Double Conjunctions

Paired conjunctions on both sides

Tamil links two equal items by attaching -உம் ('also/and') to each one in turn — ஜெர்மனும் தமிழும், literally 'German-also Tamil-also'. German instead frames the pair with two separate words, one before each item: sowohl before the first, als auch before the second. Different mechanism — a repeated suffix vs. a bracketing pair of words — but the underlying instinct, marking both sides of a pairing rather than just one, is something Tamil speakers already do automatically.