Brahmic scripts
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The Brahmic scripts, also known as Indic scripts, are a family of abugida writing systems. They are descended from the Brahmi script of ancient India and are used by various languages in several language families in South, East, Central and Southeast Asia: Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman, Turkic, Mongolic, Austroasiatic, Austronesian, and Tai. They were also the source of the dictionary order (gojūon) of Japanese kana.[1]
History
Brahmic scripts descended from the Brahmi script. Brahmi is clearly attested from the 3rd century BCE during the reign of Ashoka, who used the script for imperial edicts. Northern Brahmi gave rise to the Gupta script during the Gupta period, which in turn diversified into a number of cursives during the medieval period. Notable examples of such medieval scripts, developed by the 7th or 8th century, include Nagari, Siddham and Sharada.
The Siddhaṃ script was especially important in Buddhism, as many sutras were written in it. The art of Siddham calligraphy survives today in Japan. The tabular presentation and dictionary order of the modern kana system of Japanese writing is believed to be descended from the Indic scripts, most likely through the spread of Buddhism.[1]
Southern Brahmi evolved into the Kadamba, Pallava and Vatteluttu scripts, which in turn diversified into other scripts of South India and Southeast Asia. Brahmic scripts spread in a peaceful manner, Indianization, or the spread of Indian learning. The scripts spread naturally to Southeast Asia, at ports on trading routes.[2] At these trading posts, ancient inscriptions have been found in Sanskrit, using scripts that originated in India. At first, inscriptions were made in Indian languages, but later the scripts were used to write the local Southeast Asian languages. Hereafter, local varieties of the scripts were developed. By the 8th century, the scripts had diverged and separated into regional scripts.[3]
Characteristics
Some characteristics, which are present in most but not all the scripts, are:
- Each consonant has an inherent vowel which is usually a short ‘ə’ (in Bengali, Assamese and Odia, the phoneme is /ɔ/ due to sound shifts). Other vowels are written by adding to the character. A mark, known in Sanskrit as a virama/halanta/hasanta, can be used to indicate the absence of an inherent vowel, although it is rarely used.
- Each vowel has two forms, an independent form when not attached to a consonant, and a dependent form, when attached to a consonant. Depending on the script, the dependent forms can be either placed to the left of, to the right of, above, below, or on both the left and the right sides of the base consonant.
- Consonants (up to 4 in Devanagari) can be combined in ligatures. Special marks are added to denote the combination of 'r' with another consonant.
- Nasalization and aspiration of a consonant's dependent vowel is also noted by separate signs.
- The alphabetical order is: vowels, velar consonants, palatal consonants, retroflex consonants, dental consonants, bilabial consonants, approximants, sibilants, and other consonants. Each consonant grouping had four stops (with all four possible values of voicing and aspiration), and a nasal consonant.
Comparison
Template:Indic letters sidebar Below are comparison charts of several of the major Indic scripts, organised on the principle that glyphs in the same column all derive from the same Brahmi glyph. Accordingly:
- The charts are not comprehensive. Glyphs may be unrepresented if they are later inventions not derived from any Brahmi character.
- The pronunciations of glyphs in the same column may not be identical. The pronunciation row is only representative; the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pronunciation is given for Sanskrit where possible, or another language if necessary.
The transliteration is indicated in ISO 15919.
Consonants
This list tries to include characters of same origins, not same sounds.
Template:Sticky table startTemplate:Sort underTemplate:Mw-datatable
- Notes
Vowels
Vowels are presented in their independent form on the left of each column, and in their corresponding dependent form (vowel sign) combined with the consonant k on the right. A glyph for ka is an independent consonant letter itself without any vowel sign, where the vowel a is inherent.
