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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1905.
44444
deed," does not, as is supposed, really represent the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit letter The correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit d under reference is more like the English th in " than, that, these, those."
Sapskrit - English t. The correct English pronunciation of the letter t, being as in " to, too, tin," does not represent the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit letter 1, as is supposed. The correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit letter under reference, is more like the English th in " thin, thick, thatch."
is represented by d. The dot under the d is unnecessary, for the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit letter is d as pronounced in "do, did, done, deed," which the English letter d, by itself, and without any symbol added to it, can represent.
is represented by t. There is no necessity for a dot under the t, for the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit letter is as in "tin, to, too, which the letter t, by itself, without any symboli cal dot added to it, can represent.
9 . The correct pronunciation of o, being as in "circle, Ceylon, cent, cylinder," does not represent the correct pronunciation of the Sanskrit letter , which is as in ch in "church, chin, cheek, child."
These difficulties might be obviated by adopting the proposed symbols as follows:
...ch 5 ... ch
... th-like th in thick, thin, thatch. ... th or th. ... th-like th in than, that, those. dh, as in Dharmavaram, Dhartoar.
Yours faithfully, O. SRINIVASA AIYANGAR,
Pandit, Office of the Superintendent, Archeological
Şurvey (Madras and Coorg), Camp Madras, 16th March, 1905.
Note by the Editor. The receipt of such letters as the above is a good sign, as it shows that pandits are now taking a real interest in the representation of Indian vernacular by European characters. I cannot, however, agree with the writer. The Indian t and d, in either variety, is not in fact the European t and d. The two varieties have been rendered by t and d and by t and d as being the nearest respectively to European ears. I agree with the writer that TOTT are nearer the European t and d than 4TV, but as neither are accurately t and d, it is hardly worth while now to alter an old convention. The representation of and y by o and ch is due to a well-known European convention for rendering the sound of the English ch and is more convenient on the whole than ch and chh, which, after all, suit the pronunciation of one European language only (English) of those symbols.
MISCELLANEA. CUSTOMARY LAW REGARDING SUCCESSION an heir onde designated is the heir apparent, IN RULING FAMILIES OF THE
and remains so whatever may happen. PANJAB HILL STATES. THERE are striking differences in the customs Illustration I. - Räjá Ummed Singh of which govern succession in ruling families of Ohamba (A. D. 1748—64) used to live much at the Hill States in the Panjab and those of Rajnagar instead of Ohambi. In A. D. 1755 one certain other States in India, such as Manipur and of his ranks there gave birth to a child, Raj Singh, Maler K IA (see ante, Vol. XX. p. 422 and who was atonoe acknowledged as the heir-apparent. Vol. XVIII. pp. 32830),' In the former striot Next day the news arrived of the birth, at Chamba, primogeniture is the rule, but this rule is of another son, who was born a few hours before subject to cortain principles. Some of these Raj Singh. The point was referred to the pandits, I hope to discuss in & subsequent note.
wbo decided in favour of Raj Singh. There is, however, one principle which emerges. Illustration II.-Kdhan Chand, the 11th RajA pretty clearly from the historical records of the of Kahlar, had two wives, princesses of Kold and Panjab Hill States. It may be called the prin- Baghal. The former. first gave birth to a bon ciple of the res judicata,' and is this that I and the latter also had a son a few days later. In
Cf. anto, Vol. XXI. p. 286 4.
