* ஒன்று (onRu) - One
* இரண்டு (iRanDu) - Two
* மூன்று (mUnRu) - Three
* நான்கு (nAanku) - Four
* ஐந்து (aiNdu) - Five
* ஆறு (aRu) - Six
* ஏழு (eZhu) - Seven
* எட்டு (eTTu) - Eight
* ஒன்பது (onPatu) - Nine
* பத்து (pattu) - Ten
Derivation:
Unfortunately, tracing the exact derivation of these words is a complex task with no definitive answers. Tamil, like many ancient languages, has a long and rich history with a continuous evolution of its vocabulary.
However, some general insights can be gained:
* Ancient Dravidian Roots: Many Tamil numerals, like "onRu" and "iRanDu", are believed to originate from Proto-Dravidian, the ancestor of the Dravidian language family. This suggests a deep historical connection with other Dravidian languages like Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.
* Phonetic Changes: Over time, Tamil has undergone significant phonetic changes. This means that while some words might appear unrelated, they could have shared origins that evolved differently.
* Borrowing and Influence: Tamil, like other languages, has borrowed terms from other languages over centuries. Some numbers might have been influenced by Sanskrit, Prakrit, or other ancient languages that interacted with Tamil.
Example:
While "onRu" (one) is believed to have a Proto-Dravidian origin, "pattu" (ten) might be related to the Sanskrit word "dasha," meaning "ten".
In conclusion:
Tracing the exact derivation of Tamil numerals is a challenging task requiring detailed historical and linguistic research. However, we can infer that these words have deep roots in the Dravidian language family and have been shaped by phonetic changes and external influences over centuries.