the issue of ‘not knowing the language’ became a major factor in the ethnic crisis that had arisen in Sri Lanka in the past few decades.However, in Sri Lanka today, Sinhala mother tongue speakers (L1) are motivated to learn Tamil, and Tamil mother tongue speakers (L1) are motivated to learn Sinhala. In this study, the issue of Sinhala mother tongue speakers (L1) learning Tamil as a second language (L2) is discussed. It seems that Sinhala mother tongue speakers are trying to learn Tamil as a second language, regardless of age. It is the foundation for the national unity of our country’s future. In the studyof Tamil as a second language, grammatical knowledge provides a strong foundation for its easy grasp. Verbs that express purpose are a key element of grammar as it is fundamental for many grammatical categories of the Tamil language. The reason is that it strongly supports the formation of many verb forms in Tamil. Therefore, this study aims to explain the formation of these verb forms. Therefore, the research question is how to adjust the use of verbs and teaching methods in teaching Tamil as a second language based on the morphological characteristics of the verb root. In the face of today's problematic process of education, this poses a challenge for students who learn Tamil as a second language. Therefore, based on the morphological characteristics of 100 randomly selected Tamil verb stems, the study goes on to examine how to classify those verb stems and make the past tense in a way that is student friendly.