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Lesson 4 
Dining – consonants (k c t p / kh ch th ph), Punjabi and English v/w.


4.1
Dialogues in Gurmukhi with Transcription and Translation


Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਮੋਹਣ ਸਿੰਘ :
   ਆਓ ਜੀ, ਏਥੇ ਆ ਜਾਓ।
   ਖਾਣੇ ਨਾਲ ਚਾਹ ਪੀਓਗੇ? 		móṇ sĩ́g :
   āo jī, ethe ā jạ̄o.
   khāṇe nāl čā́ píoge?		 Mohan Singh :
   Come in, Come here.
   Will you have tea with your dinner?
ਜਾਨ : ਜੀ। jā́n : jī. John : Yes, please.
ਮੋਹਣ ਸਿੰਘ : ਫੁਲਕਾ ਹੋਰ ਲਓਗੇ? móṇ sĩ́g : phulkā hor lͻge? Mohan Singh : Will you have another /phulkā/?
ਜਾਨ : ਜੀ ਬਸ। jā́n : jī bas. John : No, thanks.
ਮੋਹਣ ਸਿੰਘ :  ਸਬਜ਼ੀ? móṇ sĩ́g : sabzī? Mohan Singh : Vegetables?
ਜਾਨ : ਹਾਂ, ਕੁਝ। jā́n : hā̃ kúj. John : Yes, a little.
ਮੋਹਣ ਸਿੰਘ : ਮੇਥੀ ਕਿ ਗੋਭੀ? móṇ sĩ́g : methī ki góbī? Mohan Singh : /methī/ or cauliflower?
ਜਾਨ : ਮੇਥੀ। jā́n : methī. John : /methī/.

4.2
Dialogues in Gurmukhi with Transcription and Translation


Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਰਾਮ ਲਾਲ : ਖਾਣਾ ਖਾਓਗੇ? rām lāl : khāṇā khāoge? Ram Lal : Will you have dinner?
ਜਾਨ :
   ਨਹੀਂ ਜੀ।
   ਖਾ ਕੇ ਆਇਆਂ।		 jā́n :
   naī̃́ jī.
   khā ke āiā̃.		 John :
   No, thank you.
   I have just eaten.
ਰਾਮ ਲਾਲ : ਚਾਹ ਤੇ ਪੀਓਗੇ? rām lāl : čā́ te pioge? Ram Lal : You will have tea, of course?
ਜਾਨ : ਅੱਛਾ। jā́n : aččhā. John : Yes.

4.3
Dialogues in Gurmukhi with Transcription and Translation


Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਮਿਰਜ਼ਾ :
   ਆਓ, ਖਾਣਾ ਤਿਆਰ ਏ।
   ਸਾਗ ਲਓਗੇ ਨਾ?		 mirzā :
   āo, khāṇā tiār e.
   sāg lͻge nā?		 Mirza :
   Come, dinner is ready.
   Will you have some /sāg/?
ਜਾਨ : ਹਾਂ ਜੀ। jā́n : hā̃ jī. John : Yes, indeed.
ਮਿਰਜ਼ਾ : ਇਹ ਮਾਂਹ ਦੀ ਦਾਲ ਏ। mirzā : é mā̃́ dī dāl e. Mirza : This is mā̃́ dī dāl.
ਜਾਨ : ਅੱਛਾ, ਕੁਝ ਦੇ ਦਿਓ। jā́n : aččhā, kúj de dio. John : Fine give me a little.
ਮਿਰਜ਼ਾ :
   ਮਾਸ ਵੀ ਲਓ।
   ਮਿਰਚਾਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਨਹੀਂ। 		mirzā :
   mās wī lͻ.
   mirčā̃ bͻ́t naī̃́.		 Mirza :
   Have some meat, too.
   There isn't much chilli.
ਜਾਨ : ਅੱਛਾ ਜੀ। jā́n : aččhā jī. John : All right, thank you.

