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Sunday, June 20, 2010

meet the alphabet - letters and vowels o and au

after a little break here are the next letters. please see the previous alphabet letters here:
a/अ ; aa/आ ; i/इ ; ii/ई ; u/उ ; oo/ऊ ; Ri/ऋ ; e/ए ; ai/ऐ






(above) compound vowel 'o' as 'o' in 'old' (13th vowel and letter)


this is ओ, o.
a, aa, i, ii, u, uu, Ri, Rii, LRi, LRii, e, ai make it 12.
'o' is the 13th vowel/letter. it is pronounced like the name of the english letter o; as 'o' of 'old', cold, open etc.






(above) old style 'o'


linguistically, o is formed with a + u/uu = o = ओ
words starting with ओ, o :
  • o = ओ = a way of calling, like oye, ahoy, hola; compassion like oh; expressing other moods as well.
  • o = ओ = name of brahmA
  • okaH = ओकः  = house
  • ojas = ओजस् (ओज) = body strength, vigor, vitality, splendor
  • ojasvin = ओजस्विन् (ओजस्वि) = strong, brilliant, resplendent (tejasvi nAvadhItamastu = may our studies be splendid, brilliant, fruitful)
  • ota = ओत = woven, with threads. commonly used with ota-prota = interwoven, horizontally and vertically.
  • om = ॐ = sacred symbol om (a-u-m)
  • oShadhiH = ओषधिः = an herb or medicinal plant. (auShadhiH is also correct)
  • oShadhiishaH = ओषधीशः = oShadhi + iishaH = lord of herbs, the moon, which is considered aiding in the herb growth.
  • oShThaH = ओष्ठः = a lip. bimboShTha = bimba + oShTha = lips like the ripe bimba fruit (red in color)


how to write 'o' :



au, the 14th vowel.
aa + u/uu = au =औ
'au' is the 14th vowel/letter. it is pronounced close to au as in audience, audition etc.

the most common words formed with au, are usually formed when words starting with 'u' or 'o' are modified by adding a suffix.

e.g.
  • auchityam = औचित्यम् = aptness. from uchita = apt, appropriate
  • autsukyam = औत्सुक्यम् = anxiety. from utsuka = anxious
  • audArya = औदार्य = generosity. from udAra = generous
  • auddhatyam = औद्धत्यं = arrogance. from uddhata = arrogant, rude, insolent.
  • audyogika = औद्योगिक = industrial. udyoga = industry, effort.
  • aurabhra = औरभ्र = of sheep ; mutton. from urabha = sheep.
  • auShThya = ष्ठ्य = labial, relating to the lips. the labial sounds u, oo, p, ph, b, bh, m, w

how to write au?


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2 comments:

  1. au and authentic sound different.

    au is closer to ow in how.. what do u think?

    ReplyDelete
  2. thank you satyask for the suggestion. and indeed how would be a good example, i think when how is pronounced it is haa-u, that is both aa and u are said as if separately, and not merged together as au would need.

    now the pronunciation of english words is also not same all across time and space. so i hope people are able to figure out the sound.

    ReplyDelete

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