Venpa
Encyclopedia
Venpa is a form of classical Tamil
poetry
. Classical Tamil poetry has been classified based upon the rules of metric prosody
. Such rules form a context-free grammar
. Every Venpa consists of between two to twelve lines.
s and consonant-vowel compounds in Tamil alphabet have been classified into ones with short sounds (kuril) and the ones with long sounds (nedil). A sequence of one or more of these units optionally followed by a consonant
can form a ner asai (the Tamil word asai roughly corresponds to syllable
) or a nirai asai depending on the duration of pronunciation
. Ner and Nirai are the basic units of meter in Tamil prosody
. A siir or cheer is a type of metrical foot that roughly corresponds to an iamb. Thalai is the juxtaposition of iambic patterns.
.
One set of rules constrains the duration of sound for each word or cheer, while another set of rules defines the rules for the possible sounds at the beginning of a word that follows a given sound at the end of the preceding word. Any Venpa should conform to both these sets of rules.
Following is the set of production rules corresponding to the first set of rules.
Following is the set of production rules corresponding to the second set of rules.
:
உடுக்கை இழந்தவன் கைபோல ஆங்கே
இடுக்கண் களைவதாம் நட்பு.
(a translation by G U Pope
)
"As hand of him whose vesture slips away,
Friendship at once the coming grief will stay.
(True) friendship hastens to the rescue of the afflicted (as readily)
as the hand of one whose
garment is loosened (before an assembly)."
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. Classical Tamil poetry has been classified based upon the rules of metric prosody
Meter (poetry)
In poetry, metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study of metres and forms of versification is known as prosody...
. Such rules form a context-free grammar
Context-free grammar
In formal language theory, a context-free grammar is a formal grammar in which every production rule is of the formwhere V is a single nonterminal symbol, and w is a string of terminals and/or nonterminals ....
. Every Venpa consists of between two to twelve lines.
Popular books written in Venpa style
- All 1330 couplets from TirukkuralTirukkuṛaḷTirukkuṛaḷ , sometimes spelt 'Thirukkural, is a classic of couplets or Kurals or aphorisms celebrated by Tamils. It was authored by Thiruvalluvar, a poet who is said to have lived anytime between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD. Although the exact period of its composition is still disputed,...
, composed by TiruvalluvarTiruvalluvarThiruvalluvar , or Tiruvalluvar, was a celebrated Tamil poet whose contribution to Tamil literature is the Thirukkural, a work on ethics. Thiruvalluvar is thought to have lived sometime between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD. This estimate is based on linguistic analysis of his writings,...
are examples of Venpa. Tirukkural comes under a sub-category of Venpa called Kural VenpaKuralThe Kural is one of the most important forms of classical Tamil poetry. It is a very short poetic form, exactly in 2 lines, the first line consisting of 4 words and the second line consisting of 3. It should also conform to the grammar for Venpa...
, wherein each Kural has only two lines. - Nala venpa1 is another classical work written in venpa style.
- Niti venpa2 is another venpa style book that preaches values.
Basic elements of meter in classical Tamil poetry
VowelVowel
In phonetics, a vowel is a sound in spoken language, such as English ah! or oh! , pronounced with an open vocal tract so that there is no build-up of air pressure at any point above the glottis. This contrasts with consonants, such as English sh! , where there is a constriction or closure at some...
s and consonant-vowel compounds in Tamil alphabet have been classified into ones with short sounds (kuril) and the ones with long sounds (nedil). A sequence of one or more of these units optionally followed by a consonant
Consonant
In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract. Examples are , pronounced with the lips; , pronounced with the front of the tongue; , pronounced with the back of the tongue; , pronounced in the throat; and ,...
can form a ner asai (the Tamil word asai roughly corresponds to syllable
Syllable
A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building...
) or a nirai asai depending on the duration of pronunciation
Pronunciation
Pronunciation refers to the way a word or a language is spoken, or the manner in which someone utters a word. If one is said to have "correct pronunciation", then it refers to both within a particular dialect....
