Page:The history of the Bengali language (1920).pdf/102

80 sound, it becomes a half-long vowel as আ in আজ্, রাত, ভাত, পাত, etc. In the words আপন, কাপড়, পাতা, বারুই, বাড়ি, etc., আ is short; this short sound of a long vowel may be termed as the normal long sound in Bengali. We do not make any distinction between long and short sounds of vowels according to Sanskrit rules. As a rule, the single letters when uttered separately, as independent syllables or words, are uttered long; our children, unlike those of Upper India, pronounce অ—অ, আ—আ, ই—ই, ঈ—ঈ, ক—অ, খ—অ, etc., when learning the alphabet. Words of one letter are pronounced long, as it is the case in the Tamil speech. In Tamil, there are 42 one-letter words and they are sounded long. The Bengali one-letter word 'না,' to indicate a reply in the negative, is rather long, while it is short in না জানি, যাব না, etc., where it has been joined to, or compounded with other words. The initial letter of a word of two letters is pronounced long, when the final letter is হসন্ত; cf. ফল, শিব, গুড়, etc.; it is to be noted, that here the words of two letters are words of one syllable, and as such, the rule regarding one syllable is applicable.

(ii) I have spoken of the nasal sound which আ develops at times; it may be noticed that when আ carries a nasal sound in Bengali, it has the tendency to be pronounced long, no matter whether it is followed by a হসন্ত consonant or not; the long sounds of আঁ in আঁশটে, আঁচড়, কাঁঠাল, বাঁশী হাঁটু are examples.

(iii) In the Vedic speech, আ when made very long, was at times transformed into ই sound; compare সিধ্যতি and সাধতি (succeeds), শাস্তে (teaches) and শিষ্ট (taught); this is especially marked in final আ, as স্থিত from স্থা, গীত from গা, গীথ as a variant of গাথ, দীষ্ব from দা and হীন from হা (Macdonnell's Vedic Grammar, p. 4). We may notice in this connection, that in the অপভ্রংশ formation of আখ্ from ইক্ষু,