TRANSLITERATION
Transliteration of Bengali.
অ has been transcribed as « å », when the original sound of [ɔ] (see below, under Phonetic Transcription) is retained ; as « å’ » or « ō » indifferently, when as a result of Umlaut and loss of following « i » or « u » the sound is altered to [o] ; when the spelling is kept in view, « å’ » has been used, and when the pronunciation, « ō ». The letter « ả » represents a long অ « å » sound which seems to have resulted in OB. and MB. from an earlier group « ăă, ăẇă, ăhă » . A quiescent অ, not indicated in the Bengali spelling by ্ (= the « virāma » or « hasanta »), is transcribed « a », i.e. a deleted « a »: e.g., অনল = « ånâla », but চ’ল্ল « cå’llå (cōllō) ». In a final য় « yå », where it represents an earlier « -ē », the « å » has not been noted : য় = « -y ». In personal names and names of books, simple « a » has been used for অ, and not « å », and the symbol « a » also has been employed.
আ, ই, ঈ, উ, ঊ have been transcribed respectively as « ā, i, ī, u, ū ». As results of « sandhi », « â, î, û » also have been employed. ই উ forming separate syllables, in writing at least, are denoted by « ï, ü ».
ঋ ঌ have been transcribed as « ŗ, ļ », with a vertical bar below, the commoner « ṛ, ḷ » being retained respectively for the so-called ‘cerebral r’ (ড়, ड़) and for the ‘cerebral l’ (= ळ, not found in Bengali).
এ ঐ ও ঔ = « ē, åi, ō, åu »; « Sandhi » এ, ও = « ê, ô ».
ং = « ṅ » or « ṁ » ; ঃ = « ḥ » ; ঁ = « ~ » on the top of the vowel (e.g., অঁ = ã, আঁ = ā̃, ইঁ = ĩ, ঈঁ = ī̃; উঁ = ũ, ঊঁ = ū̃; এঁ = ē̃, ওঁ = ō̃).
ক, খ, গ, ঘ, ঙ = « k, kh, g, gh, ŋ ».
চ, ছ, জ, ঝ, ঞ = « c, ch, j, jh, ñ ».
ট, ঠ, ড, ঢ, ণ = « ṭ, ṭh, ḍ, ḍh, ṇ » ; ড়, ঢ় = « ṛ, ṛh ».
ত, থ, দ, ধ, ন = « t, th, d, dh, n ».
প, ফ, ব, ভ, ম = « p, ph, b, bh, m ».
