The talacaṭṭu, or A, is thus attached to most letters. Thus ర Ra, ద da, త ta; but some letters write «/ talacaṭṭu and ి gudi, separately. Thus స sa, సి si, ప pa, పి pi.
Ten consonants never use the sign talacaṭṭu: for it is sounded though not written. These are ఖ kha, -- gna, జ ja, -- za, -- jna, ట ta, ణ na, బ ba, ల la, ఱ ra. Excepting these, it is not the custom to write any letter, even in the alphabet, without the talacaṭṭu. In modern printing, the Kannadi (or "Cannarese") types ప, స are used; which remove all doubt.
The mark I called జడ jada, or ఒత్తు ottu, or వొత్తు vottu, is a breathing, and being placed under some letters, makes them aspirates. Thus బి Bi, ది Di, బు Bu, దు Du, are not aspirated. But భి Bhi, ధి Dhi, భు Bhu, ధు Dhu, have the aspirate sound.
A circle, o, is in some places used for N or M. Thus అంత is anta, అంబ is amba, పంపుట is pamputa 'to send.' The circle (called సున్న sunna) is usually formed like the English letter o. Thus అంగం is angam. but, for the sake of clearness, the form O is frequently used in this grammar.
As certain consonants have the vowel A "inherent" so the consonant య ya (of which --- is the second form) has the vowel I, inherent. For if written without */ the letter యి is i or yi. Thus పోయి is pō-yi (pronounced pō-i) ' having gone.' వెయ్యి veyyi (ve-i) 'a thousand.' చెయ్యి cheyyi (chē-i) ' the hand.'
The mark -- is called దీర్ఘం dīrgham ; and is the common name for broad ā. Thus కకారదీర్ఘం kakāra-dīrgham signifies (కా kā) the consonant k with ā added.
As I is inherent in y, యీ is yī; sounded as i in machine, or ee in seen.
The letter a అ is called అకారం acāram or 'letter A' as in Amelia; but the sign */ a is called తలకట్టు talacaṭṭu or crest. The letter ఇ I is called ఇకారం i-cāram: but the sign G) I, is called గుడి gudi 'a whirl.' The letter ఉ U is called ఉకారం Ucāram: but the sign \) is called కొమ్ము commu ' a horn.'