4.4
Dialogues in Gurmukhi with Transcription and Translation


Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਸੰਤੋਖ ਸਿੰਘ : ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ। santokh sĩ́g :sat sirī akāl. Santokh Singh :/sat sirī akāl./
ਜਾਨ : ਸਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ। jā́n:sat sirī akāl. John :/sat sirī akāl./
ਸੰਤੋਖ ਸਿੰਘ :
   ਇਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਕਾਕਾ ਏ, ਹਰਦਿਆਲ।
   ਖਾਲਸਾ ਸਕੂਲੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਏ।
   ਇਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਿਲੋ।
   ਇਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਦੋਸਤ ਨੇ, ਜਾਨ ਸਮਿਥ।
   ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਤੋਂ ਆਏ ਨੇ। 		santokh sĩ́g :
   é merā kākā e, hardiāl.
   khālsā sakūle jā̃dā e.
   énā̃ nū̃ milo.
   é mere dost ne, jā́n samith.
   amrikā tõ āe ne.		 Santokh Singh :
   This is my son, Hardial.
   He goes to the Khalsa School.
   I would like you to meet him.
   This is my friend, John Smith.
   He is from America.
ਜਾਨ :ਕਿਸ ਕਲਾਸ ਵਿਚ? jā́n : kis kalās wič? John : What class are you in?
ਹਰਦਿਆਲ :ਛੇਵੀਂ ਵਿਚ। hardiāl : čhewī̃ wič. Hardial :Sixth.
ਜਾਨ : ਸਕੂਲ ਕਿੰਨੀ ਦੂਰ ਏ? jā́n : sekūl kinnī dūr e? John : How far is the school?
ਹਰਦਿਆਲ : ਤਿੰਨ ਮੀਲ। hardiāl : tin mīl. Hardial : Three miles.
ਜਾਨ : ਕਿਵੇਂ ਜਾਈਦਾ? jā́n : kiwẽ jāīdā? John : How do you go?
ਹਰਦਿਆਲ : ਸਾਈਕਲ ਤੇ। hardiāl : sāīkal te. Hardial : By cycle.

§ USAGE NOTES
 
4.5 In 4.4 note the contrast between /é merā kākā e, hardiāl/ and the polite form /é mere dost ne, jā́n samith/.
 
4.6 The staple food in most Punjabi families is some kind of bread, phulkā is neither the most ordinary noṛ the fanciest. With this is usually served some kind of vegetable, collectively, sabzī. There are many kinds. Some like góbī ‘cauliflower’ are familiar in America, though often prepared somewhat differently. Others like methi, a kind of greens, are not known in the West. sāg is another vegetable preparation unknown to Americans. Some kind of legume preparation is also commonly served. These are generally known as dāl. There are many kinds, most of them common English names. mā̃́ dī dāl is one kind. Meat, mās, is eaten only occasionally, but of course more often when there is company.
 
§ PRONUNCIATION
 
4.7 Punjabi /k č t p/ are unaspirated. Similar sounds followed by rather strong aspiration also occur. We will write the aspiration h, and the aspirated sounds, therefore, kh čh th ph.
 
Punjabi /kh ch th ph/ are more nearly like English ‘k č t p’ than are Punjabi /k č t p/. Remember, however, that there is also another very important difference between t and ‘t’. in that the Punjabi sound is dental. th is also dental, and thus differs strongly from English ‘t’ in this respect. In practicing words with th be careful to force the tongue forward against the back of the teeth.
 
The difference between /k č t p/ and /kh čh th ph/ very frequently distinguishes words in Punjabi, and must therefore be carefully observed and maintained. The following are a few such pairs of words. Listen to your instructor pronounce them. After a bit of such listening practice, he will give you various words from this list to identify as aspirated or unaspirated.
 
Gurmukhi Transcription Gurmukhi Transcription
ਪਲ pal ਫਲ phal
ਪੋਲ pol ਖੋਲ khol
ਪੀਸ pīs ਫੀਸ phīs
ਲੇਪ lep ਲੇਫ leph
ਤਾਲ tāl ਥਾਲ thāl
ਤਕ tak ਥਕ thak
ਸਤ sat ਸਥ sath
ਮਿਤ mit ਮਿਥ mith
ਕਤ kat ਖਤ khat
ਕਾਰ kār ਖਾਰ khār
ਲਕ lak ਲਖ lakh
ਸੁਕ suk ਸੁਖ sukh


After some practice listening, repeat these words after your instructor, carefully imitating his pronunciation. Note that though English ‘k t p’ are aspirated, the degree of aspiration is not exactly the same as in Punjabi. Therefore, some care in imitation is needed.
 
