indopersica english-sindhi part 1
TRANSCRIPT
sɪndʱiˑ
ينڌسSindhi
indōpersica
Script
Part One
The Sindhi letters and words described in this book are each
accompanied by a pronunciation key in the International Phonetic
Alphabet (IPA). Please refer to these IPA keys for the exact
pronunciation of a Sindhi letter or word.
The IPA is a scientific notation used for accurately transcribing the
sounds of most human languages. More about the IPA can be
found at http://www.yorku.ca/earmstro/ipa/ and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipa .
The similarities described in this book between the
pronunciations of Sindhi letters and ‘corresponding’ English
letters are only guidelines and should be considered as such.
Read Sindhi right to left
4
k
ڪThis letter has a sound similar to
k in skip
Read Sindhi right to left
5
ɡ
گ
This letter has a sound similar to
g in go
Read Sindhi right to left
6
These are the letters we’ve just seen
ɡ k
ڪ گ
Read Sindhi right to left
7
p
پ
This letter has a sound similar to
p in speak
Read Sindhi right to left
8
b
ب
This letter has a sound similar to
b in bat
Read Sindhi right to left
9
These are the letters we’ve seen so far
ɡ k
ڪ گ
b p
پ ب
Read Sindhi right to left
10
ʨ
چ
This letter has a sound similar to
tch in catch
Read Sindhi right to left
11
ʥ
ج
This letter has a sound similar to
dge in badge
Read Sindhi right to left
12
These are the letters we’ve seen so far
ɡ k
ڪ گb p
پ بʥ ʨ
چ ج
Read Sindhi right to left
13
ə
This sign has a sound similar to
a in America
This sign is written above a letter
Read Sindhi right to left
14
This is how the sign for ə is written
ɡə kə
ڪ گ bə pə
پ ب ʥə ʨə چ ج
Read Sindhi right to left
15
ɪ
This sign has a sound similar to
i in pin
This sign is written below a letter
Read Sindhi right to left
16
This is how the sign for ɪ is written
ɡɪ kɪ
ڪ گ bɪ pɪ
پ ب ʥɪ ʨɪ چ ج
Read Sindhi right to left
17
ʊ
This sign has a sound similar to
u in bull
Thissign is written above a letter
Read Sindhi right to left
18
This is how the sign for ʊ is written
ɡʊ kʊ
ڪ گ bʊ pʊ
پ ب ʥʊ ʨʊ چ ج
Read Sindhi right to left
19
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
ɡəɡɪɡʊ kəkɪkʊ
ڪ ڪ ڪ گ گ گ bəbɪbʊ pəpɪpʊ
پ پ پ ب ب ب ʥəʥɪʥʊ ʨəʨɪʨʊ
چ چ چ ج ج ج
Read Sindhi right to left
20
Did you notice how the letters ‘join’ one another?
