On the Incompatibility of the Bengali Script and Pronunciation
The Bengali language has its own syllabic script. However, it was originally invented to write Sanskrit. Therefore, as regards its concept and structure, it is a true copy of the 'Deva-nagari' script, which is one of the most excellent systems of writing, suited perfectly to the phonetics of Sanskrit. Unfortunately, one cannot say the same in the case of Bengali. The Bengali script and pronunciation do not always go hand in hand with each other. In some cases, the discrepancies between the script and pronunciation are very great. As a result, reading Bengali can sometimes be very difficult (especially for foreigners). The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the differences between the Bengali script and its pronunciation system, by example of the notation of vowels, semivowels, diphthongs, consonants and consonant clusters.
CEJSH db identifier