A question on Tamil dialects

[Vasu Renganathan]

> << (vanjaan is used mostly in harijan and padayaacci dialects. vaisaan is used
>  in other dialects.)
>   >>
> The person who used the form "vassAn2" (with two "s"es) is a brahmin. Does
> brahmin dialect around man2n2ArkuTi use this form? Thanks in advance.

I think vaisAn2 is not a stigmatized form, but vassAn2 is.  I doubt any
brahmin in man2n2ArkuTi area (although I don't belong to this region)
would use this form.  Defintetly, mayilADuTurai area brahmins will not say
'vassAn2'.  To me, vassAn2 sounds exactly like Esu (as in Esin2An2) as for
as its usage in dialects is concerned.

It may be the case that "vassAn2" was uttered in fast speech. I think
Brahmins use 'tiTTu' more frequently than 'vai'.

Usually ai in initial syllable does not change to e or a as it does in
non-initial syllables.

(kaiyai > kaiye *keyye;  paiyai > paiye *peye). It is possible
that kayye, payye etc., are used in fast speech, like vas(s)An2.

Regards,
Vasu.