Pronunciation and Phonetics

Learning proper pronunciation can be done without much knowledge of phonetics, actually. A basic knowledge, however, helps to make pronunciation clearer and thus facilitates the process of learning how to speak a foreign language properly.

eAmbalam introduces a phonetic chart which is based on Dhevanagari script. The sounds of vowels and consonants and other speech sounds in Sanskrit and the languages which have completely or mostly borrowed from it can be covered with the help of the chart. A few other sounds common to some languages in this group and outside are also put in. Unique sounds of some languages are specified too.

Diacritical marks are used to aid perfect pronunciation. World over, these marks have been created and propagated by scholars to make understanding of the differences in speech sounds in different languages better. Team eAmbalam also has created a phonetic chart which helps even first timers to pronounce words accurately.

Our Phonetic chart is unique, comprehensive, learner friendly and is divided into four columns wherein:
  • In the first column, the letter is written with the associated diacritical mark.
  • In the second column, an example is given in Dhevanagari language containing the letter.
  • In the third column, an example is given in English, which contains the sound closes to the letter or instructions in few cases, to facilitate better understanding.
  • In the fourth column, an audio button is placed with the help of which you can hear the actual pronunciation of the letter.
An open minded approach with the above introduction and guidelines will definitely enable the user to understand the speech sounds of any language and pronounce it like a native, which is eAmbalam’s aim in this exercise.

  VOWELS  
Syllable Usage in Sanskrit Usage in English
A or a Aḍavu Arise
Ā or ā Ānanda Vast
I or i Indhira Sing
Ī or ī Īśha Meal
U or u U ṣhā Good
Ū or ū Ū rdhhva Boost
R or r Riṣh i Try
Ṛ or ṛ Ni ṛ uti Grr!
Lr or lr   Pronounce L and R together.
E or e Eka Ate
AI or ai Aikya Sight
O or o Ojas Robe
AU or au Audh ā rya Now
A M or am Śhiva m Drum
A HA or aha R ā ma ha Aha!
Syllable Usage in Sanskrit Usage in English


CONSONANTS
Syllable Usage in Sanskrit Usage in English
KA or ka Kavi Car
KHA or kha Khalu Mark -Him
GA or ga Gamana Gut
GHA or gha Ghata Ugh!
Ṅ A or ṅa Tura ṅ ga Ring
CHA or ca Chakra Chart
CHHA or cha Chhandas Branch
JA or ja Jagath Jug
JHA or jha Jhallari Fudge
NYA or nya Gnyana Knew
Ṭ A or ṭ Ṭ anka Top
ṬHA or ṭha Pāṭha Pothole
ḌA or da Ḍ amaruka Dog
Ḍ HA or ḍ ha Mūḍ ha Madhouse
Ṇ A or ṇ a Ga ṇ a Wander
THA or tha Thanu Health
THHA or thha Athha Theater
DHA or dha Dha śha This
DHHA or dhha Dhhana m Dha with an additional H sound
NA or na Namask ā raha Nut
PA or pa   Path ā ka Past
PHA or pha Phala m P with a H sound
BA or ba Bandhhu Ball
BHA or bha Bhadra Abhor
MA or ma Manas Money
YA or ya Yama Yummy
RA or ra Rajas Rub
LA or la Lath ā Lust
VA or WA, va /wa A śh va or A śhwa Water/Valour
ŚHA or śha Śhakthi Shutter
ṢHA or ṣ ha Ṣh a ṇ mukha Shunt
SA or sa Sarasvatī Sun
HA or ha Hari Hum
Ḷ A or ḷ a Ar āḷ a Bold
KṢHA or k ṣ ha Ak ṣh i Try to pronounce Ka, Sa & Ha – all at one time.
Extra Vowels in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada & Malayalam Scripts    
É or é Éṇi Angel
Ō or ō Ō m Ō M
ZHA Exclusive to Tamil & Malayalam Fold the tip of your tongue backwards and try to pronounce it with the aid of the audio button.
Syllable Usage in Sanskrit Usage in English

Lyrics and Meanings (Shabdam)

Śhabdham means sound or noise. Śhabdham has Lyrics, melody and rhythm.

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Lyrics and Meanings (Shabdam)

Śhabdham means sound or noise. Śhabdham has Lyrics, melody and rhythm.

In this item the compositions with words and meanings are introduced. Abhinaya (facial expression) for the first time is introduced in the repertoire. The Abhinaya composed to simple lyrics is usually separated by easy kōrvais. The foot work along with Abhinaya is quite challenging.This is the only instance where the syllables are sung. Generally it’s like telling a synopsis in the first line then giving a description in the later repetitions. The number of stanzas can vary from 3 to 5. Each stanza can contain a different story of all of them put together is one single story. But essentially it’s about one person, one theme. It’s usually composed in Rāgamālika (consisting of different melodies) and Miśhrachāpu thāḷa (7 beats)

Initially Śhabdhams were composed and rendered in one rāga, perhaps Kāmboji. But it is now a common practice to use one Rāga for each stanza and present the composition in Rāgamālikā.

