A Grammar of the Telugu Language/Chapter I/On spelling

by Charles Philip Brown

On Spelling.

The short vowel ă is used as exhibited in the alphabet. The other vowels are written and pronounced as follows.

ఆ Broad ā as in card, or in అంధ్ర​ Andhra the Sanscrit name for the Telugu language. The 2nd form is ా called దీఘర్ం dĭrgham. Thus.

కా, కా, (Telugu characters) cā ఖా khā గా gā ఘా ghā

చా chā ఛా chhā జా jā ఝా jhā (జా is often written జౌ)

(Telugu characters) or టా tā or (Telugu characters) tā ఠా thā డా dā ఢా dhā ణా nā or ణౕ nā

తా tā థా thā దా dā ధా dhā నా nā

పా pā ఫా phā బా bā భా bhā మా mā

యా yā రా rā లా lā ళా lā వా vā

శా sā షా shā సా sā హా hā క్షా xā

On the Vowel I.

ఇ ǐ short i as in king, ి as కి ki. This vowel in its second shape is named (as already mentioned) గుడి gudi i. e. a turn.

Thus England and English will be ఇంగ్లండు, ఇంగ్లిషి.

ఈ Long ī as in machīne, ravine: or like ee in seen, between. The long vowel ఈ is named ఈత్వం and the sign is called గుడిదీర్ఘం gudidīrgham or, “The turn and the long.”

The long vowel is shaped like the short one, but adds the accent thus కీ is kī, and స్త్రీ is strī or stree. The sign for dirgham is often omitted.

Added to the various this somewhat changes their shapes. Thus.

కి ki కీ kī ఖి khi ఖీ khī గి gi గీ gī ఘి ghi ఘీ ghī or ఘిా ghī.

Herein we see that instead of adding the accent ౕ to ి they add the sign ా dīrgham at the end.

చి chi చీ chī జి ji జీ jī ఝి jhi ఝీ jhī or ఝిా jhī టి ti టీ or టాి tī; or (Telugu characters) ti (Telugu characters) tī ఠి thi ఠీ thī డి dĭ డీ dī ఢి dhĭ ఢీ dhī ణి ni ణీ nī or (Telugu characters) ni (Telugu characters) nī తి ti తీ tī or (Telugu characters) ti (Telugu characters) tī థి thi థీ thī ది di దీ dī ధి dhi ధీ dhī ని ni నీ nī పి pi పీ pī ఫి phi ఫీ phī బి bi బీ bī భి bhi భీ bhī మి mi మిా mī మీ mī యి yi యీ yī (This consonant having the vowel inherent) రి ri రీ rī లి li లీ lī వి vi వీ vī శి si శీ sī షి shi షీ shī సి si సీ sī (sometimes written సిా sī) హి hĭ హీ hĭ (Telugu characters) hī (Telugu characters) hī (Telugu characters) hī క్షి xi క్షీ xī.

Instead of the initial (or capital) forms ఇ ĭ ఈ ī they use యి yĭ and యీ yī which however are pronounced simply ĭ. ī. Thus యిక్కడ iccada (here) యీడు īdu (age) are written instead of ఇక్క​డ and ఈడు The initial forms ఇఈ are seldom used inless in poems and dictionaries.

It will be observed that the six consonants ఘ gha ప​ pa ఫ​ pha, ష​ sha, స​ sa హ​ which have the vowel (Telugu characters) written separate from them, likewise have the vowel ి i written, in the same manner, separately.

ఉ or (Telugu characters) the vowel U as in full, put; or oo in foot. ఊ or (Telugu characters) the same vowel long, as ū in truth or oo in root, shoot, pool.

The form (Telugu characters) is constantly used for this vowel; but grammarians assert that this form belongs to R as will be stated under that letter.

The second forms are ు ూ along with which (Telugu characters) (the sign of ă) is used: excepting the nine letters that never use (Telugu characters). Thus.

కు is ku and కూ is kū; which is formed by adding ా to ు.