Here’s one of those letters, along with vowel signs –
kʊ kɪ kə
ڪ + ڪ + ڪ =
kəkɪkʊ
ڪ ڪ ڪ
Read Sindhi right to left
21
Here’s another one of those letters,with vowel signs –
ɡʊ ɡɪ ɡə
گ + گ + گ =
ɡəɡɪɡʊ
گ گ گ
Read Sindhi right to left
22
These letters join in similar ways –
pəpɪpʊ pʊ pɪ pə
پ + پ + پ = پ پ پ
bəbɪbʊ bʊ bɪ bə
ب + ب + ب = ب ب ب
Read Sindhi right to left
23
These letters, too, join in similar ways –
ʨəʨɪʨʊ ʨʊ ʨɪ ʨə
چ چ چ + چ + چ = چ
ʥəʥɪʥʊ ʥʊ ʥɪ ʥə
ج ج ج + ج + ج = ج
Read Sindhi right to left
24
Let’s try some more combinations of joining letters –
kəʨɪ ʨɪ kə
ڪ + چ = ڪ چ
ʥʊbə bə ʥʊ
ب ج + ب = ج
ɡɪpʊ pʊ ɡɪ
گ + پ = گ پ
Read Sindhi right to left
25
j
ي
This letter has a sound similar to
y in yo-yo
Read Sindhi right to left
26
r
ر
This letter has a sound similar to
r in Italian Roma
This is a ‘rolled’ /r/, as in Spanish or Italian
Read Sindhi right to left
27
l
ل
This letter has a sound similar to
l in lad
Read Sindhi right to left
28
ʋ
و
This letter has a sound similar to
v in victory
Read Sindhi right to left
29
These are the letters we’ve just seen
r j
ي ر
ʋ l
ل و
Read Sindhi right to left
30
This is how the sign for ə is written on these letters
rə jə
ي ر ʋə lə
ل و
Read Sindhi right to left
31
This is how the sign for ɪ is written on these letters
rɪ jɪ
ي ر ʋɪ lɪ
ل و
Read Sindhi right to left
32
This is how the sign for ʊ is written on these letters
rʊ jʊ
ي ر ʋʊ lʊ
ل و
Read Sindhi right to left
33
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
rərɪrʊ jəjɪjʊ
ر ر ي ر ي ي ʋəʋɪʋʊ ləlɪlʊ
و ل ل ل و و
Read Sindhi right to left
34
Did you notice?
These letters don’t join the next one!
ʋəʋɪʋʊ rərɪrʊ
و و ر و ر ر
So, while most of the letters join the next one,
all of them don’t
Read Sindhi right to left
35
These are some actual Sindhi words
Can you read them? –
ل گ ل پ ر پ ل ڪ
ج پ ڪ چ چ و ج چ
ر پ ل ب ج ڪ ڪ چ
ر ڪل ب پ ر پ گ ج
Read Sindhi right to left
36
Here are their pronunciations and meanings –
pʊlᶦ pərə ɡʊlʊ kʊlʊ
ل گ ل پ ر پ ل ڪ bridge but flower total
ʥəʥʊ ʋɪʨʊ ʨəkʊ ʨəpʊ
ج پ چ ڪ چ چ و ج judge during bite lip
kəkərʊ ʥəbalʊ ʨʊpᶦ
ر پ ل ب ج ڪ ڪ چ cloud mountain silence
kləbə pɪpᶦrʊ ɡəʥərʊ
ر ل ب ڪ پ ر پ گ ج club
peepul tree
(Ficus religiosa) carrot
Did you notice the superscript letter in the pronunciation key
for these words? –
pʊlᶦ ʨʊpᶦ pɪpᶦrʊ
This means that the vowel ɪ is pronounced very lightly, almost not at all
Read Sindhi right to left
37
s
س
This letter has a sound similar to
s in sit
Read Sindhi right to left
38
ɕ
ش
This letter has a sound similar to
sh in ship
Read Sindhi right to left
39
ɦ
هThis letter has a sound similar to
h in hat
Read Sindhi right to left
40
These are the letters we’ve just seen
ɕ s
س شɦ
ھ
Read Sindhi right to left
41
This is how the signs for ə, i and ʊ are written on these letters
ɦə ɕə sə
س ش ه ɦɪ ɕɪ sɪ
س ش ه ɦʊ ɕʊ sʊ
س ش ه
Read Sindhi right to left
42
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
ɕəɕɪɕʊ səsɪsʊ
س س س ش ش ش ɦəɦɪɦʊ
ه ه ھ
Read Sindhi right to left
43
These letters join in similar ways –
səsɪsʊ sʊ sɪ sə
س س س + س + س = س
ɕəɕɪɕʊ ɕʊ ɕɪ ɕə
ش ش س + ش + ش = ش
Read Sindhi right to left
44
causes the pronunciation of certain vowels before and after it ه
to change slightly.
Rule
If the vowel immediately before ه ɦ is ə
then
ə ɛ
which sounds like
ai in fair
In other words –
əɦ becomes ɛɦ
əɦə becomes ɛɦɛ
əɦɪ becomes ɛɦɪ
əɦʊ becomes ɛɦʊ
Note that this rule does not apply
if the vowel immediately after ه ɦ is a long vowel.
