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Consonants.
The following are the consonants used in writing Malay with the equivalents by which I propose to represent them in Roman letters:–
ب | bâ | b |
ت | tâ | t |
ث | sâ | s [1] in Arabic th, pronounced as in thin. |
ج | jim | j |
چ | châ | ch |
ح | hâ | ḥ |
خ | khâ | kh[2] |
د | dâl | d |
ذ | dhâl | dh pronounced in Arabic like th in this. |
ر | râ | r |
ز | zay | z |
س | sin, sim | s |
ش | shin, shim | sh |
ص | sâd | ṣ[3] |
ض | ḍâd | ḍ[4] (in pronouncing this letter the tongue touches the back of the upper front teeth). |
ط | ṭâ | ṭ |
ظ | ẓa, ẓôi | ẓ[5] |
غ | ghrain | ghr[6] |
- ↑ Only two words are in common use in Malay which commence with this letter, namely the names of the second and third days of the week.
- ↑ خ is a strong guttural. It resembles the sound of ch, in the Scotch word loch.
- ↑ ص is strongly articulated palatal s, somewhat like ss in hiss.
- ↑ ض the true sound of this letter must be learnt by the ear. It is like a strong d.
- ↑ ظ the power of this letter is that of z, pronounced with a hollow sound from the throat.
- ↑ غ is a hard guttural g. It somewhat resembles the sound of the Northumbrian r.