Pronunciation of Anusvar अनुस्वार

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Exaplanation for “अनुस्वार”  (anusvAr) :-

In table for vowels there is row :-

अं

aM

As sound of "um" in number, sound of "um" as in jum

This will need more attention to understand its pronunciation.

The dot given on the character is called “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)

The anusvaar (अनुस्वार ) is a nasal sound. The अनुस्वार  itself does not determine the pronunciation of a word. Rather, it is the character that follows the  अनुस्वारthat determines the pronunciation. There are seven possibilities that affect the pronunciation of an अनुस्वार.

So though we will use capital ‘M’ to indicate अनुस्वार, you may need to pronounce it differently depending on case.

Listen the rules for pronunciation of anusvaar (अनुस्वार ) at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFPNvcDDwfw

or

https://soundcloud.com/kaushik-lele/pronunciation-of-anusvar-nasal-sound-learn-marathi

Rule 1) If the nasal dot is followed by the क (k) , ख (kh) , ग (g) , घ (gh) the nasal dot will be pronounced as ङ ( G)

e.g. ‘n’ in “sing” 

Examples :-

English word	Synonym in Marathi	Transliteration in roman scipt.  “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr) marked as ‘M’	Simpler transliteration to explain  pronunciation of “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)
Digit	अंक	aMk	ank
Fan	पंखा	paMkhA	pankhA
Comb	कंगवा	kaMgava	kangava
Bath	आंघोळ	AMghoL	Anghol

Rule 2) If the nasal dot is followed by characters च (ch) , छ (Ch), ज (j) , झ (jh) the dot is pronounced as ञ (nY)

e.g ‘n’ in English word “munch”

English word	Synonym in Marathi	Transliteration in roman scipt.  “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr) marked as ‘M’	Simpler transliteration to explain  pronunciation of “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)
Set	संच	saMch	sanch
	कंछ	kaMCh	kanCh
Thread for kite	मांजा	mAMjA	mAnjA
	सांझ	sAMjh	sanjh

Rule 3) If the nasal dot is followed by characters ट (T), ठ (Th), ड (D) ढ (Dh) ण ( N)  the dot is pronounced as ण ( N)

English word	Synonym in Marathi	Transliteration in roman scipt.  “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr) marked as ‘M’	Simpler transliteration to explain  pronunciation of “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)
Bore	कंटाळा	kaMTALA	kaNtala
Dry ginger	सुंठ	suMTh	suNTh
pot	भांडे	bhAMDe	bhANDe
Eunuch	षंढ	ShaMDh	ShaNDh

Rule 4) If the nasal dot is followed by characters त (t) n  थ (th ) द (d) ध (dh) न (n)

the dot is pronounced as न (n)

English word	Synonym in Marathi	Transliteration in roman scipt.  “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr) marked as ‘M’	Simpler transliteration to explain  pronunciation of “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)
saint	संत	saMt	sant
gradual	संथ	saMth	santh
close	बंद	baMd	band
joint	सांधा	sAMdhA	sAndhA
To them	त्यांना	tyAMnA	tyAnnA

Rule 5) If the nasal dot is followed by characters प (p),फ (ph ),ब (b ),भ (bh ),म (m)

the dot is pronounced as म (m)

English word	Synonym in Marathi	Transliteration in roman scipt.  “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr) marked as ‘M’	Simpler transliteration to explain  pronunciation of “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)
pump	पंप	paMp	pamp
	अंफ	aMph	amph
mango	आंबा	AMbA	AmbA
start	आरंभ	AraMbh	Arambh
Approval	संमती	saMmatI	sammatI

Rule 6) If the nasal dot is followed by characters य (y) र(r) ल(l) व(v) श(sh) ष(Sh) स(s) ह(h) ळ(L) क्ष(kSh) ज्ञ (dny) the dot is pronounced as   अं (aM)

English word	Synonym in Marathi	Transliteration in roman scipt.  “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr) marked as ‘M’	Simpler transliteration to explain  pronunciation of “अनुस्वार” (anusvAr)
Part	अंश	aMsh	amsh
Bracket	कंस	kaMs	kans
Term	संज्ञा	saMdnyA	saMdnyA
patience	संयम	saMyam	sanyam
Dialogue	संवाद	saMvAd	samvAd

 Rule 7) If the nasal dot is followed by the space character the dot is pronounced as half म i.e. म्‌

 Example: एवं = एवम्‌ (evam)

Rule 8) Use of अनुस्वार to indicate change in pronunciation in colloquial language.

