52 CEYLON BRANCH ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, 



the consonant part of © by ch. The sound is accurately 

 expressed by the combination tsh, just as that of j, is accu- 

 rately represented by the combination dsh, which shews also 

 the analogy between the two. But it would be a great pity, 

 to part with j ; and tsh, and indeed even ch, when requiring 

 to be doubled, as for instance in the word hemichcha, has a 

 very awkward appearance. It seems most philosophical, 

 therefore to represent © or the surd of j in the Roman alpha- 

 bet, as the Romans themselves do, whenever the sound occurs 

 in their language that is by c, reserving c for this purpose 

 exclusively. By Italians, however, it will be thought too bad, 

 that ca and co should sound tsha, and tsho ; as by English it 

 will that ce and ci should sound tshe and tshi ; for even 

 analogy and uniformity seem strange and violent, when they 

 go against custom. Although therefore, as we put a thread 

 round our finger, when we wish to keep something in mind, 

 we might put a mark upon c, as for instance, a small h above 

 at the opening, to remind us that its sound is that of the 

 English ch, still in the first instance, it may be well not to 

 attempt anything so refined, and simply content ourselves 

 with ch. According to these views, we obtain in the Roman 

 alphabet, the following system of consonants. 





Mutes. 



Sibilants. 









( -A. 



> 



r~- — ' 



v ^ 









© 



© 



© 



© 

 > 



"B 



m 



r— < 



e9 





Acu 



S 



3 



o 







w 





o 





o 







k 



g 



h 



* 



r 







t 



d 



ch 



j 





n 





.. t 



a 



s 



z 



1 







.. p 



b 



f 



V 





m 



The sound proper to this blank * occurs in many languages, 

 from Spain to Malacca, as for instances, that of j in the 



* See a paper on the same subject as this, by Sir W. Jones, in the 1st vol. of 

 ihc Asiatic Researches. 



