Page:A Grammar of the Telugu language.djvu/42

24 the use of the nation and the common words వలశినది valasinadi (il faut, must) శానా sānā (much) always use the Siva sound.

Sanscrit words are frequently mispronounced, as regards these letters, by the uneducated Telugus who perpetually mistake the common sanscrit words శ్రీ sri blessed and స్త్రీ stree woman and often write one for the other.

The consonant H requires particular notice because in applying the dirgham it uses peculiar forms—as will now be shewnshown [sic]. హ ha, హా ha, హి hi, హీ hī, or hī, హు hu, హూ hū హృ hri, హె hĕ, హే hē, హై hai, హొ hŏ, హో hō (which closley resembles hhē) హౌ how. I omit vowels ఋ and ఌ because notthey are not [sic] in use.

It is sometimes pronounced as the letter F. Thus జింహ్వ​ jihva (pronounced jifva) the tongue అహ్లాదం ahlādam (aflādam) delight. It some times changes places, in pronunciation, with the letter written under it. Thus the name బ్రహ్మ​ Bramha (a name of God) is written Brahma. And the name for a bramin is written బ్రాహ్మణుడు brāhmanudu but pronounced brāmhanudu.

When the letter H is silent that is, is without a vowel, it is expressed by two dots or circles: viz ః which is called విసర్గః visargah. And it is the custom to repeat after this is the vowel that precedes it: thus స్వతః swatah (voluntarily) is pronounced స్వతహ​ swataha రామః Ramah (a proper name) is pronounced Ramaha as if it was written రామహ​.

The letter క్ష​ csha, more conveniently expressed by X, is a mere compound of క K and ష sha, and is sounded like ct in ac-