4.8
The following words should be used for additional practice with /k t p/ and /kh th ph/ :
 
Gurmukhi Transcription Gurmukhi Transcription Gurmukhi Transcription
ਪਰੀ parī ਪੋਲ pol ਫਿਰ phir
ਪੀਹ pī́ ਫੀਤਾ phītā ਖਾਲ khāl
ਪੋਹ pó ਫੇਹ phé ਪਾਪ pāp
ਫਾਲ phāl ਪੀਤਾ pītā ਪੋਤਾ potā
ਤਾਰੀ tārī ਥਪ thap ਤੋਲ tol
ਤੀਹਰਾ tī́rā ਥੁਕ thuk ਥਾਂ thā̃
ਪਤ pat ਤੋਪਾ topā ਤੀਕ tīk
ਤਾਜ tāj ਤੋਰ tor ਤਾਂ tā̃
ਕਮ kam ਕਾਹਦਾ kā́dā ਖਾਲੀ khālī
ਕੋਹ kó ਕੀਤਾ kītā ਖਤਮ khatam
ਖਾਹ khā́ ਖੋਲ khol ਕੋਲ kol
ਕਾਰ kār ਖਬਰ khabar ਖੋਲ੍ਹ khól
ਚੂਪ čūp ਪਾਪ pāp ਰੂਪ rūp
ਨੇਫਾ nephā ਨਾਪੀ nāpī ਤੋਪਾ topā
ਹਫਿਆ haphiā ਕਪੜਾ kapṛā ਕੁਲਫੀ kulphī
ਜਾਪਿਆ jāpiā ਨੇਪਰੇ nepre ਦੀਪਾ dīpā
ਹਿਤ hit ਸਾਥੋਂ sāthõ ਜਾਤ jāt
ਸਤ sat ਜੀਤੋ jīto ਏਥੇ ethe
ਰਾਤ rāt ਸੀਤਾ sītā ਓਥੋਂ othõ
ਤੇਤੀ tetī ਬਹੁਤ bͻ́t ਜਿਤ jit
ਇਕ ik ਵਖ wakh ਲੇਖ lekh
ਦੁਖ dukh ਜੋਕ jok ਸਾਕ sāk
ਆਖਰ ākhar ਕਾਲਖ kālakh ਚੀਕ čīk
ਸੁਕਨਾ suknā ਸਕਦਾ sakdā ਚੁਕਾ čukā
ਚਾਰ čār ਛੇ čhe ਚਵ੍ਹੀ čáwī
ਚੂਪ čūp ਛਵੀ čhawī ਛਿਲ čhil
ਚਰ čar ਚੋ čo ਛਿਪ čhip
ਛਿਨ čhin ਚੀਕ čīk ਚੁਗ čug
ਕੂਚ kūč ਬਚ bač ਵਿਛ wičh
ਬੋਚ boč ਜਾਚ jāč ਸਚ sač
ਨਾਚਾ nāčā ਹੋਛੀ hočhī ਸੋਚਿਆ sočiā
ਬਾਛਾਂ bāčhā̃ ਪਚਿਆ pačiā ਰਚਿਆ račiā

4.9 What we have transcribed as w may have struck you as being two different sounds. One is more less reminiscent of English ‘v’, the other more nearly like English ‘w’. To an American ear, these are sharply distinct, and it seems a bit ridiculous to transcribe them with the same symbol. However, for most speakers of Punjabi there is no such clear distinction. Many, indeed, are totally unaware that they use two different pronunciations. It may take a very considerable effort to convince some Indians that they do.
 
The reason for this rather puzzling state of affairs may be seen as soon as the use of the two sounds is investigated. The details differ from one speaker to another, so your instructor’s speech may not be exactly as here described, but the following is typical. Before the vowels /ī e ɛ i/, the w is ‘v’ –like. Before /ā ͻ o ū a u/, the w is more ‘w’-like. The two pronunciations cannot occur before the same vowel. It is therefore totally impossible to find any two words that differ only in that one has a ‘v’-like sound and the other a ‘w’-like. There is nothing in the Punjabi language which makes it worthwhile for a speaker to learn this distinction.
 
