Hindi/English Transliteration Table

Music in South Asia: Transliteration Table

The following table [still under construction] will eventually give the Devanagari (Dev) alphabet of Sanskrit and Hindi. Additional sounds have been added to the alphabet from other regional languages. Following each letter is the transliteration symbol [also under construction] commonly used in transcribing South Asian languages and which can be found in sources such as Monier-Williams's Sanskrit-English Dictionary(1899), Platts's A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindï, and English (1884), and (perhaps more conveniently) in the Webster's dictionary in its Alphabet Table. These symbols take the form of commonly used Roman letters with modifying diacritics. Following this transliteration is yet another Roman transliteration which instead of diacritics distinguishes different sounds with upper and lower case. Following each of these is a description of how the sound is to be pronounced, giving English equivalents.

The alphabet is given in the order it would appear in a Devanagari-based dictionary.

Vowels

a a The short vowel inherent in the consonants of South Asian languages. Sounds as the vowel in the words "but" and "sum."

a A The long version of the previous vowel. Sounds as the vowel in the words "far" and "pawn."

i i The short, third vowel of the alphabet. Sounds as the vowel in the words "kill" and "bit."

i I The long version of the previous vowel. Sounds as the vowel in the words "seed" and "peal."

u u The third short vowel of the alphabet. Sounds as the vowel in the words "put" or "soot."

u U The long version of the previous vowel. Sounds as the vowel in the words "moot" and "boo."

r R The seventh vowel of the Devanagari alphabet and counted as a vowel in Sanskrit, but is treated as both a consonant and a vowel in Hindi. Pronounced somewhat like the "rolled r" of Scottish Gaelic with a short "i" afterwards, as in the words "rip" and "writ."

e e Two sounds are represented by this letter. The most common is the vowel which sounds in the words "gate" and "prey." The other is similar to that of the French words "prêt" and "fête."

ai ai Again, two sounds are represented by this letter. One of these is found in the words "I" or "height" and the other in the words "bear" or "mare."

o o The sound represented by this letter is the vowel of the words "boat" and "row."

au au The last of the vowels sounds as the vowel in the words "cow" and "our."

Velar Consonants

k k The first of the consonants sounds as the consonants in the words "cake" and "cocoa."

kh kh The aspirated version of the above consonant. No English equivalent.

kh kh This sound is originated in Urdu and Persian and is most closely approximated in the Gaelic pronunciation of "ch" as in the word "loch."

g g The second unaspirated velar consonant sounds as the consonants in the word "gag" and "go."

gh gh The aspirated version of the above consonant has no European equivalent.

g g Like "kh", this velar, voiced fricative originates in Persian and Urdu. There appears to be no European equivalent.

n n The nasal consonant associated with velar consonants sounds as the nasal consonant in the words "hang" and "sink."

Palatal Consonants

c c The first of the palatal consonants has the clipped sound associated with the words "chat" and "chew."

ch ch The aspirated version of the previous consonant is often unconsciously pronounced by English speakers. An exaggerated example would be the onomatopoeic word sometimes written to describe the sound of a sneeze, "achoo."

j j The third palatal consonant has the sound of the initial consonants in the words "Jew" and "jay."

z z A sound originating in Persian, this palatal fricative is the sound of the consonant in the word "zoo."

jh jh The aspirated version of the previous consonant has no European equivalent.

ñ ñ The palatal nasal has a sound similar to the "ni" in the word "onion."

Retroflex Consonants

t T Retroflex consonants are produced when the letter is pronounced with the tongue curled, beginning from the roof of the mouth. A possible English equivalent would be the sound produced when pronouncing the "rt" in the word "cart."

th Th The aspirated version of the previous consonant is pronounced with the tongue curled back and, when it falls forward, is followed by a small burst of air. It isnotsounded as the "th" in the word "this."

d D This voiced, unaspirated, retroflex consonant is pronounced with the tongue curled back. A possible English equivalent might be produced when pronouncing the "rd" in the word "card."

dh Dh The aspirated version of the previous syllable has no European equivalent.

n N The retroflex nasal sounds somewhat like the "rn" in the word "torn."

Dental Consonants

t t Dental consonants are produced with the tongue against the back of the incisor teeth.

th th The aspirated version of the previous consonant is pronounced with a small burst of air after the initial phoneme.

d d The voiced dental consonant.

dh dh The aspirated, voiced, dental consonant.

n n The dental nasal is the sound produced when the vowel is closed with a dental stop. If the tongue is placed against the teth at the "nt" in the word "sent," then the sound is approximated.

Labial Consonants

p p The first of the Labial consonants is the sound produced in the initial consonant of the word "paw," if the speaker is careful not to aspirate.

ph ph The aspirated version of the above.

f f Sometimes the aspirated labial "ph" is pronounced as the fricative "f" as in the word "fame."

b b The sound of this labial, voiced consonant is produced in the initial consonant of the word "bow," if the speaker is careful not to aspirate.

bh bh The aspirated version of the above labial.

m m If the lips are closed before a labial consonant, as in the word "pump," or is a consonant is initialized from closed lips, then this sound is produced.

Semivowels

y y This palatal sound is made in the words "you" and "yea."

r r The second semivowel is described as a retroflex consonant by Lambert (Introduction to the Devanagari Script, 1953:136) and is sounded much as the "rr" in the word "torrid" if the sound is rolled.

l l The third semivowel is a dental consonant produced in the words "law" and "love."

v v This consonant is produced labially as in the initial consonant of the word "vim."

w w This consonant is often pronounced as the initial consonant of the word "way."

