Page:A Grammar of the Telugu language.djvu/22

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4
ALPHABET.

one, or two, under it. Then the vowel above. Thus ప్ర​ is pra: and స్త్రీ strī, a women, also written (Symbol missingTelugu characters) that is sitr


Sometimes a consonant is marked as “silent” as no vowel is attached to it. The silent mark is (Symbol missingTelugu characters) or ్ added to the top of the letter instead of a vowel. Thus ప్వ్రదక్ pridhac (i. e. separately apart.) Here the mark written above K shews that it is silent. Thus also ల is the Letter L but by adding this sign it becomes ల్ as in the word హల్ hal; meaning a consonant. So అచ్ ach (i. e. a vowel.) Thus త T becomes త్ as in the word అవశాత్ avasát unexpectedly. The letter స​ becomes స్ as in the word హవిస్ haviss i.e. oblation. Thus ప​ or pa becomes ప్ as అప్ ap i. e. water. All these are Sanscrit words.

The letter న N assumes the form న్ in the word యంటన్ intan in the house, లొపలన్ lopalan within. This mark is called నకారపొల్లు nacāra-pollu.

The letter ర R when followed by another consonant sometimes adds it beneath, as in the word అర్చ​ arca (arac) or sometimes changes places with it and assumes this form ర్ thus అకర్ acar. So ధర్మం dharmam Dharamm may also be written ధమర్‍ం dahmarm. So కర్త​ carat carta, a lord, may be written క‍తర్ catar