This is exactly comparable to the situation in English that we have noted. English ‘pin’ and ‘spin’ have two very different sounds. Yet any normal American will think of them as one : ‘p’. This is because, when initial in a word, only ph-like sounds occur. If you examine all the other places in English words, you will find that in each place only one type of ‘p’ occurs. Thus, there cannot be a pair of words in English differentiated only by the fact that one has a ph-like sound and the other a p-like sound. Nothing forces the average American to learn to hear the difference, and he is therefore completely confident that the ‘p’ in ‘pin’ and the ‘p’ in ‘spin’ are exactly the same. Indeed, he tends to think it quite ridiculous to raise the question at all. In a sense he is right : the two sounds are functionally exactly equivalent in English, they are both ‘p’, and that is what really matters.
 
It was for this reason that some special care had to be taken in practicing Punjabi words with p and with ph. This difference is crucial in Punjabi, as may be seen from the existence of such pairs as pal and phal. Every Punjabi speaker makes this difference, having learned it fairly early in life. He makes it as consistently as he makes any other distinction. We must also make this distinction if our Punjabi is to sound right and sometimes simply if we are to be understood at all.
 
It is not a question of either sound being a new one. Both, or very near approximations to both, occur in English. The problem is rather that these two sounds are used quite differently in the two languages. New sounds are often nowhere near as much trouble in the long run as new uses of old sounds.
 
For a Punjabi speaker learning English, the difference between ‘v’ and ‘w’ is just as difficult as is that between p and ph for the American. It is not that these sounds do not occur in Punjabi-fairly close approximations do – but that these sounds are distinctive in English, but non-distinctive in Punjabi. An Indian learning English will have to drill extensively with pairs of words like 'vine' and ‘wine’, ‘vest’ and ‘west’, etc.
 
Americans learning Punjabi will perhaps never get over hearing the difference between ‘v’-like and ‘w’-like varieties of w, but they must learn to overlook it. It has no functional significance in the language. If it is not ignored, it merely imposes a profitless burden on the hearer. Americans must also build up the habit of selecting automatically the proper pronunciation of w for any given context. Only practice – imitation and drill – can do this. But with enough drill, it can become quite natural.
 
4.10 In Punjabi, vowels may be either nasalized or non-nasalized. There are many pairs of words where this is the only distinguishing factor. The following will illustrate. First listen to your instructor's pronunciation. Later carefully imitate until you can make the difference easily and accurately.
 
Gurmukhi Transcription Gurmukhi Transcription
ਲਾ lā ਲਾਂ lā̃
ਜਾ jā ਜਾਂ jā̃
ਵਾਸ wās ਵਾਂਸ wā̃s
ਹੈ hɛ ਹੈਂ hɛ̃
ਤਾ tā ਤਾਂ tā̃
ਕਾ kā ਕਾਂ kā̃
ਸੌ sͻ ਸੌਂ sͻ̃
ਲੂ lū ਲੂੰ lū̃


The following are additional words for practice. Be particularly careful to get the tones right as you practice nasalized vowels.
 
Gurmukhi Transcription Gurmukhi Transcription
ਤੋਰੀ torī ਲੋਕੀਂ lokī̃
ਤੋਲਾ tolā ਨੀਤੀ nītī
ਜੀਤਾਂ jītā̃ ਸੀਤਾ sītā
ਪੀਤੇ pīte ਨੀਤਾਂ nītā̃
ਏਧਰੋਂ édrõ ਰੌਂ rͻ̃
ਰੂੰ rū̃ ਜਾਈਂ jāī̃
ਲਾ lā ਬਾਹਰੋਂ bā́rõ̃
ਸਾਥੋਂ sāthõ ਪੂਰਾ pūrā
ਦੂਹਰਾ dū́rā ਚਾਲੀ cālī
ਤੀਹ tī́ ਤੀਂਹ tī̃́
ਰਹੀ raī́ ਰਹੀਂ raī̃́
ਸੂਤੀ sūtī ਲਹੀਂ laī̃́
ਜੁੱਤੀ juttī ਜੁੱਤੀਂ juttī̃
ਹਾਲ਼ੀ hāḷī ਹਾਲ਼ੀਂ hāḷī̃
ਤੇਰਾ terā ਤੇਰਾਂ terā̃


