Burmese words are spelt according to the Government system of transliteration. Consonants have the same power as in English. Y after g combines to form a sound approximating to j: gyi = “jee”; after every other consonant it is short—my̆o. Yw is pronounced “yu.” Vowels and diphthongs have the sounds given below:
| a = | a in “Ma.” |
| e = | a in “bane.” |
| è = | e in French “père,” without any sound of r following. |
| i = | ee in “feet.” |
| o or ô = | o in “bone.” |
| u = | oo in “fool.” |
| au = | ow in “cow.” |
| ai = | i in “line.” |
| ei = | ei in “vein.” |
| aw = | aw in “law.” |
Every letter, except y after g, is sounded separately, including final vowels. Thus, lu-gale is pronounced “loo-ga-lay.” These instructions are crude and unscientific, and may excite the derision of purists. They will enable anyone to pronounce Burmese words with some approach to correctness. In the case of Shan names I have as a rule adopted the Burmese forms rather than the Shan forms in official use, which no one who does not know the language can pretend to pronounce properly.
[LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS]
| [Buddha’s Foot] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | Frontispiece |
| FACING PAGE | |
| [Burmese Houses] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 48 |
| [Chin-lon] (Photograph by E. G. N. Kinch) | 58 |
| [The Potter] (Photograph by E. G. N. Kinch) | 64 |
| [The My̆o-ôk-gadaw] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 64 |
| [Snake Pagoda] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 70 |
| [Burmese Girl Worshipping] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 70 |
| [When the Floods are Out] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 84 |
| [The City Wall, Mandalay] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 120 |
| [Row of Buddhas] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 128 |
| [Releasing Turtle] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 128 |
| [A Burmese Family] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 162 |
| [The Sawbwa of Thibaw] (Photograph by London Stereoscopic Company) | 174 |
| [Monastery with Carving] (Photograph by A. Leeds) | 184 |
| [The Thatha-na-baing] (Photograph by Watts and Skeen, Rangoon) | 190 |
| [A Monastery] (Photograph by E. G. N. Kinch) | 200 |
| [Pagoda at Mone] (Photograph by Sir J. G. Scott, K.C.I.E.) | 226 |
| [The Paungdawu Festival] (Photograph by Sir J. G. Scott, K.C.I.E.) | 232 |
| [Bo Cho and His Sons] | 260 |