In words that consist of short syllables, as పని work పనులు works పనులకు to the works the accent falls on the first syllable. In poetry scansion alone regulates the accent, and this depends on the spelling. When there is but one long syllable the accent falls on it: as in పనులలో in the works. Here the accent is on the last syllable.
When two or more long syllables come together the accent falls usually on the last. Thus తోడేలు tō-dē-lu a wolf has the accent is on the middle syllable because the third is short.
When consonants are doubled, we in English pronounce only one. Thus throbbing, spelling are pronounced throb-ing; spel-ing. But in Telugu as in Italian both are pronounced. Thus అక్క elder sister అవ్న elder brother, తప్పు a fault; are pronounced ac-ca, an-na, tap-pu.
The word సరి sari, right, is pronounced like the English name Surrey. సమ sama, even, like summer మణి mani a jewel like money. పులి puli a tiger like pulley.
In reading aloud, it is the custom to raise the voice to a very disagreeable pitch: when reading verse, the Telugus like all other Hindus, use a sort of chant; and at the end of every stanza they are taught to drawl out the last syllable in a kind of quaver which to our ears is not a little absurd. It is needless for us to imitate this method which a native tutor will lay aside when he finds that it does not please the English ear. Yet we shall often be obliged to use the words యందుక అది చేది। మెల్లగాచదవండి why shout so? read gently.
The following sanscrit lines, borrowed from the Hitopadesa
