Assamese Language Pronunciation rules: How much we know? (Vowels).....অসমীয়া ভাষাৰ উচ্চাৰণৰ নিয়ম: আমি কিমান জানোঁ? (স্বৰবৰ্ণ)

 I was born in Assam and I am speaking it since childhood. So, is my Assamese Pronunciation is correct? I thought it was ok until I open the Assamese grammar books again. Let's find out the Pronunciation rules in the language.......

(I am writing this for both Assamese speaking and non-Assamese speaking people who want to speak it.)

So first in this discussion,  I will talk about Vowels in the Assamese Language. I am showing how to pronounce them in an easy way. In the next discussions, I will talk about Consonants and Words. 

Vowel (স্বৰবৰ্ণ)

অ = sound like 'o' in hot   

আ = sound like 'a' in large   (symbol when added with consonant :া)

ই = sound like 'i' in him (symbol when added with consonant :  ি)

ঈ=sound like 'ee' in heel  (symbol when added with consonant : ী)

উ =sound like 'u' in pul (symbol when added with consonant : ু)

ঊ = sound like 'oo' in moon (symbol when added with consonant : ূ)

ঋ = (ri) sound like 'ree' in free (symbol when added with consonant : ৃ)

এ = sound like 'e' in hen (symbol when added with consonant : ে)

ঐ =  'oi' (symbol when added with consonant : ৈ)

ও = sound like  'o ' in go, so  (symbol when added with consonant : ো)

ঔ='ou' mixed sound of অ and উ  (symbol when added with consonant : ৌ)

Now let's talk more  (first check my "Assamese Language Pronunciation rules: How much we know? (Consonants)" discussion if you do not know how to speak the consonants):

অ :  All consonants in Assamese languages ends with the sound of অ. But there are rules when comes to consonants in words. word like 'মৰম' (maram not marama ). We are not pronouncing the 'অ' after the last 'ম'. So, after Last letter in Assamese 'অ' is not pronounced. There are some exceptions 'পাৰ', নাৰ, বাট, সোতৰ, ভাদ, ওঠৰ।

অ  has two sounds one from throat অলপ, অকলৈ one from head অগুণ, অকামিলা. (ask an Assamese speaking person to pronounce these you will get the difference just focus on অ )

If the final letter in a word is conjunct-consonant (যুক্তাক্ষৰ like ন্ত) অ  is pronounced: বুদ্ধ (buddha), কষ্ট (kasta),  শান্ত (hanta).

if the final letter in a word is ৱ then অ  is pronounced: জীৱ (jeewa), দেৱ (dewa).

if ং and ঃ are before the last word then অ  is pronounced: অংশ (angkha),  দুঃখ (duhkkha).

ই and ঈ : The difference between the two letters in words are not generally maintained. Sound of ঈ  is generally longer than ই but it also depends on the length of the word and the position of it.

উ and ঊ : The difference between the two letters in words are not generally maintained.ound of ঊ is generally longer thanঊ. 

এ has two sounds one from throat এক, এওঁ   one from head এই, এতিয়া. (ask an Assamese speaking person to pronounce these you will get the difference just focus on এ).

This for today. If I have done mistakes here please mention in the comments. Followings are the references for this discussion.

1. সত্যনাথ বৰা (১৯২৫) অসমীয়া ভাষাৰ বহল ব্যাকৰণ .
2. Bidhu Bhusan Das Gupta Assamese self-taught (1956)