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Posted By: Administrator

Rāga: Rāgamālikā

Thāḷa: Miśhrachāpu

Composer: Vazhuvūr Ramiah Piḷḷai

Language: Thamizh(Tamil)

Meaning - Word by word & Note: ?

Meaning - Overall: Team Ambalam

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

 

Pallavi:

Véṇugānane Kōri Enmanam, Nāḍi Nirkaiyil Mōḍi Seivathu Nyāyama?
Sakhhi Nī Ivvéḷaiyil Mōḍi Seivadhu Nyāyama?

Charanam 1:

Antha Migunthan En Sontha Nāthan Pāthāra Vinthathukiṇai Kūriḍalāgumā?
Aravindha Malarum Īdākuma?

Charanam 2:

Bharatha Kalai Thani Parava Aruḷ Saitha
Paramanin Thiru Kumaranaithān Marugan Enum Thirumāl Thanai
Paravi Pugazhndhu Paṇinthu Maghiznthavar Thiruvaḍi Pugazh Pāḍi Ādi Paṇiyuvom

 

Meaning:

 

Pallavi:

Véṇugānane Kōri Enmanam, Nāḍi Nirkaiyil Mōḍi Seivathu Nyāyama?
Sakhi Nī Ivvéḷaiyil Mōḍi Seivadhu Nyāyama?

Sakhi  - My friend 

Nyāyama? - Is it fair?

Nī - you 

Mōḍi Seivadhu  - To be deceitful

Ivvéḷaiyil - At this time

Enmanam - My heart 

Kōri - Desires/yearns

Véṇugānane - for krishna (one who creates music with his flute)

Nāḍi Nirkaiyil - with eager anticipation

O Friend, is it fair on your part to be deceitful at this time when my heart desires for Kriṣhṇa with eager anticipation?

Charanam 1:

Antha Migunthan En Sontha Nāthan Pāthāra Vinthathukiṇai Kūriḍalāgumā?
Aravindha Malarum Īdākuma?

Kūriḍalāgumā? - Can one say?

Pāthāra Vinthatham - For anything other than lotus-like feet

En - my

Sontha - Own

Nāthan  - Lord 

Antha Migunthan - Who is beauty personified

Aravindha  - Will even a lotus

Malarum  - Flower 

Īdākuma? - Be equal to him/his feet in beauty/softness?

 

Can anyone even say that the lotus flower equal the softness of the (lotus-like) feet of my Lord who is beauty personified?

Charanam 2:

Bharatha Kalai Thani Parava Aruḷ Saitha
Paramanin Thiru Kumaranaithān Marugan Enum Thirumāl Thanai
Paravi Pugazhndhu Paṇinthu Maghiznthavar Thiruvaḍi Pugazh Pāḍi Ādi Paṇiyuvom


Pāḍi - let us sing 

Ādi  - And dance

Paṇiyuvom  - And bow down in prayer

Thiruvaḍi  - At the sacred feet 

Maghiznthu - joyful exhilaration

Pugazhndhu  - By adoring

Paravi  - Praising 

Paṇinthu  - And praying

Thirumāl – Lord Vishnu 

Enum - Who calls

Thiru Kumaranai - The divine Son 

Paramanin  - Of the great lord 

Aruḷ Saitha  - Whose divine blessings 

Parava  - Have resulted in the spread 

Bharatha Kalai  - Of this dance form 

Than - His

Marugan  - Nephew

 

Let us sing  and dance; bow down in prayer at the sacred feet ; with joyful exhilaration and adoration; praising  and praying to Lord Viṣhṇu , who is proud of his nephew Murugā, the son of that Lord who was instrumental in spreading Bharathanātyam.(Śhiva)



Note:

[1] The term nephew of Vishnu/mal has been used to describe both Muruga (for example, in the phrase mal maruga muruga shanmukha guha)and Ganapati (for example, in the sloka - srikanto matulo yasya...)


[2] Obviously a convoluted way as any other to refer to the cosmic dancer, Śhiva.

 

Anu pallavi: inai kuridal aguma?=is it possible at all to speak of anyone equal to him? He is incomparable.


caranam: paravi and pugazhndu (praise) mean the same. Repetition for emphsis, i suppose.


you can also read it as the son of one who was instrumental in spreading bharata kalai and tan maruagan enum tirumal tanai=that vishnu who is proud to own murugan as his nephew.

 

 

 

1 Véṇugānane click here












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