Linguistic Survey Of India Vol V Part I Indo Aryan Family Eastern Group

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compound consonant is hardly audible. Thus ^^ marfy, is scunded f&mp. In such
cases it will fo transliterated by a small ir ?ibov<* th* -in*.

The three letters *T, 3, and *T, when not compounded with any otbercons&uaiit an* all
pronounced something like a rousrh German c,h> or like the Arabic ± khf. In such cases
all three are transliterated by ha. Thus c**f <fc£, a country; *F3Jft lattto^ *atis?a«'tioti,
*PR Aa&aJ, all. When compounded with another ^nswant, tiiey are usually pronounced
like the sin* sin/ When so pronounced, they will all be transliterated by w. Thus
3rif^0$f#, protected; ll^^mfe, Christ; MtjjWWra, .scripture. When compounded
with the letter jro» they are all pronounced as sh in * JraMi/ and will be so transliterated.
Thus f^TO $8hya, a disciple. These three letters, however, retain the A-sound when com-
pounded with a preceding ?, and will be so transliterate!. Thus, F*fr darjifM) not darwn.
Bronson has altogether abandoned *T ^a and ^ ska, and writes only ^r «a.

When consonants in the middle of a word are folio wed by the letter*, they are often
elided. Thus hdite for {white* with; fe?» for Idri, having done; ^ai for mil, a river;
£&#*?£ for khuzise, he wishes; 6w?7^ for Ja///(?, lie said. A final 0, except when foilo\ni>2
a compound consonant, is usually not pronounced. Numerous examples will be found
above*

It is hoped that the following sketch of Assamese Grammar will enable the reader
to understand the specimens of the language given on the subsequent pages,

Bengali