Here we see that the mark (
Telugu characters) (which is ă) is attached to the consonant: it is certainly superfluous in sound, but is always used.
Yet there are nine consonants which form an exception. These are ఖ kha ఙ gna జ ja ఞ jna ట ṭa ణ ṇa బ ba ల la ఱ in which a is called inherent; that is it is pronounced without being written.
The mark (Telugu characters) written under certain consonants makes them aspirates: thus ద is D but ధ is Dh so ప is P but ఫ is Ph.
The names of the consonants are formed by adding ă or ā. Thus ద is called dă or dā; ధ is called dhă or dhā.
Sometimes the word కారం cāram (letter) is added. Thus ద is called దకారం dacāram, letter D.
A small circle ం or dot [ • ] is in some places used for N or M. Thus అంత or అ•త is anta అంగం or అ•గ• is angam which is instead of అన్త and అగ్గం.
The circle is usually formed like the English letter o. Thus అంగం is angam. But to distinguish it from the English letter, I shall frequently use the form ం in this grammar.
As certain consonants have the vowel a “inherent” so the consonant య ya has the vowel I inherent. For if written without (Telugu characters) the letter యి is i or yi.
The mark ా added to some vowels lengthens the sound. Thus క is short că but కా is long cā. Thus గా is gā and చా is chā. Thus కు becomes కూ kū.
As i is inherent in y, యీ is yī or ī like ī in machine, or ee in deep.
The letter ă అ is called అచరం, ă-caram, or letter A. but the sign (Telugu characters) ă is called తలకట్టు, or crest. The letter ఇ I is called ఇచరం i-caram: but the sign ి, ĭ, is called గుడి gudi or whirl.
