1896. ] G. A. Grierson— On the Kagmiri Vowel-System. 281 
The various systems of transliteration into the Roman character 
with the help of diacritical marks added to the vowels, are based on the 
Persian method of transcription, and have most of its faults. For ins- 
tance Wade in his grammar represents three distinct a sounds viz., ii, 
ai and @ by one signa. Another a sound, viz., a", he represents by o: 
and at the same time uses the same sign to represent the 6 in cob, an alto- 
gether different sound, 
The Carada (Dévanagari) system of writing Kagmiri has the ad- 
vantage of using fixed definite signs for fixed definite sounds. To those 
accustomed to the simpler, if less perfect systems hitherto in vogue, 
it, no doubt, looks clumsy, but, after considerable hesitation, I have 
come to the conclusion that, whether for the purposes of science or for 
the benefit of learners, the only satisfactory way of transcribing Ka¢miri 
in the Roman character is to follow the Carad&a system with a few 
minor modifications. 
The Carada system is based upon actual facts of the lancuage. 
Kaemiri differs from other Indian languages in using vowels at the end 
of a word which are either silent or nearly so, but which modify the 
pronunciation of the vowel of the preceding syllable. To an Hnelish- 
man or Russian this is a commonplace of spelling. An Englishman 
pronounces the a in the word mar, in a certain way. By adding an e, 
he gets the word mure, in which the final e is silent, but modifies the 
pronunciation of the preceding a. In Kagmiri these silent (or nearly 
silent) vowels are called by Hindi Grammarians, madras, and there are 
three of them, w2z., i-matra, u-matra, and %-matra which are represented 
in the Carada character by the ordinary signs for 7, u, and @ respectively 
with the sign for vir@ma appended. The mark’ is also placed over the 
preceding vowel to show that itis modified. In the Roman character - 
they are conveniently represented by a small *,” or #, above the line, 
a dot being placed under the preceding vowel to indicate modification. 
Examples are ate kart, they (mase.) were made; ae kar, he was made; 
and aS kar®, she was made. Speaking very roughly, the first may be 
said to be pronounced something like the English pronunciation of Kyrie 
(in Kyrie eleison), the second something like core (Huglish mute e), and 
the third something like kiir (German i). In the Persian character, 
2 99 
the first is written ys kar‘, the second yS kurv, and the third indifferently 
no kar or 9S kir. Mr. Wade transcribes the first kar‘, the second kor, 
and the third kar. 
Of these md@tra@s it may be said that w and @ are asa rule abso- 
lutely silent, while 7 is just heard, 
