Ithan

Ithān, romanized as ithan or ithān, is a Tamil demonstrative form used to identify or emphasize a noun. In Tamil script it is written as இதான். The form commonly functions as a determiner or as part of a copular phrase meaning "this is," and it is frequent in spoken Tamil for emphasis, clarification, or identification.

Usage in sentences typically presents ithān before a noun or pronoun to foreground the referent. Examples include “இதான் என் நண்பர்” meaning “This is my friend” and “இதான் அவன்” meaning “This is him.” In such constructions the verb “to be” is often implied rather than explicitly stated. Ithān is most natural when the speaker wishes to draw attention to a specific, proximate referent, distinguishing it from more general or distant forms of “this.”

Orthography and pronunciation notes: Tamil orthography marks நடுக்க or aspiration in the transliteration as needed, with the initial consonant cluster indicating a strong focal emphasis in many colloquial contexts. The form is generally written with a long a in transliteration (ithān) to reflect the closed, emphatic vowel.

Variants and related forms: Other near demonstratives in Tamil include idhu for the more neutral “this,” and indha in some dialects, with differing nuances about proximity and emphasis. Ithān often contrasts with these forms to mark focus or identification in dialogue and literary narration.

See also: Tamil language; Demonstratives in Tamil; Tamil grammar.