IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Results of a Scientific Mission to India and High Asia : vol.3 |
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Citation Information
DETAILS OF THE CONSONANTS. 153
slowly, as in singing; it then dissolves itself distinctly into its two component vowels.'
Diresis coincides sometimes in Hindostâni with the original interposition of the Arabic "ain," but I found it not so distinctly marked as to deserve a particular sign.'
The nasal vowels are formed by a depression of the tongue, serving to open the interior part of the nasal channel, combined with the ordinary position of the lips; this is best observed if a pure vowel and its nasal modification are pronounced in immediate succession. The practice of this experiment will make it easy to learn the pronunciation of such nasal vowels, as "î" and "~z," which sounds are not generally met with in the European languages.
Nasal diphthongs, as diphthongs in general, are also easily decomposed by speaking slowly, or by singing ; in numerous instances I found that sounds resolved themselves into simple nasal sounds which had at first appeared to be diphthongs.' In nasal diphthongs both vowels have this nasal modification in coincidence with the physical laws of their pronunciation; but for simplicity we make the sign " only once, over the last one.
3. DETAILS OF THE CONSONANTS.
Pronunciation of the consonants.
In general we followed the principle of representing a consonant physically simple by a simple sign, which involves the consequence of writing "dz, ng, ny, ts," by two letters; exceptions were made, however, in such few instances, as ch, j, kh, sh, where the mode of spelling in English, so generally adopted in the geographical terminology of these regions, made it advisable not to introduce a novelty.
In the European as well as native languages there are many instances of incorrect spelling. The German words "heute" (to-day), "Eigensehaft" (quality), sound like "haute," "Aigenschaft;" the English words "loudly," "silently," sound "Iitiudli," ' sâilentli."
2 Also the position of the accent on the second part of a diphthong physically produces the effect of a diaeresis which is much more distinct.
3 As a familiar example, I adduce the French "fin," which, transcribed, appears as "fa," and generally is interpreted as "MI."
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