Phonetic spellings (was Shaktism feminism debate update)

[Guest guest]

Hello Mary Ann,

>> "Chandikaye" would be more accurately written

>"Chandikaayai"...

>

>This explains why it was spelled this way in the stuti someone

>posted last week on the message board. I wasn't sure if they

>were posting it phonetically, or if it was accurate spelling of the

>Sanskrit words.

 

Writing a Sanskrit word phonetically, and writing it in way that accurately

corresponds to Indian writing: these are actually the same!

 

The thing is that Indian writing systems, such as devanagari script, are

strictly phonetic.

 

Unfortunately, our latin alphabet has far fewer letters, so when devanagari

is replaced by latin, distinctions get lost, unless we use funny looking

devices like capitals in the middle of words, or doubled letters, or

horizontal lines over the top of letters and dots underneath.

 

For instance, the Goddess name commonly written Kali has long vowel sounds,

and so Kaalii or kAlI is phonetically accurate.

 

The Kali in Kali Yuga happens to be pronounced quite differently, and

therefore looks quite different in devanagari.

 

Om Shantih,

Colin