. Ner and Nirai are the basic units of meter in Tamil prosody
Prosody (linguistics)
In linguistics, prosody is the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. Prosody may reflect various features of the speaker or the utterance: the emotional state of the speaker; the form of the utterance ; the presence of irony or sarcasm; emphasis, contrast, and focus; or other elements of...
. A siir or cheer is a type of metrical foot that roughly corresponds to an iamb. Thalai is the juxtaposition of iambic patterns.
Grammar for meter in Venpa
A set of well defined metric rules define the grammar for Venpa. Such rules have been proved to form a Context-free grammarContext-free grammar
In formal language theory, a context-free grammar is a formal grammar in which every production rule is of the formwhere V is a single nonterminal symbol, and w is a string of terminals and/or nonterminals ....
.
One set of rules constrains the duration of sound for each word or cheer, while another set of rules defines the rules for the possible sounds at the beginning of a word that follows a given sound at the end of the preceding word. Any Venpa should conform to both these sets of rules.
Following is the set of production rules corresponding to the first set of rules.
→ {1-11}
→
→
→ |
→ | | |
→ | | |
→ | | |
→
→
→
→
→
→
→
→
→
→
→
→
→ | |
→ | |
→ {VOWELS OR COMPOUNDS WITH A SHORT SOUND}
→ {VOWELS OR COMPOUNDS WITH A LONG SOUND}
→ {CONSONANTS, WHICH HAVE AN EXTREMELY SHORT SOUND}
1. {1-11} is not a standard BNF notation but a widely accepted EBNF notation indicating
repetition of number of times specified in the range.
2. The grammar has some redundant productions that have been retained so as to preserve
the semantics as described originally in Tamil grammarTamil grammarMuch of Tamil grammar is extensively described in the oldest available grammar book for Tamil, the Tolkāppiyam. Modern Tamil writing is largely based on the 13th century grammar which restated and clarified the rules of the Tolkāppiyam, with some modifications.-Parts of Tamil grammar:Traditional...
.
Following is the set of production rules corresponding to the second set of rules.
→ |
→
→
→
→
→ |
→ |
[If the above rules are conformed to, the thalai is said to be Iyarcheer vendalai]
→
→
→
→
[If the above rules are conformed to, the thalai is said to be Vencheer vendalai]
Example
Following is a couplet from TirukkuralTirukkuṛaḷ
Tirukkuṛaḷ , sometimes spelt 'Thirukkural, is a classic of couplets or Kurals or aphorisms celebrated by Tamils. It was authored by Thiruvalluvar, a poet who is said to have lived anytime between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD. Although the exact period of its composition is still disputed,...
:
உடுக்கை இழந்தவன் கைபோல ஆங்கே
இடுக்கண் களைவதாம் நட்பு.
(a translation by G U Pope
George Uglow Pope
George Uglow Pope popularly known as Rev. G.U. Pope or G.U. Pope was a Christian missionary who spent many years in Tamil Nadu and translated many Tamil texts into English. His popular translations include Tirukkural and Tiruvachagam. His efforts were recognized by the Royal Asiatic Society in the...
)
"As hand of him whose vesture slips away,
Friendship at once the coming grief will stay.
(True) friendship hastens to the rescue of the afflicted (as readily)
as the hand of one whose
garment is loosened (before an assembly)."
 |
 |
External links
- Online Venpaa Analyzer
- Nala Venpa (pdf version)
- வெண்பா புனைவோம் வருக (Let's write Venpa)
- யாப்புலகம்
- வெண்பா விதிகள்
- வெண்பாவின் ஈற்றடி
- Niti Venpa (TSCII encoding)
- Rules for Venpa
- Context Free Grammar for Natural Language Constructs. An implementation for Venpa Class of Tamil Poetry (2003, conference paper)
- இயன்ற வரையிலும் இனிய தமிழில்
- என்பாக்கள்