Page:Sanskrit Grammar by Whitney p1.djvu/33

 free use of the -sign (11) under final consonants: thus, for example,

or even by indicating also the combinations of initial and final vowels (126, 127): for example,

In transliterating, Western methods of separation of words are of course to be followed; to do otherwise would be simple pedantry.

Under A, it is to be noticed that the modes of indicating a vowel combined with a preceding consonant are as follows:

The short अ has no written sign at all; the consonant-sign itself implies a following अ, unless some other vowel-sign is attached to it (or else the : 11). Thus, the consonant-signs as given above in the alphabetic scheme are really the signs of the syllables, , etc. etc. (to ).

The long आ is written by a perpendicular stroke after the consonant: thus, का, धा , हा.

Short इ and long ई  are written by a similar stroke, which for short  is placed before the consonant and for long  is placed after it, and in either case is connected with the consonant by a hook above the upper line: thus, कि, की ; भि , भी ; नि , नी.

The hook above, turning to the left or to the right, is historically the essential part of the character, having been originally the whole of it; the hooks were only later prolonged, so as to reach all the way down beside the consonant. In the MSS., they almost never have the horizontal stroke drawn across them above, though this is added in the printed characters: thus, originally,  ; in the MSS. , ; in print कि, की.

The -sounds, short and long, are written by hooks attached to the lower end of the consonant-sign: thus कु, कू ; डु , डू. On account of the necessities of combination, and  are somewhat disguised: thus,, ; and the forms with र  and ह  are still more irregular: thus, रु , रू ; हु , हू.