254 journal, e.a.s. (ceylon). [Vol. II., Part II. 



sounds which are formed by their assistance to the two 

 hundred and one sounds to which I have already called the 

 reader's attention, we obtain the two hundred and forty- 

 one sounds in the Sinhalese language. 



Beside the above, it must be remembered that some of the 

 consonants have different forms producing corresponding 

 aspirate sounds. They are not used in the Elu, except in 

 expressing words of a foreign origin, and are therefore 

 omitted in the " Sidatsangarawa." But since they are 

 essential to a correct expression of the Pali and Sanskrit 

 (languages which the Sinhalese anciently used in common 

 with the Elu), and also of tabava words (words derived into 

 Elu from either the Pali or Sanskrit), these aspirate letters 

 with several others which I shall hereafter enumerate are 

 found in the Sinhalese alphabet. 



The aspirate letters or sounds are the ten following :— ©, 

 e&, c£, &, tb, 6, S), 6, and eo. 



The Sinhalese alphabet also contains six Sanskrit vowels, 

 es?, e53a, as, ga°), §>«i, and the unchangeable § expressed 

 with the first vowel, thus, q%. It is by their assistance that 

 the Sinhalese or Elu consonants, which are common to both 

 Pali and Sanskrit, are changed into zs® ,25333, zs% 



®S53cq, £538, &C. 



I must not here omit to mention, that besides the above 

 there are several Sanskrit and Pali consonants which are 

 inserted in the Sinhalese alphabet. They are C9 and ®, 

 Sanskrit exclusively, and ©, €), and <ssq, Pali and Sanskrit. 



To these may be added several compound or mixed letters 

 which are formed by a union of two consonants : <s>, ©, d, 

 <a), ^, ©, ©, £), and <29. 



«d is common to all the three languages. In Elu it is 

 sounded differently from Pali and Sanskrit. Thus, q2<ao, aftga 

 (Elu), "horn," is pronounced more softly than gdcdo, ga/hga 

 (Pali and Sanskrit), " river." This letter is formed in Elu by 



