The letter ఉ U is called ఉచరం u-caram; but the sign ు is called కొమ్ము commu or horn.
Instead of cāram, the word త్వం twam is sometimes used. Thus these three vowels are at pleasure called అత్వం, ఇత్వం, ఉత్వం, ătwam, itwam, and utwam.
The mark ా is called దీర్ఘం dīrgham and is the common name for broad ā. Thus కకారదీర్ఘం ca-cara-dirgham signifies కా cā.
Added to ు it lengthens the sound. Thus ూ is కొమ్ము దీర్ఘం commu dirgham or long U.
It takes another shape (
Telugu characters) with gudi Thus కీ kī is called gudi dirgham or long I. Also with the vowels ĕ and ŏ. Thus కె కొ are kĕ, kŏ; but కే కో are kē, kō.
If two consonants meet, one is written without a vowel under the other Thus నక్క nacca a fox, కుక్క cucca a dog, బల్లెం ballem a spear, గుర్రం gurram a horse అచ్చు aççu a type: which are thus arranged: nacac; cucac; blelm; gurar; açç. Herein we see that the vowel A added to ç is superfluous, as has been pointed out. The letter క్ర is ca. Here (Telugu characters) is the letter R and comes between c and a. It is called క్రారావడి crārā vadi.
The letter (Telugu characters) is used in writing; but in printing it is more convenient to use the more ancient form (Telugu characters) which we may observe in some ancient inscriptions on temples.
The letter that stands on the line is first pronounced, then the
