Wheel no 54

The Pali Alphabet
Vowels
a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, e, o
Consonants
k, kh, g, gh, ṅ
c, ch, j, jh, ñ
ṭ, ṭh, ḍ, ḍh, ṇ
t, th, d, dh, n
p, ph, b, bh, m
y, r, l, v, s, h, ḷ, ṃ
Pronunciation of vowels
a as u in but
ā " a " art
i " I " pin
ì " ee " seed
u " u " put
ú " u " rule
e " a " fate
o " o " note
Pronunciation of consonants
b as b in bib
c " ch " rich
d " - " (sound not in English) 1
ḍ " d " bad 2
g " g " go
h " h " hut 3
j " j " judge
k " k " key
l l sell 4
ḷ as l in felt 4
Pronunciation of consonants (cont.)
m " m " him
ṃ " ng " sing
n " n " tenth 1
ṇ " n " hint 2
ṅ " n " sink
ñ " ny " canyon
p " p " lip
r " r " rat
s " s " sit
t " t " Mexican “latino” 1
ṭ " t " cat 2
v " w " warm
y " y " yes
Consonants followed by h
bh as bh in abhor 3
ch " ch-h " witch-house
ḍh " d-h " red-hot
kh " ckh " blockhead
gh " g-h " pig-headed
jh " dge-h " sledge-hammer
ph " ph " uphill
ṭh " t-h " cat-head
etc.
Doubled consonants or two consonants
together
gg as g g in big gun 5
ll " ll l " fall leaves
tt " t t " hot tomato
tv " t w " It was
etc.
1 d, t, and n are lengua-dental consonants, i.e.,
are pronounced with the tongue touching the
teeth. The sound is rare in English.
2 ḍ, ḷ, ṇ, ṭ are palatal consonants, and
pronounced as in English, with the tongue
touching the roof of the mouth.,
3 h is always aspirated, even when a consonant
preceeds it.
4 l and ḷ: there is virtually no difference between
these sounds; l is pronounced with the tongue
close to or touching the teeth; ḷ with the tongue
touching the roof of mouth.
5 Both consonsonants are pronounced, often with
a "stoppage of sound” between them.
4