§ PATTERN PRACTICE
4.11
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ਹੋਰ ਲਓਗੇ? sabzī hor lͻge? Will you have more vegetables?
ਚਾਹ ਹੋਰ ਲਓਗੇ? čā́ hor lͻge? Will you have more tea?
ਦੁੱਧ ਹੋਰ ਲਓਗੇ? dúd hor lͻge? Will you have more milk?
4.12
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਚਾਹ ਕਿ ਦੁੱਧ? čā́ ki dúd? Tea or milk?
ਚਾਹ ਕਿ ਕਾਫੀ? čā́ ki kāfī? Tea or coffee?
ਗੋਭੀ ਕਿ ਮੇਥੀ? góbī ki methī? Cauliflower or methi?
4.13
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਖਾ ਕੇ ਆਇਆਂ। khā ke āiā̃. I have eaten.
ਪੀ ਕੇ ਆਇਆਂ। pī ke āiā̃. I have drunk.
ਤੁਰ ਕੇ ਆਇਆਂ। tur ke āiā̃. I came on foot.
4.14
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਚਾਹ ਤੇ ਪੀਓਗੇ? čā́ te pīoge? You will have tea, of course?
ਦੁੱਧ ਤੇ ਪੀਓਗੇ? dúd te pīoge? You will have milk, of course?
ਖਾਣਾ ਤੇ ਖਾਓਗੇ? khāṇā te khāoge? You will have dinner, of course?
4.15
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਮਿਰਚਾਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਨਹੀਂ। mircā̃ bͻ́t naī̃́. Not much chilli.
ਗਰਮੀ ਬਹੁਤ ਨਹੀਂ। garmī bͻ́t naī̃́. It's not very hot.
ਦੁੱਧ ਬਹੁਤ ਨਹੀਂ। dúd bͻ́t naī̃́. There's not much milk.
4.16
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਖਾਲਸਾ ਕਾਲਿਜ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਏ। khālsā kālij jā̃dā e. He goes to Khalsa College.
ਸਕੂਲੇ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਏ। sakūle jā̃dā e. He goes to school.
ਬਾਹਰ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਏ। bā́r jā̃dā e. He goes outside.
4.17
Gurmukhi Transcription Translation
ਬਾਜ਼ਾਰ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਏ। bāzār jā̃dī e. She goes to bazar.
ਸਕੂਲੇ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਏ। sakūle jā̃dī e. She goes to school.
ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਏ। šέr jā̃dī e. She goes to the city.

4.18
Note the variety of translations given for 4.13 and 4.15. /garmī bͻ́t naī̃́./ might be translated rather literally as 'There is not much heat', but we would be very much more likely to say ‘It’s not very hot’. /khā ke āiā̃./ might be translated literally as ‘Having eaten I came’. However, we would never say it that way. Perhaps the closet would be something like ‘I ate just before I came’. In many situations ‘I have already eaten’. or something like that would be the natural thing to say where one might say/khā ke āiā̃./ in Punjabi. If /khā/ means ‘eat’ and /pī/ means ‘drink’, what would you guess as to the literal meaning of /tur/?
 
4.19 Notice the difference between /čā́ te pīoge?/ and /čā́ pīoge?/. They have been translated differently, but that is not much real help. Each of them could have been translated several different ways. Indeed, both could have been translated exactly alike and still be quite correct. The real clue to the difference is in the dialogues. In 1.2 /čā́ pīoge?/ is used as the first invitation. /čā́ te pīoge?/ would not normally be used in this situation. In 4.2 John has just turned down an invitation to eat. (Notice that /khāṇā khāoge?/ is parallel in form to /čā́ pīoge?/ ). Ram Lal then says /čā́ te pīoge?/ setting the second invitation off against the first refusal. Perhaps the idea is best given by a long paraphrase : ‘Well then, if you won't eat, you certainly will drink, won't you?’ Except that, this paraphrase suggests impatience bordering on impoliteness, whereas /čā́ te pīoge?/ is quite polite.
 
4.20 Patterns 4.16 and 4.17 are used either for actual present or for habitual action. ‘He goes to school’ or ‘He is going to school’ will both translate /sakūle jā̃dā e./, depending, of course, on the context and situation.
 

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