Fricatives

s sh The sound produced for this palatal consonant is that of the "sh" in the word "shame."

s Sh This retroflex fricative is produced by pronouncing the previous consonant farther back in the mouth.

s s The dental fricative is produced by the consonants in the word "sass."

Other Consonants

h h The velar consonant sounded in the words "high" and "ha."

l L The sound of this retroflex lateral consonant is peculiar to languages such as Gujarati and Marathi. Pronounced like the "rl" in the word "curl."

MU 309 Outline Requirements

19-Jan-2006

a	a	The short vowel inherent in the consonants of South Asian languages. Sounds as the vowel in the words "but" and "sum."
a	A	The long version of the previous vowel. Sounds as the vowel in the words "far" and "pawn."
i	i	The short, third vowel of the alphabet. Sounds as the vowel in the words "kill" and "bit."
i	I	The long version of the previous vowel. Sounds as the vowel in the words "seed" and "peal."
u	u	The third short vowel of the alphabet. Sounds as the vowel in the words "put" or "soot."
u	U	The long version of the previous vowel. Sounds as the vowel in the words "moot" and "boo."
r	R	The seventh vowel of the Devanagari alphabet and counted as a vowel in Sanskrit, but is treated as both a consonant and a vowel in Hindi. Pronounced somewhat like the "rolled r" of Scottish Gaelic with a short "i" afterwards, as in the words "rip" and "writ."
e	e	Two sounds are represented by this letter. The most common is the vowel which sounds in the words "gate" and "prey." The other is similar to that of the French words "prêt" and "fête."
ai	ai	Again, two sounds are represented by this letter. One of these is found in the words "I" or "height" and the other in the words "bear" or "mare."
o	o	The sound represented by this letter is the vowel of the words "boat" and "row."
au	au	The last of the vowels sounds as the vowel in the words "cow" and "our."

k	k	The first of the consonants sounds as the consonants in the words "cake" and "cocoa."
kh	kh	The aspirated version of the above consonant. No English equivalent.
kh	kh	This sound is originated in Urdu and Persian and is most closely approximated in the Gaelic pronunciation of "ch" as in the word "loch."
g	g	The second unaspirated velar consonant sounds as the consonants in the word "gag" and "go."
gh	gh	The aspirated version of the above consonant has no European equivalent.
g	g	Like "kh", this velar, voiced fricative originates in Persian and Urdu. There appears to be no European equivalent.
n	n	The nasal consonant associated with velar consonants sounds as the nasal consonant in the words "hang" and "sink."

c	c	The first of the palatal consonants has the clipped sound associated with the words "chat" and "chew."
ch	ch	The aspirated version of the previous consonant is often unconsciously pronounced by English speakers. An exaggerated example would be the onomatopoeic word sometimes written to describe the sound of a sneeze, "achoo."
j	j	The third palatal consonant has the sound of the initial consonants in the words "Jew" and "jay."
z	z	A sound originating in Persian, this palatal fricative is the sound of the consonant in the word "zoo."
jh	jh	The aspirated version of the previous consonant has no European equivalent.
ñ	ñ	The palatal nasal has a sound similar to the "ni" in the word "onion."

t	T	Retroflex consonants are produced when the letter is pronounced with the tongue curled, beginning from the roof of the mouth. A possible English equivalent would be the sound produced when pronouncing the "rt" in the word "cart."
th	Th	The aspirated version of the previous consonant is pronounced with the tongue curled back and, when it falls forward, is followed by a small burst of air. It isnotsounded as the "th" in the word "this."
d	D	This voiced, unaspirated, retroflex consonant is pronounced with the tongue curled back. A possible English equivalent might be produced when pronouncing the "rd" in the word "card."
dh	Dh	The aspirated version of the previous syllable has no European equivalent.
n	N	The retroflex nasal sounds somewhat like the "rn" in the word "torn."

t	t	Dental consonants are produced with the tongue against the back of the incisor teeth.
th	th	The aspirated version of the previous consonant is pronounced with a small burst of air after the initial phoneme.
d	d	The voiced dental consonant.
dh	dh	The aspirated, voiced, dental consonant.
n	n	The dental nasal is the sound produced when the vowel is closed with a dental stop. If the tongue is placed against the teth at the "nt" in the word "sent," then the sound is approximated.

p	p	The first of the Labial consonants is the sound produced in the initial consonant of the word "paw," if the speaker is careful not to aspirate.
ph	ph	The aspirated version of the above.
f	f	Sometimes the aspirated labial "ph" is pronounced as the fricative "f" as in the word "fame."
b	b	The sound of this labial, voiced consonant is produced in the initial consonant of the word "bow," if the speaker is careful not to aspirate.
bh	bh	The aspirated version of the above labial.
m	m	If the lips are closed before a labial consonant, as in the word "pump," or is a consonant is initialized from closed lips, then this sound is produced.

y	y	This palatal sound is made in the words "you" and "yea."
r	r	The second semivowel is described as a retroflex consonant by Lambert (Introduction to the Devanagari Script, 1953:136) and is sounded much as the "rr" in the word "torrid" if the sound is rolled.
l	l	The third semivowel is a dental consonant produced in the words "law" and "love."
v	v	This consonant is produced labially as in the initial consonant of the word "vim."
w	w	This consonant is often pronounced as the initial consonant of the word "way."

s	sh	The sound produced for this palatal consonant is that of the "sh" in the word "shame."
s	Sh	This retroflex fricative is produced by pronouncing the previous consonant farther back in the mouth.
s	s	The dental fricative is produced by the consonants in the word "sass."

h	h	The velar consonant sounded in the words "high" and "ha."
l	L	The sound of this retroflex lateral consonant is peculiar to languages such as Gujarati and Marathi. Pronounced like the "rl" in the word "curl."