[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [The History of Buddhist Thought](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933) › c7 # The History of Buddhist Thought c7: Pronunciation The History of Buddhist Thought c7 - **Language:** English ### Pronunciation ### [c7.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c7.1) IN Pāli and Sanskrit words the vowels are as in German or Italian, except that short \*a\* has the sound of \*u\* in \*but\*. The consonants are mostly as in English : \*g\* is always hard, \*c\* has the sound of \*ch\* in \*church\*. (In words more or less Anglicized \*ch\* has been used, as in \*Chandragupta\*.) The dentals, \*t\*, \*d\*, etc., are true dentals pronounced with the tongue against the teeth. The cerebrals, \*ṭ\*, \*ḍ\*, etc., are pronounced with the tongue against the hard palate, much as the English so-called dentals. In the case of the aspirated letters, \*th\*, \*ph\*, etc., the sound is a stop plus a simultaneous aspiration. The accent is on the long syllable as in Latin : \*Suddhódana\*, \*udāna\*, \*Lálita-vístara\*. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.thomas-1933.c7) · Pramāṇa