Notes Template:Notelist
Numerals
| Hindu-Arabic | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brahmi numbers | 𑁒 | 𑁓 | 𑁔 | 𑁕 | 𑁖 | 𑁗 | 𑁘 | 𑁙 | 𑁚 | |
| Brahmi digits | 𑁦 | 𑁧 | 𑁨 | 𑁩 | 𑁪 | 𑁫 | 𑁬 | 𑁭 | 𑁮 | 𑁯 |
| Bengali– |
০ | ১ | ২ | ৩ | ৪ | ৫ | ৬ | ৭ | ৮ | ৯ |
| Tirhuta | 𑓐 | 𑓑 | 𑓒 | 𑓓 | 𑓔 | 𑓕 | 𑓖 | 𑓗 | 𑓘 | 𑓙 |
| Odia | ୦ | ୧ | ୨ | ୩ | ୪ | ୫ | ୬ | ୭ | ୮ | ୯ |
| Devanagari | ० | १ | २ | ३ | ४ | ५ | ६ | ७ | ८ | ९ |
| Gujarati | ૦ | ૧ | ૨ | ૩ | ૪ | ૫ | ૬ | ૭ | ૮ | ૯ |
| Modi | 𑙐 | 𑙑 | 𑙒 | 𑙓 | 𑙔 | 𑙕 | 𑙖 | 𑙗 | 𑙘 | 𑙙 |
| Sharada | 𑇐 | 𑇑 | 𑇒 | 𑇓 | 𑇔 | 𑇕 | 𑇖 | 𑇗 | 𑇘 | 𑇙 |
| Takri | 𑛀 | 𑛁 | 𑛂 | 𑛃 | 𑛄 | 𑛅 | 𑛆 | 𑛇 | 𑛈 | 𑛉 |
| Gurmukhi | ੦ | ੧ | ੨ | ੩ | ੪ | ੫ | ੬ | ੭ | ੮ | ੯ |
| Khudabadi | 𑋰 | 𑋱 | 𑋲 | 𑋳 | 𑋴 | 𑋵 | 𑋶 | 𑋷 | 𑋸 | 𑋹 |
| Meitei (Manipuri) | ꯰ | ꯱ | ꯲ | ꯳ | ꯴ | ꯵ | ꯶ | ꯷ | ꯸ | ꯹ |
| Newar | 𑑐 | 𑑑 | 𑑒 | 𑑓 | 𑑔 | 𑑕 | 𑑖 | 𑑗 | 𑑘 | 𑑙 |
| Tibetan | ༠ | ༡ | ༢ | ༣ | ༤ | ༥ | ༦ | ༧ | ༨ | ༩ |
| MongolianTemplate:Efn | ᠐ | ᠑ | ᠒ | ᠓ | ᠔ | ᠕ | ᠖ | ᠗ | ᠘ | ᠙ |
| Lepcha | ᱀ | ᱁ | ᱂ | ᱃ | ᱄ | ᱅ | ᱆ | ᱇ | ᱈ | ᱉ |
| Limbu | ᥆ | ᥇ | ᥈ | ᥉ | ᥊ | ᥋ | ᥌ | ᥍ | ᥎ | ᥏ |
| Sinhala astrological numbers | ෦ | ෧ | ෨ | ෩ | ෪ | ෫ | ෬ | ෭ | ෮ | ෯ |
| Sinhala archaic numbers | 𑇡 | 𑇢 | 𑇣 | 𑇤 | 𑇥 | 𑇦 | 𑇧 | 𑇨 | 𑇩 | |
| Tamil | ೦ | ௧ | ௨ | ௩ | ௪ | ௫ | ௬ | ௭ | ௮ | ௯ |
| Telugu | ౦ | ౧ | ౨ | ౩ | ౪ | ౫ | ౬ | ౭ | ౮ | ౯ |
| Kannada | ೦ | ೧ | ೨ | ೩ | ೪ | ೫ | ೬ | ೭ | ೮ | ೯ |
| Malayalam | ൦ | ൧ | ൨ | ൩ | ൪ | ൫ | ൬ | ൭ | ൮ | ൯ |
| Saurashtra | ꣐ | ꣑ | ꣒ | ꣓ | ꣔ | ꣕ | ꣖ | ꣗ | ꣘ | ꣙ |
| Ahom | 𑜰 | 𑜱 | 𑜲 | 𑜳 | 𑜴 | 𑜵 | 𑜶 | 𑜷 | 𑜸 | 𑜹 |
| Chakma | 𑄶 | 𑄷 | 𑄸 | 𑄹 | 𑄺 | 𑄻 | 𑄼 | 𑄽 | 𑄾 | 𑄿 |
| Burmese | ၀ | ၁ | ၂ | ၃ | ၄ | ၅ | ၆ | ၇ | ၈ | ၉ |
| Tai Tham Astrological NumbersTemplate:Efn | ᪀ | ᪁ | ᪂ | ᪃ | ᪄ | ᪅ | ᪆ | ᪇ | ᪈ | ᪉ |
| New Tai Lue | ᧐ | ᧑ | ᧒ | ᧓ | ᧔ | ᧕ | ᧖ | ᧗ | ᧘ | ᧙ |
| Shan | ႐ | ႑ | ႒ | ႓ | ႔ | ႕ | ႖ | ႗ | ႘ | ႙ |
| Khmer | ០ | ១ | ២ | ៣ | ៤ | ៥ | ៦ | ៧ | ៨ | ៩ |
| Thai | ๐ | ๑ | ๒ | ๓ | ๔ | ๕ | ๖ | ๗ | ๘ | ๙ |
| Lao | ໐ | ໑ | ໒ | ໓ | ໔ | ໕ | ໖ | ໗ | ໘ | ໙ |
| Tai ThamTemplate:Efn | ᪐ | ᪑ | ᪒ | ᪓ | ᪔ | ᪕ | ᪖ | ᪗ | ᪘ | ᪙ |
| Cham | ꩐ | ꩑ | ꩒ | ꩓ | ꩔ | ꩕ | ꩖ | ꩗ | ꩘ | ꩙ |
| Balinese | ᭐ | ᭑ | ᭒ | ᭓ | ᭔ | ᭕ | ᭖ | ᭗ | ᭘ | ᭙ |
| Javanese | ꧐ | ꧑ | ꧒ | ꧓ | ꧔ | ꧕ | ꧖ | ꧗ | ꧘ | ꧙ |
| Sundanese | ᮰ | ᮱ | ᮲ | ᮳ | ᮴ | ᮵ | ᮶ | ᮷ | ᮸ | ᮹ |
| Hindu-Arabic | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Notes Template:Notelist
List of Brahmic scripts
Historical