కు is ku ఖు khu గు gu ఘు ghu చు chu ఛు chhu జు ju జూ jū ఝు jhu టు tu ఠు thu డు du ఢు dhu ణు nu తు tu థు thu దు du ధు dhu ను nu పు pu ఫు phu బు bu భు bhu ము mu యు yu రు ru ఱు ru లు lu ళు lu వు vu శు su షు shu సు su హు hu క్షు xu.

Here it will be observed that the letters ప p ఫ ph and వ​ v add this vowel in a peculiar manner. This is done to distinguish them from ఘ​ gh and మ. But in common hasty writing these distinctions are sometimes confounded and we even find పు pu shaped మ Thus the word పురాణం purānam (a history) is written thus పురాణం- తప్పు tappu, a fault, is written తమ. In like manner న N is often written for స S. But over S and P when thus written, a little upright dash is placed, to denote that the vowel out to be separate from the consonant.

In common writing, the letters ఙ zu and ఙూ zū are often shaped exactly like the vowels ఋ ri and ౠ rū.

Instead of the initial forms ఉ and ఊ the consonants వూ Vū are generally used. Thus the word ŭdyōgam (employ) and ūshnam (heat) are in the dictionary spelt ఉద్యొగం ఊష్ణం and but in common writing these always are spelt వుద్యొగం and వూష్ణం i e. Vud-yō-gam and Vūshnam. But the V is not sounded and accordingly the sound is udyōgam and ūshnam.

When the short u it is final, is written indeed, but very often dropped in pronunciation. Thus చేను chēnu a field is always called చేన్ chēn బాతు bātu a duck is pronounced బాత్ bāt దున్నపోతు a heifer in like manner is pronounced దున్నపొత్ dunnapōt. Thus also in words that end in ము mu బేరము bēramu (merchandize) is always pronounced బేరం bēram. Experience will shew us that in all such words the final U is necessary only in poetry. In words borrowed from Hindustāni, English, or other languages (and which have a final silent consonant) as firyād (a compaint) vakīl (a pleader) major (the English word) the Telugus do indeed add a final U, thus ఫిర్యాదు, వకీలు, మేఙరు. because it is awkward to attach the silent mark ్ to these consonants; so they write the vowel U but do not pronounce it.

ఋ is rĭ or rŏŏ as in the words rig, rich, trick, rŏŏk, brook. Thus ఋషి rĭshi, a prophet, ఋతు rŭtu a season ఋణం debt.

ౠ The same vowel pronounced long. The second forms are ృ (short) and ౄ long. Thus తృప్తి tripti, fulness. కృప​ crĭpa favour.

The vowel ă is written (but not pronounced) a long with this vowel. Thus కృ crĭ గృ grĭ పృ prĭ సృ srĭ &c. But the vowel u is often added, though superfluous and erroneous. Thus తృప్తి tripti is generally spelt తుృప్తి trupti and గృహం griham a house is written గృుహం.

It is necessary to point out such vulgar errors, lest the learner should be misled and thus disappointed when looking for a word in the dictionary.

Another error regarding ఋ is that some persons substitute రు the consonant Ru. ఋతు rutu a season, is spelt రుతు

Many Telugu words, as మ్రుగ్దు, గ్రుక్పిళ్లు, స్రుక్పు, have ు u and (Telugu characters) attached to the initial consonant. This is vulgarly changed into (Telugu characters), and these words are accordingly written (in manuscripts of poems) మ్ప​గ్దు, గ్పుక్పిళ్లు, స్ప​క్పు, which may mislead the learner when looking for these words in the dictionary.

The vowel ఌ is rarely used. Indeed (Telugu characters) that is L is generally substituted. Thus clripta (short) is written క్లుప్త​ and pronounced clupta. Pluta, (extension) is written ప్లుత, or మ్లత​, which correctly would be ప్లత​. in fact ఌ is entirely obsolete.

ఎ e short, as in pen, men. So ఎన్ని enni (how many) ఎక్పడ​ eceada, where. ఎనిమిది enimidi eight తేనె tēnë (honey) కారె cārĕ (it flowed) వ్రాసె vrāsĕ he wrote తెనుగు Tenugu or తెలుగు Telugu or తెలుంగు Telungu the name of this language.

