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carefully examined, and the principles which underlie it are carefully explained; while apparent discrepancies and so-called irregularities are shown to be only natural euphonic and other changes. All technical terms are excluded unless their meaning and application is selfevident; no arbitrary rules are admitted; the old classification into declensions, conjugations, etc., and even the usual paradigms and tables, are omitted. Thus reduced to the simplest principles, the Accidence and Syntax can be thoroughly comprehended by the student on one perusal, and a few hours diligent study will enable him to analyze any sentence in the language.

The present volume is specially adapted for the requirements of Candidates for the Indian Civil Service and for the various Military and Civil Examinations in India. It will also be found an indispensable help to all who are commencing the study of Oriental languages.

The

It forms the first of a collection of Simplified Grammars, each containing either one or a group of two or three cognate languages, according to circumstances. first volume consists of Hindūstānī, Persian and Arabic, the latter, though not belonging to the same family as the other two, is included because of the numerous words and locutions which these borrow from it. This

volume will be followed by Grammars of the Keltic and Slavonic languages and dialects, also of Modern Greek, of Sanscrit, Pali, Burmese, Siamese, Malay, Chinese, and Japanese,-likewise of Grammars of the most important vernaculars of Modern India. The Keltic section will contain Welsh, Gaelic, Irish, and Breton; the Slavonic section will comprise Russian, Polish, Bohemian, Bulgarian; and the Scandinavian section Icelandic, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian. A volume on Anglo-Saxon is also in course of preparation. The Editor and Publishers, by the selection of the most competent scholars for the work, and by the greatest care in the production, hope to render this series of the utmost practical utility both to linguistic students and comparative philologists.

E. H. P.

LONDON, DECEMBER, 1881.

HINDŪSTĀNĪ,

PERSIAN, AND ARABIC GRAMMAR

SIMPLIFIED.

HINDUSTANI.

THE ALPHABET.

The Persian-Hindustanī alphabet is a modification of the Arabic. It is written from right to left.

ΝΑΜΕ.

EQUIVALENT.

PRONUNCIATION.

| Alif, a, e, i, o, oru This is the spiritus lenis of the Greek, a

mere prop to rest an initial vowel on.

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