(p. 202) ai The vowel AI as the i in pride. The shape ఐ is used as an initial in the dictionary and in poetry, but elsewhere the Telugus use a secondary form అయి 'AYI' instead: The secondary form అయి ayi is used in poetry as a dissyllable, whenever the metre requires two short syllables for AI, which is one long. The Y in అయి is not pronounced. Thus అయిదు is not pronounced ayidu, but ai-du. In Telugu words there is this liberty of spelling; but the longer form ayi ought never to be used in words of Sanscrit origin.