Vedic and Philological Studies

Notes on Phonetic Transformations

Greek Origins.

The following rules govern normally the transliteration of the Old Sanscrit into the Greek Prakrit. There are however other variations.

Vowels.

अ     becomes α ε or o , normally, but these short vowels may be lengthened by the old Aeolic tendency into diphthongs, αɩ, εɩ, oυ. In certain cases अ may become ɩ, but this is rare.

आ      becomes ᾶ,ƞ,or ω.

इ      becomes α,ε, or ɩ.

ई      becomes ῖ, or ƞ.

उ      becomes υ, or o and lengthens into ευ, oɩ, or oυ.

ऊ      becomes ῦ or ῶ.

ए      becomes ε.

ऐ      becomes αɩ, εɩ or oɩ.

ओ      becomes o, ω, ᾶ, αυ.

औ      becomes αυ, oυ.

Consonants

ह     becomes σ,θ, or a rough breathing or entirely disappears. In the middle of a word it either disappears or becomes θ.

स     becomes a rough breathing, remains σ, becomes τ or ζ or disappears.

श     becomes x or χ at the beginning of a word; in the middle it also becomes ϒ.

ष     becomes a guttural.

Page 716

व     becomes β or disappears. In conjunct letters it sometimes becomes υ, but usually disappears.

ल     becomes ρ or remains λ.

र     becomes λ or remains ρ.

य     becomes ε,ɩ, sometimes υ (in conjuncts) or disappears.

म     becomes ν or remains μ.

न     remains ν.

ण, ञ, डं     become ν.

प     becomes ϕ or remains π.

ब     becomes π or ϕ or remains β.

फ     becomes π or β, or remains ϕ.

भ     becomes π, ϕ or β.

त     becomes σ or θ or remains τ.

द     remains δ.

थ     becomes τ or remains θ.

ध     becomes θ or δ.

ट ठ ड ढ      become dentals.

क     remains x.

ख     becomes x or remains χ.

ग     remains ϒ.

घ     becomes ϒ,χ or χ.

च     becomes τ or x .

ज     becomes ς or ϒ.

क्ष     becomes ξ .
Rules—derived from common Tamil changes.

(1) The vowels are modified in various ways.
Eg மயில் for मयूर,

(2) The akar is dropped at the end of the stem—passim.

(3) र is continually changed into ல.
Eg மயில்,

Page 717

(4) Medial consonants are dropped or replaced by ய or வ.
கலயம் for कलशम्, பாவம் for पापम्

(5) ल is represented by ல, ள or ழ.
பழம் for फलम्, காளி for काली, அகிலம் for अखिलम्

(6) All soft letters are converted to the corresponding hard,which is however softened or aspirated in the middle of a word.—A general rule of Tamil.

(7) All aspirates except ह, the pure aspirate, are converted into the corresponding unaspirated letters. General rule of Tamil.

(8) A compound letter is simplified.
Eg தூண் for स्थूण

Special Rules for Change of Consonants not dropped.

(1) There is no sibilant in pure Tamil, only ச representing श, ष & स—A recognised rule.

(2) There is no ह. It is often changed into க.
Eg மகான் pronounced महान्

(3) ष is changed into ட.
வீட்டு for वेष्म

(4) ல and ற easily interchange.
Eg அகற்றுகிறது from அகல்

(5) क्ष becomes க or க்க.
அக்கதம் for अक्षतम्, அக்கமம் for अक्षमम्, அக்கம் for अक्षम्

(6) स is changed into த.
Eg மாதம் for मासम्

(7) त sometimes becomes ச, when preceded by a guttural. Eg அக்கசம்

Page 718