Tamil and its dialects are spoken predominantly in South Asian countries including India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, and in an extensive diaspora around the world. Tamil is characterized by 26 consonants, 11 vowels, and 2 diphthongs, and uses the Tamil-Brahmi script. Research on acquisition of Tamil has mainly focused on consonant acquisition, phonological patterns, and word structure among typically developing children. Majority of Tamil consonants are acquired by three years of age with children producing increasingly complex word structures with age. Development of speech sound patterns have been analyzed in Tamil speaking children with suspected speech sound disorders and those associated with cleft lip and palate, and cerebral palsy. SLPs commonly use single-word lists for assessing speech sounds in Tamil, with the Test of Articulation in Tamil (Usha, 1986) being the most common. Intervention approaches commonly used in practice draw from motor- and linguistic-based approaches developed for English-speaking children.

Key words: 
Tamil, multilingual, communication, speech, language, children’s development, interdisciplinary, international communities, assessment, intervention

Book chapter:
Venkatesh, L., & Hariharan, S. V. (2025). Tamil speech development. In S. McLeod (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of speech development in languages of the world. Oxford University Press.

Language overview presentation:

• Venkatesh, L., & Hariharan, S. V. (forthcoming). Tamil: Multilingual children’s speech development. Charles Sturt University, Australia. https://www.csu.edu.au/research/multilingual-speech/languages

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goals