Page:Persian manual pocket companion 1877.djvu/27



8. At the beginning of a word or syllable (alif) depends for its sound on the accompanying vowel.

('ain) depends for its sound on the accompanying vowel; its place of utterance is in the lower muscles of the throat, thus :—

ab, ib, 'ub,

are different in sound from

ab, ib, ub.

(wāw) has the sound of w in the words we, went.

The modern Persians pronounce the wāw like v in words such as shavam,  shavī

(ya) is, in sound, like y in the words you, yet.

9. When, inert, is preceded by a letter move- able by fatḥa, the fatḥa and alif coalesce and give a lengthened sound, as kār, "work;" the sound is like that of a in war.

Alif, inert, is always preceded by fatḥa; hence