We will come across long vowels later in this book.
Some pronunciation examples will make this vowel-change rule
a little clearer.
Read Sindhi right to left
45
Can you read these Sindhi words? –
ر ب س ه س ه ل ڪ ڪ ج س س ش ر س س ه ڪ ھ ه ر ب س س
ب ب ر پ ه ر س ڪ ھ و ش ڪ ل ب ه ت ر ه ر ش چ پ چ س ش
Read Sindhi right to left
46
Here are their pronunciations and meanings –
sɪrə sɪbʊ kɛɦʊ ɦəlʊ
ر ب س ل ه ه ڪ س brick sew speak move, run
ɕəkʊ səsʊ sɪʥʊ rəsʊ
ڪ ج س س ش ر س س suspicion mother-in-law sun juice
ɦɪkʊ rɛɦʊ sɛɦʊ bəsᶦ
ب س ه س ه ر ڪ ھ a, one stay endure enough
səbəbʊ pɛɦɛrʊ ɕʊkʊrʊ ʋɪɦʊ
ب ب ر ر ه پ س ڪ ھ و ش reason wear gratitude poison
bɛɦᶦtərᶦ ɕəkᶦlᶦ ɕɛɦɛrʊ səʨʊ pəʨʊ
ت ر ه ب ل ش ڪ ه ر چ پ چ س ش better appearance, form city, town really, truly
Read Sindhi right to left
47
z
ز
This letter has a sound similar to
z in zebra
Read Sindhi right to left
48
f
ف
This letter has a sound similar to
f in fat
Read Sindhi right to left
49
These are the letters we’ve just seen
f z
ز ف
Read Sindhi right to left
50
This is how the signs for ə, i and ʊ are written on these letters
fə zə
ز ف fɪ zɪ
ز ف fʊ zʊ
ز ف
Read Sindhi right to left
51
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
fəfɪfʊ zəzɪzʊ
ف ز ف ف ز ز
Read Sindhi right to left
52
These letters look similar, and behave similarly –
rərɪrʊ rʊ rɪ rə
ر ر ر + ر + ر = ر
zəzɪzʊ zʊ zɪ zə
ز ز ز + ز + ز = ز
Neither of them joins the following letter, much like –
ʋəʋɪʋʊ ʋʊ ʋɪ ʋə
و و و + و + و = و
Read Sindhi right to left
53
Here are some Sindhi words
containing the letters we’ve just seen –
ش ف ر ڪ لف
بز رف ب س
ر ھ گ ب ز ر ز
Could you read them?
Read Sindhi right to left
54
Here are their pronunciations and meanings –
kʊlfʊ fərɕʊ
ش ف ر ڪ لف lock floor
səbzʊ bərfʊ
بز رف ب س green snow, ice
bʊzʊrɡʊ zɛɦɛrʊ
ر ھ گ ب ز ر ز elder, senior poison
Read Sindhi right to left
55
n
ن
This letter has a sound similar to
n in new
Read Sindhi right to left
56
m
م
This letter has a sound similar to
m in mother
Read Sindhi right to left
57
These are the letters we’ve just seen
m n
ن م
Read Sindhi right to left
58
This is how the signsfor ə, i and ʊ are written on these letters
mə nə
ن م mɪ nɪ
ن م mʊ nʊ
ن م
Read Sindhi right to left
59
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
məmɪmʊ nənɪnʊ
م ن ن ن م م
Read Sindhi right to left
60
Notice how these letters do not look similar when not joined,
but look similar when joined–
jəjɪjʊ jʊ jɪ jə
ي ي + ي + ي = ي ي
nənɪnʊ nʊ nɪ nə
ن + ن + ن = ن ن ن
Did you notice?
