ple: but the second and fourth are aspirated. The simple letters are called hard, and the third letter in the same line is called soft.
Thus G is the soft form of K, and P is the hard form of B. Each line concludes with a nasal.
The expressions dentals, palatals labials hard, soft, &c. here omitted call for explanation in Sanscrit Gramars: but belong to the chapter on Sanscrit elision and permutation.
The Telugu alphabet is borrowed from that of the Carnataca or Canarese language: and these are as alike as French and English manuscript: yet the two languages are quite distinct.
Why some consonants are called hard and others are called soft will hereafter be shewn.
The forms given in the Alphabet are the capitals or first forms. The secondary forms will now be given, with the pronunciation.
అ short a as in about, around or like u in but or like e in enough. The second form is (
Telugu characters) as in క ca ప pa.
Six of the consonants (ఘ, ప, ఫ, ష, స, హ, gha, pa, pha, sha, sa, ha,) have this written above them not being united, but separate. This serves to distinguish ప P from వ V and స S from న n.
In common writing the shapes of the letters vary considerably, Thus in writing the letters Ka and Ta, క, త, or Kĭ and Ti కి, తి, the vowels (Telugu characters) and ి may be joined to the letter or may be written separate at pleasure.
Each of the first five lines of the alphabet terminates in a nasal.
