DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0014
( x )
NOTE.
One of the great difficulties that meets every one attempting to write on Indian
subjects at the present day is to know how to spell Indian proper names. The
Gilchristian mode of using double vowels, which was fashionable iifty years ago,
has now been entirely done away with, as contrary to the spirit of Indian ortho-
graphy, though it certainly is the mode which enables the ordinary Englishman to
pronounce Indian names with the greatest readiness and certainty. On the other
hand, an attempt is now being made to form out of the ordinary English alphabet
a more extended one, by accents over the vowels, and dots under the consonants,
and other devices, so that every letter of the Devanagari or Arabic alphabets shall
have an exact equivalent in this one.
In attempting to print Sanscrit or Persian books in Roman characters, such a
system is indispensable, but if used for printing Indian names in English books,
intended principally for the use of Englishmen, it seems to me to add not only im-
mensely to the repulsiveness of the subject, but to lead to the most ludicrous
mistakes. According to this alphabet for instance, fl with dot under it represents
a consonant we pronounce as r ; but as not one educated Englishman in 10,000 is
aware of this fact, he reads such words as Kattiwad, Ohitod, and Hiniadpanti as if
spelt literally with a d, though they are pronounced Kattiwar, Chittorc, and Himai -
panti, and are so written in all books hitherto published, and the two first are so
spelt in all maps hitherto engraved. A hundred years hence, when Sanscrit and
Indian alphabets are taught in all schools in England, it may be otherwise, but
in the present state of knowledge on the subject some simpler plan seems more
expedient.
In the following pages I have consequently used the Jonesian system, as nearly
as may be, as it was used by Prinsep, or the late Professor Wilson, but avoiding as
far as possible all accents, except over vowels where they were necessary for the
pronunciation. Over such words as Naga, Raja, or Hindu—as in Tree and Serpent
worship—I have omitted accents altogether as wholly unnecessary for the pro-
nunciation. An accent, however, seems indispensable over the a in Lilt, to prevent it
being read as Lath in English, as I have heard done, or over the i in such words
as Hullabfd, to prevent its being read as short bid in English.
Names of known places I have in all instances tried to leave as they are usually
spelt, and are found on maps. I have, for instance, left Oudeypore, the capital of
the Rajput state, spelt as Tod and others always spelt it, but, to prevent the two
places being confounded, have taken the liberty of spelling the name of a small
unknown village, where there is a temple, Udaipur—though 1 believe the names are
the same. I have tried, in short, to accommodate my spelling as nearly as possible
to the present state of knowledge or ignorance of the English public, without much
reference to scientific precision, as I feel sure that by this means the nomenclature
may become much less repulsive than it too generally must be to the ordinary
English student of Indian history and art.
NOTE.
One of the great difficulties that meets every one attempting to write on Indian
subjects at the present day is to know how to spell Indian proper names. The
Gilchristian mode of using double vowels, which was fashionable iifty years ago,
has now been entirely done away with, as contrary to the spirit of Indian ortho-
graphy, though it certainly is the mode which enables the ordinary Englishman to
pronounce Indian names with the greatest readiness and certainty. On the other
hand, an attempt is now being made to form out of the ordinary English alphabet
a more extended one, by accents over the vowels, and dots under the consonants,
and other devices, so that every letter of the Devanagari or Arabic alphabets shall
have an exact equivalent in this one.
In attempting to print Sanscrit or Persian books in Roman characters, such a
system is indispensable, but if used for printing Indian names in English books,
intended principally for the use of Englishmen, it seems to me to add not only im-
mensely to the repulsiveness of the subject, but to lead to the most ludicrous
mistakes. According to this alphabet for instance, fl with dot under it represents
a consonant we pronounce as r ; but as not one educated Englishman in 10,000 is
aware of this fact, he reads such words as Kattiwad, Ohitod, and Hiniadpanti as if
spelt literally with a d, though they are pronounced Kattiwar, Chittorc, and Himai -
panti, and are so written in all books hitherto published, and the two first are so
spelt in all maps hitherto engraved. A hundred years hence, when Sanscrit and
Indian alphabets are taught in all schools in England, it may be otherwise, but
in the present state of knowledge on the subject some simpler plan seems more
expedient.
In the following pages I have consequently used the Jonesian system, as nearly
as may be, as it was used by Prinsep, or the late Professor Wilson, but avoiding as
far as possible all accents, except over vowels where they were necessary for the
pronunciation. Over such words as Naga, Raja, or Hindu—as in Tree and Serpent
worship—I have omitted accents altogether as wholly unnecessary for the pro-
nunciation. An accent, however, seems indispensable over the a in Lilt, to prevent it
being read as Lath in English, as I have heard done, or over the i in such words
as Hullabfd, to prevent its being read as short bid in English.
Names of known places I have in all instances tried to leave as they are usually
spelt, and are found on maps. I have, for instance, left Oudeypore, the capital of
the Rajput state, spelt as Tod and others always spelt it, but, to prevent the two
places being confounded, have taken the liberty of spelling the name of a small
unknown village, where there is a temple, Udaipur—though 1 believe the names are
the same. I have tried, in short, to accommodate my spelling as nearly as possible
to the present state of knowledge or ignorance of the English public, without much
reference to scientific precision, as I feel sure that by this means the nomenclature
may become much less repulsive than it too generally must be to the ordinary
English student of Indian history and art.