When joined, the only difference in
how they look is
the number of dots –
jənəjɪnɪjʊnʊrə
ي ن ن ر ي ن ي
In fact, when joined, ي j and ن n
look very similar to پ p and ب b –
pəbəpɪbɪpʊbʊrə
پ ب ب ر پ ب پ
Read Sindhi right to left
61
Some more Sindhi words –
م م ڪ ن پ ن چ ڪ
م م م ر ن پ ش ل گ ر م ڪ
زن ن ر سم و ر ن م چ ج
لڪ م پ نج ر مب ن م ن ه ج
Read Sindhi right to left
62
Here’s how they sound and what they mean –
ʨʊmʊ pənʊ kənʊ kəmʊ
م م ڪ ن پ ن چ ڪ kiss leaf ear work
pəɕəmə nərəmʊ ɡərəmʊ kəməlʊ
م م م ر ن پ ش ل گ ر م ڪ wool soft hot lotus
ʋəznʊ rəsmʊ ʨərənʊ ʥənəmʊ
زن ن ر سم و ر ن م چ ج weight custom foot birth
jɛɦɛnʊmʊ nəmbərʊ pənʥə mʊlkʊ
لڪ م پ نج ر مب ن م ن ه ج hell number five country
Read Sindhi right to left
63
x
خ
This letter has a sound similar to
ch in Scottish loch
Read Sindhi right to left
64
ɣ
غ
This letter has a sound similar to
r in French au revoir
Read Sindhi right to left
65
These are the letters we’ve just seen
ɣ x
خ غ
Read Sindhi right to left
66
This is how the signs for ə, i and ʊ are written on these letters
ɣə xə
خ غ ɣɪ xɪ
خ غ ɣʊ xʊ
خ غ
Read Sindhi right to left
67
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
ɣəɣɪɣʊ xəxɪxʊ
خ خ خ غ غ غ
Read Sindhi right to left
68
Notice the similarity in how these letters look?
ʥəʥɪʥʊ ʨəʨɪʨʊ xəxɪxʊ
ج ج چ ج چ خ چ خ خ
The only difference in how they look is
the number of dots
Read Sindhi right to left
69
Can you read these Sindhi words? –
ل س ل غ ب ر ب غ م خ غ
ل ڪ خ ش خ رچ م ز خ ز غ
Read Sindhi right to left
70
How many did you get right?
ɣʊsʊlʊ bəɣəlʊ xəbərə ɣəmʊ
ل س ل غ ب ر ب غ م خ غ bath armpit news grief
zəxmʊ xərʨʊ xʊɕkʊ ɣəzəlʊ
ل ڪ خ ش خ رچ م ز خ ز غ wound expenditure dry sonnet
Read Sindhi right to left
71
t
ت
This letter has a sound similar to
t in Spanish toro
To pronounce this letter, the tip of your tongue
touches the back of your front teeth
Read Sindhi right to left
72
d
د
This letter has a sound similar to
d in Spanish diez
To pronounce this letter, the tip of your tongue
touches the back of your front teeth
Read Sindhi right to left
73
These are the letters we’ve just seen
d t
ت د
Read Sindhi right to left
74
This is how the signs for ə, ɪ and ʊ are written on these letters
də tə
ت د dɪ tɪ
ت د dʊ tʊ
ت د
Read Sindhi right to left
75
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
dədɪdʊ tətɪtʊ
ت ت ت د د د
Read Sindhi right to left
76
Notice the similarity in how these letters look?
bəbɪbʊ pəpɪpʊ tətɪtʊ
ت ت ت پ پ پ ب ب ب
The only difference in how they look is
The number of dots
The letters below look similar when joined, but different when not joined!
