పుట:A grammar of the Telugu language.pdf/59

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The expediency of the present arrangement of the dictionary will be hourly felt in reading: a native assistant or instructor, when asked whether we are to look for the word in question, under the primary initial K or the secondary G; under Ch or J (^&, "^fj and are all the same word, meaning mischief, harm) under T or D; under P or under -ft s or ^ s, is very apt to reply that either spelling is equally good.

The letter O is L as in "3e*j)6 Telugu. The letter s? is the same pronounced harshly, turning the tongue upwards: thus pellu 'names' collu 'birds.' Certain Sanscrit words always use O and others always use

The letter ^ V or W; this is generally sounded V; thus, ■sr°<5b vadu 'that man' vidu 'this man' SasSsSb evadu 'who.' In Sanscrit words it ought to be pronounced V as sScsfif&j vayasu 'age' Sre vina 'a lute;' but in many Telugu words the sound is more like W, thus vatti 'mere' is usually sounded watti. The learned generally use the sound V, the illiterate often use the sound W. In English words the Telugus find V hard to pronounce; usually changing it into W. When it is doubled, as in puvvu *a flower' ^S&S covvu 'fat' S^r5 davvuna 'afar' it is usually pronounced as W, thus pu-wu, co-wu, da-wuna. In common talking the V is often dropt: thus ~£&> veta (hunting, the chase, venison, a goat) is generally changed into ^>*-> yeta and dfi"Aj yata. Elsewhere V changes into O. Thus vacjce (vut-cheh) 'he came,' is pronounced "S>^ Oqcs.

The three letters $ sa sS. sha and -ft sa are as different in sound as the English words sharp, action, soul. They are exemplified in