ఏ ē long, nearly like ā in made, maid, paid. Thus ఏలుట​ ēluta to rule. ఏబయి ēbai, fifty ఏడు ēdu seven పొయ్యే poyyē going తానే he himself. The mark of accent is rarely used in rough writing: thus the short forms (ఎ and ె) are used in most places instead of the long form. In writing Sanscrit the sounds of e and o are invariably long, but the accent is not used. Telugu alone requires that distinction as it uses both forms.

The second forms are ె ĕ and ే ē Thus కె kĕ కే kē ఖె khĕ ఖే khē గె gĕ ఘె ghĕ &c.

The long vowel differs from the short only be adding the sign ౕ which in ordinary writing is omitted. Thus the long and short vowels are written alike.

These shapes ె ే are drawn right to left, and ా the sign of ā is drawn the opposite way. Thus కా is cā but కె is kĕ and కే is kē. Accordingly we have these forms ఖెె khe గె ge ఘె ghe ఘే ghē చె ఛే జె ఝె; టె te ఠె the డె de ఢె dhe ణె nē తె te థె the దె de ధె dhe నె nĕ పె pe ఫె phe బె be భె bhe మె me మే mē యె ye రె re లె lĕ ళె le వె ve వే vē శె se షే shē సె se సే sē హే hē క్షే xē.

In English the final short e is often silent, as in mare, pace, dare, tale &c. but in spelling Telugu in English letters, we pronounce the e, (as in Latin) wherein marĕ the sea, darĕ (to give) talĕ (such) &c. are dissyllables. In like manner the final short e is pronounced in the following words.

పెరిగె pe-ri-ge it grew. తల​చె ta-la-che he thought ఛెప్పె chep-pe he said పోయె pō-ye he went.

Adding the accent makes any of these long. Instead of the initial form, which is confused to poems and dictionaries, యె ye యే yē are used. Thus యెక్కడ​ ĕccada (where) and యేమి​ ēmi (what) are correctly spelt in the dictionary, ఎక్కడ ĕccada and ఏమి ēmi. The y though thus written does not affect the pronunciation.

The initial ఏ ē is usually changed into యా yā. Thus ఏబయి ēbai, (fifty) is always written and pronounced యాభయి yābhai; and ఏతం ētam, a swape or pump, is written యాతం yātam. Yet in the dictionary such words are always placed under the vowel initial, for reasons which (like some other anomalies in the Alphabet) will be explained in the rules regarding Prosody, and Elision.

It will be observed that the six letters which write ి over without touching them, likewise have ĕ and ē written in the same manner.

ఐ ai Thus ఐశ్వర్యం aiswaryam, (prosperity) This is sounded like I in like or y in Thy or like ei in height. But ai is the only spelling which is justified by Etymology.

Words beginning with this vowel use the shape ఐ in the dictionary; but in common use this is laid aside, and అయి AYI is substituted. Thus ఐనాను (I became) is written అయినాను ayinānu. Under the vowel ఇ it has been shewn that యి yi is used for i, and in fact does not retain the sound of y (which is reckoned as a consonant) Thus what is written a-yi-nānu, is pronounced ai-nā-nu. The second form is ై Thus కై kai ఖై khai గై gai &c. The six letters have neither of these touching them. The forms therefore are as follows.

కై ఖై గై ఘై చై ఛై జై ఝై టై ఠై డై ఢై ణై తై థై దై ధై పై ఫై బై భై మై యై రై లై ళై వై శై షై సై హై క్షై.

ఒ is short ŏ as in prŏduction. The long form is ఓ as in boat, moan, repose. The two sounds ŏ and ō are similar to o in hŏney and mōre as pronounced in Derbyshire.

These initial forms are found in the dictionary but are laid aside in common use, (Telugu characters) vŏ and (Telugu characters) vō being substituted.