nənɪnʊrə jəjɪjʊrə tətɪtʊrə
ن ر ي ر ن ن ت ر ي ي ت ت
nə jə tə
ت ي ن
Read Sindhi right to left
77
These letters behave similarly, in that they don’t join the next one –
dədɪdʊ dʊ dɪ də
د د د + د + د = د
rərɪrʊ rʊ rɪ rə
ر ر ر + ر + ر = ر
zəzɪzʊ zʊ zɪ zə
ز ز ز + ز + ز = ز
ʋəʋɪʋʊ ʋʊ ʋɪ ʋə
و و و + و + و = و
Read Sindhi right to left
78
Here are some Sindhi words with the new letters we’ve just seen –
ت ل چ ر د ر د ت
د ڪ د ب ت م د ت پ س
د م س خت ج ت م س ت ل خ پ
فت ر م خت ل ف ن د شم ن رد گ د
Read Sindhi right to left
79
And here’s how you pronounce them, and what they mean –
ʨɪtʊ dɪlᶦ dərʊ tɪrʊ
ت ل چ ر د ر د ت mind heart door sesame seed
bədəkə mədədə sətə təpʊ
د ڪ د ب ت م د ت پ س duck help seven fever
məsʥɪdᶦ səxtʊ xətəmʊ pɪtəlʊ
د م س خت ج ت م س ت ل خ پ mosque hard finished brass
mʊxtəlɪfʊ dəftərʊ dʊɕmənʊ ɡərdənʊ
فت ر ف ل خت م ن د شم ن رد گ د different office enemy neck
Read Sindhi right to left
80
ʈ
ٽ
This letter has a sound similar to
t in ash tray
To pronounce this letter, the tip of your tongue
curls right back and touches the roof of your mouth
Read Sindhi right to left
81
ɖ
ڊ
This letter has a sound similar to
d in rushed
To pronounce this letter, the tip of your tongue
curls right back and touches the roof of your mouth
Read Sindhi right to left
82
These are the letters we’ve just seen
ɖ ʈ
ٽ ڊ
Read Sindhi right to left
83
This is how the signs for ə, ɪ and ʊ are written on these letters
ɖə ʈə
ٽ ڊ ɖɪ ʈɪ
ٽ ڊ ɖʊ ʈʊ
ٽ ڊ
Read Sindhi right to left
84
Look at these sequences
made from the letters and signs we’ve just seen
ɖəɖɪɖʊ ʈəʈɪʈʊ
ٽ ٽ ٽ ڊ ڊ ڊ
Read Sindhi right to left
85
Can you see how similar these groups of letters are,
in pronunciation and shape?
dədɪdʊ tətɪtʊ
د د ت ت ت د
ɖəɖɪɖʊ
ʈəʈɪʈʊ
ڊ ڊ ٽ ٽ ٽ ڊ
They are similar in terms of behaviour, too
t ت ʈ behaves exactly like ٽ
andڊ ɖ behaves exactly like د d
We’ve already seen the behaviour of ت and د on pages 76 and 77
Read Sindhi right to left
86
Can you read this sequence?
لٽ لت لي لن لب لپ
You should have read –
pəlbəlnəljəltəlʈəl
Read Sindhi right to left
87
Here are some Sindhi words with the new letters we’ve just seen –
ٽ ٽ ٽ پ ٽ ٽ پ س
ٽ ڊ پ س
Read Sindhi right to left
88
And here’s how you pronounce them, and what they mean –
ɖəpʊ pʊʈʊ ʈʊʈʊ sʊʈʊ
ٽ ٽ ٽ پ ٽ ڊ پ س fear son break thread
mɪnəʈʊ məʈərʊ
ر ٽ م ٽ ن م minute green peas
That’s all for now.
See you in the next part!
End of Part One
Typeset in Segoe UI (English & IPA) and Lateef (Sindhi)
For more information on the Sindhi script and its history –
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/sindhi.htm
References:
Center for Research in Urdu Language Processing. Sindhi English Dictionary
http://www.crulp.org/sed/
Machida, Kazuhiko. Intensive Language Courses – Sindhi, ILCAA, Tokyo
http://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~kmach/html/aa_sindhi/vocabulary/vocab.htm
Mewaram, Parmanand. A Sindhi-English Dictionary
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/mewaram/
Stack, George. A Dictionary – Sindhi and English
http://goo.gl/fcHGD
Wiktionary. हिनदी-हिनधी शबदकोश
http://hi.wiktionary.org/wiki/हिनदी-हिनधी_शबदकोश
v2012-12-13
©2011 – 2012 Arvind Iyengar. All Rights Reserved.