Page:A Grammar of the Telugu language.djvu/31

Rh places instead of the long form. In writing Sanscrit the sounds of e and o are invariably long, but the accent is not used. Telugu alone requires that distinction as it uses both forms.

The second forms are ె ĕ and  ే ē Thus కె kĕ కే kē ఖె khĕ ఖే khē గె gĕ ఘె ghĕ &c.

The long vowel differs from the short only be adding the sign ౕ which in ordinary writing is omitted. Thus the long and short vowels are written alike.

These shapes ె  ే are drawn right to left, and  ా the sign of ā is drawn the opposite way. Thus కా is cā but కె is kĕ and కే is kē. Accordingly we have these forms ఖెె khe గె ge ఘె ghe ఘే ghē చె ఛే జె ఝె; టె te ఠె the డె de ఢె dhe ణె nē తె te థె the దె de ధె dhe నె nĕ పె pe ఫె phe బె be భె bhe మె me మే mē యె ye రె re లె lĕ ళె le వె ve వే vē శె se షే shē సె se సే sē హే hē క్షే xē.

In English the final short e is often silent, as in mare, pace, dare, tale &c. but in spelling Telugu in English letters, we pronounce the e, (as in Latin) wherein marĕ the sea, darĕ (to give) talĕ (such) &c. are dissyllables. In like manner the final short e is pronounced in the following words.

పెరిగె pe-ri-ge it grew. తల​చె ta-la-che he thought ఛెప్పె chep-pe he said పోయె pō-ye he went.

Adding the accent makes any of these long. Instead of the initial form, which is confused to poems and dictionaries, యె ye యే yē are used. Thus యెక్కడ​ ĕccada (where) and యేమి​ ēmi (what) are correctly spelt in the dictionary, ఎక్కడ ĕccada and ఏమి ēmi. The y though thus written does not affect the pronunciation.