But the consonant V is not pronounced. Thus (Telugu characters) is simple ŏ and (Telugu characters) is ō Accordingly.

(Telugu characters) ŏppu (right) is written (Telugu characters)

ఒకటి ŏcati (one) is written (Telugu characters) or even వకటి

ఒత్తుట​ ŏttuta (to press) is written (Telugu characters)

ఓగు ōgu (wicked) is written (Telugu characters)

ఓపిక​ ōpica (patience) is written (Telugu characters)

ఓసీ ōsī (madam) is written (Telugu characters)

The short vowel has two second forms. viz ొ as కొ co గొ ఖొ kho &c.

The six letters ఘ &c. write this separate, as ఘ‍ొ. But they usually adopt the second form.

The second form is compound of ె ĕ and ు the sign of u Thus కెు is co, (Telugu characters) గెు go ఖెు kho &c.

The six letters write the ె separately, as usual The long vowel is formed by adding the accent to ొ thus కో cō గో gō ఖో khō &c.

Or by adding ె (dirgham) to the ు thus కెూ cō ఖెూ khō గెూ gō &c.

This compound form is used by all consonants but all of them do not use the simple form.

Simple Form.

కొ ఖొ గొ చొ ఛొ ఠొ tho డొ do ఢొ dho తొ థొ దొ ధొ బొ bo భొ bho. రొ ro లొ lo. Four letters have a peculiar shape పొ po ఫొ pho షొ sho సొ so.

All these may be elongated by adding the accent, thus కో cō గో gō &c.

Compound Form.

కెు co ఘెు gho మెు mo యెు yo వెు vo శెు so హెు &c.

Most of these are elongated by adding ా (dirgham) as కెూ cō ఖెూ khō &c. పెూ pō వెూ vō నెూ nō. The long form is often (wrongly) written instead of the short.

Thus ĕ and ŭ compounded, (like eau in French) become ō But five letters omit the sign ు when the vowel is long. Thus ఘెూ ghō ఝెూ jhō మెూ mō యెూ yō (Telugu characters) hō

The vowel ఔ au, or ow, as in cow, out, mount; but it is compounded of A and U and accordingly in common writing the initial shape ఔ is never used; అవు avu being substituted. And the v being silent as already shewn, this is pronounced aw or au. Thus అవుట​ auta, or, avuta (to become), which in the dictionary is ఔట​ awta, pronounced like the English word outer. Thus ఔదార్య​ audaryam generosity, is commonly written అ‍వుదార్యం but the pronunciation remains unaltered.

The (Telugu characters) is (very needlessly) retained in combination with au as regards some letters. Thus మౌ mau యౌ yau, హౌ hau. The following are the shapes used.

కౌ ఖౌ గౌ ఘౌ చౌ ఛౌ జౌ ఝౌ టౌ ఠౌ డౌ ఢౌ ణౌ తౌ థౌ దౌ ధౌ నౌ పౌ ఫౌ బౌ భౌ మౌ యౌ రౌ లౌ శౌ షౌ సౌ హౌ క్షౌ.

For the sake of uniformity in the dictionary, the monosyllable forms of AI and AU are used. Thus, for the words పయిట​ pa-yi-ta (a woman's veil) and కవుజు ca-vu-zu (a partridge) we must use the spelling పైట and కౌజు. Sanscrit words invariably use the monosyllabic forms: Telugu words use these or the dissyllabic forms at pleasure. Poets adopt whichever form suits the metre. Thus కౌగిలి cau-gi-li (an embrace) is a dactyl, formed of a long syllable and two shorts. But this may be written కవుగిలి ca-vu-gi-li (four shorts) or by inserting ం that is, N, they write కవుంగిలి ca-vun-gi-li whereby the second syllable becomes long.

The reader now perceives that the vowels may be thus diversified.

ఇ may become య; for ఈ they use యా; for ఉ, and ఊ, వు and వూ; for ఎ and ఏ they use యె యే; for ఐ they always write అయ​; for, ఒ and ఓ they use వెు and వెూ or even యొ yo, యో yō. And ఔ au becomes అవు.