On the whole, the consonantal system is much the same as in other Indian languages. Nasalization of long vowels is very common, especially in Konkani. In this article it is indicated by the sign ~ placed over the affected vowel. The palatals are pronounced as in Skr. in words borrowed from that language or from Hindostani, and also in Marathi _tadbhavas_ before _i_, _i_, _e_ or _y_. Thus, _cand_ (_tatsama_), fierce; _jama_ (Hindostani), collected; _cikhal_ (M. _tadbhava_), mud. In other cases they are pronounced _ts_, _tsh_, _dz_, _dzh_ respectively. Thus _tsakar_ (for _cakar_), a servant; _dzane_ (for _jane_), to go. There are two _s_-sounds in the standard dialect which are very similarly distinguished. _S_, pronounced like an English _sh_, is used before _i_, _i_, _e_ or _y_; and _s_, as in English "sin," elsewhere. Thus, _simphi_, a caste-name; _sil_, a stone; _set_, a field; _syam_, dark blue; but _sap_, a snake; _sumar_ (Persian _shumar_), an estimate; _stri_, a woman. In the dialects _s_ is practically the only sibilant used, and that is changed by the vulgar speakers of Konkani to _h_ (again as in north-western India). Aspirated letters show a tendency to lose their aspiration, especially in Konkani. Thus, _bhik_ (for _bhikh_), alms, quoted above; _hat_ (Pr. _hattho_), a hand. In Konkani we have words such as _boin_, a sister, against standard _bhain_; _ger_, standard _ghari_, in a house; _ami_, standard _amhi_, we. Here again we have agreement with north-western India. Generally speaking Marathi closely follows Maharastra when that differs from the Prakrits of other parts of India. Thus we have Skr. _vrajati_, Maharastri _vaccai_ (instead of _vajjai_), he goes; Konkani _votsu_, to go; Sauraseni _genhiduim_, Maharastri _ghettum_, to take; Marathi _ghet^ale_, taken. There is similarly both in Marathi and Maharastri a laxness in distinguishing between cerebral and dental letters (which again reminds us of north-western India). Thus, Skr. _dasati_, Maharastri _dasai_, he bites; M. _das^ane_ to bite; Skr. _dahati_, Maharastri _dahai_, he burns; M. _dadz^ane_, to be hot; Skr. _gardabhas_; Sauraseni _gaddaho_; Hindostani _gadha_; but Maharastri _gaddaho_; M. _gadhav_, an ass; and so many others. In Maharastri every _n_ becomes _n_, but in Jaina MSS. when the _n_ was initial or doubled it remained unchanged. A similar rule is followed regarding _l_ and the cerebral _l_ common in Vedic Sanskrit, in MSS. coming from southern India, and, according to the grammarians, also in the Pisaca dialects of the north-west. In M. a Pr. double _nn_ or _ll_ is simplified, according to the usual rule, to _n_ or _l_ respectively, with lengthening of the preceding vowel in compensation. Both _n_ and _l_ are of frequent occurrence in M., but only as medial letters, and then only when they represent _n_ or _l_ in the Pr. stage. When the