The Consonants ا, ع, و, and ي
8. At the beginning of a word or syllable ا (alif) depends for its sound on the accompanying vowel.
ع ('ain) depends for its sound on the accompanying vowel; its place of utterance is in the lower muscles of the throat, thus :—
عَب 'ab , عِب 'ib, عُب 'ub,
are different in sound from
اب ab, اِب ib, اُب ub.
و (wāw) has the sound of w in the words we, went.
The modern Persians pronounce the wāw like v in words such as شَوَم shavam, سَوِي shavī
ي (ya) is, in sound, like y in the words you, yet.
Long Vowels or Letters of Prolongation
9. When ا, inert, is preceded by a letter move- able by fatḥa, the fatḥa and alif coalesce and give a lengthened sound, as کار kār, "work;" the sound is like that of a in war.
Alif, inert, is always preceded by fatḥa; hence