In day-to-day communication, words ending with vowel ए (e) are said in little differently.  Instead of pronouncing ए (e), the consonant is pronounced elongated.

And this change is pronunciation is indicated by अनुस्वार; though there is no nasal sound.

e.g. “Trees” is English is झाडे (jhADe) in Marathi. But in day-to-day communication it can be said as  झाडं (jhADM). Where ending ड(d) is pronounce elongated.

Similarly “Leaves” in English is पाने(pAne). It can also be said as  पानं (pAnM).

It may sound contrary to rule 7 discussed above.  But note that, rule 7 is present in Marathi because of influence of Sanskrit language. There is hardly any Marathi word having अनुस्वार (anusvaar) on ending vowel. 

So unless you know that you are quoting something from Sanskrit,you need not apply rule 7. Apply rule 8 i.e. say the ending vowel elongated.

Rule 8 is also applicable when pair of word is present.

e.g.  words कसे(kase) and तरी (tarI) are used together to make combined word कसेतरी (kasetarI) . Now कसे(kase) can be said as कसं (kasa). So combined word can also be said as कसंतरी (kasaMtarI)

So you will NOT apply rule 4 to say it कसन्तरी (kasantarI)

Similarly झाडेबिडे(jhADebiDe) can be pronounced as झाडंबिडं  (jhADMbiDM ).

So you will NOT apply rule 3 & 7 to say it झाडम्बिडम्‌ (jhADambiDam)

So you should know if it is a combined word or a single word to pronounce it correctly.

Rule of thumb is,

if word ends with  तर (tar), तरी (tarI), ही (hI) then it is a combined word. e.g. कसंतरी (kasaMtarI ) कुठंही (kuThMhI )खरंतर (kharaMtar)

If word is pair of two rhyming words then it is combined word.

झाडं-बिडं (jhADMbiDM),हलकं-फुलकं (halakaMphulakaM), साधं-बिधं (sAdhaMbidhaM)

If word is pair of opposite words then it is combined word

खरं-खोटं(kharaM-khoTM, भलं-बुरं(kharaM-khoTM, bhalM-buraM)

Listen Rule number 8 at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Ee9D2_d6s

Rule 9) अनुस्वार  in सामान्यरूप form of plural of noun. 
In Marathi, form of noun changes before adding any preposition to it. This concept is thoroughly discussed in lesson
http://kaushiklele-learnmarathi.blogspot.com/2012/05/working-with-nouns-prepositions.html

In सामान्यरूप form of plural of noun whenever there is अनुस्वार at end it is  pronounced as light half "न(n)" irrespective of following consonant.
e.g

Word :- संप(saMp)
सामान्यरूप form of plural of word :- संपां(saMpAM)
Full word examples संपांपासून (saMpAMpAsUn ).
This word is actually pronounced as सम्पान्पासून (sampAnpaasUn)
So here first anusvar (in सं) is pronounced as half "म"(m) because next consonant is "प(p)" as in Rule 5. 
But second anusvar (in पां )is pronounced as half "न(n)" even if next consonant is again "प(p)" as in Rule 9.

Word :- माठ(mATh) 
सामान्यरूप form of plural of word :- माठां(mAThAM)
So words like माठांकरिता(mAThAMkaritA), माठांपासून(mAThAMpAsUn)
are actually pronounced as माठान्करिता (mAThAnkaritA), माठान्पासून (mAThAnpAsUn)

Other example;
word :- पान(pAn) 
सामान्यरूप form of plural of word :- पानां(pAnAM)
So words like पानांकरिता (pAnAMkaritA ), पानांपासून(pAnAMpAsUn)
are pronounced as पानान्करिता  (pAnAnkaritA ), पानान्पासून(pAnAnpAsUn)

Listen Rule 9 at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-6IGs3yHLQ

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Note :-  Right hand side of the blog shows "Blog Archive". Expand it fully to see whole list of posts to Learn Marathi. Learn Marathi grammar and many aspects Marathi language online.
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