Page:The history of the Bengali language (1920).pdf/125

Rh must as a rule be pronounced as non-হসন্ত; what is pointed out is, that where the normal হসন্ত pronunciation is deviated from, the words disclose the history of their origin as formulated above. ভাল (from ভদ্র = ভদ্দ), এত (from এতাবৎ), বার (from দ্বাদশ = বাড়শ), etc., are some examples. Contrast খাল, ঝাল, এক, তিন, সাত, দশ, etc. Notice also মত (like) decayed form of our vernacular মতন and মত (opinion). It has also to be noticed, in the history of such words as ছোট, বড়, ভাল, etc., that their earlier forms were ছোটা, বড়া, ভালা, etc. কাল = black is pronounced as কালা in Eastern Bengal, and this form কালা obtains in Upper India. It is further noticeable, that আ, like ই-আ and উ-আ is found conjoined to many noun stems, to indicate the adjective forms of the nouns; we are not, however, concerned with that phenomenon here. (4) The participle-forming ত (but not ইত) is pronounced as a distinct syllable, as কৃত, ক্রীত, প্রীত, আগত, etc.; contrast with them রহিত, মোহিত, সহিত, etc. (5) The past-indicating ল suffix, which owes its origin to participle-forming ত, is pronounced non-হসন্ত, as করিল, গেল, হইল, etc.; the ছ­ending of the suffix আছ (occurring in second person only) is also similarly pronounced, as আছ, করিয়াছ, গিয়াছ, etc. (6) When the initial letter is compounded with র or ল, and (a) vowels other than অ, do not come between the initial and the final, and (b) the. consonant হ or ব does not intervene, the final letter is pronounced as a distinct syllable; e.g., ব্রজ, ব্রত, প্রমথ (contrast with শপথ of হসন্ত ending), শ্লথ, etc.; but notice the হসন্ত finals of (a) গ্রাস, গ্রাম, ঘ্রাণ, প্রাণ, প্রসাদ, প্রদীপ, শ্লোক, ক্লেশ, সু-গ্রীব, etc., where vowels other than অ intervene; mark again, (b) প্রহর and প্রবল, where হ and ব intervene. As an exception to the general rule, we get first, the word ধ্রুব, the final of which is uttered as a syllable; we notice the general exception, where ম is final; as ক্রম, ভ্রম, শ্রম, etc. (7) The simple finals of the words of