The Brahmi script was already divided into regional variants at the time of the earliest surviving epigraphy around the 3rd century BC. Cursives of the Brahmi script began to diversify further from around the 5th century AD and continued to give rise to new scripts throughout the Middle Ages. The main division in antiquity was between northern and southern Brahmi. In the northern group, the Gupta script was very influential, and in the southern group the Vatteluttu and Kadamba/Pallava scripts with the spread of Buddhism sent Brahmic scripts throughout Southeast Asia.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Northern Brahmic
- Gupta, 4th century
- Tocharian (Slanting Brahmi)
Southern Brahmic
- Tamil-Brahmi, 2nd century BC
- Pallava
- Tamil
- Grantha
- Khmer
- Cham
- Kawi
- Mon–Burmese
- Modern Mon
- Burmese
- Chakma
- S'gaw Karen
- Shan
- Tanchangya
- Lik-Tai scripts
- Tai Tham
- Pyu
- Vatteluttu
- Sinhala
- Pallava
- Bhattiprolu script
- Kadamba
Unicode of Brahmic scripts
As of Unicode version Template:Unicode version, the following Brahmic scripts have been encoded:
| script | derivation | Period of derivation | usage notes | ISO 15924 | Unicode range(s) | sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahom | Burmese[5] | 13th century | Extinct Ahom language | Ahom | U+11700–U+1174F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Balinese | Kawi | 11th century | Balinese language | Bali | U+1B00–U+1B7F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Batak | Pallava | 14th century | Batak languages | Batk | U+1BC0–U+1BFF | Template:Script/Batak |
| Baybayin | Kawi | 14th century | Tagalog, other Philippine languages | Tglg | U+1700–U+171F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Bengali–Assamese (Eastern Nagari) | Siddhaṃ | 11th century | Assamese language (Assamese script variant), Bengali language (Bengali script variant), Bishnupriya, Maithili, Meitei language (constitutionally termed as "Manipuri")[6] | Beng | U+0980–U+09FF | Template:Flatlist |
| Bhaiksuki | Gupta | 11th century | Was used around the turn of the first millennium for writing Sanskrit | Bhks | U+11C00–U+11C6F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Buhid | Kawi | 14th century | Buhid language | Buhd | U+1740–U+175F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Mon-Burmese | Pallava | 11th century | Burmese language, Mon language, numerous modifications for other languages including Chakma, Eastern and Western Pwo Karen, Geba Karen, Kayah, Rumai Palaung, S'gaw Karen, Shan | Mymr | U+1000–U+109F, U+A9E0–U+A9FF, U+AA60–U+AA7F, U+116D0–U116FF | <templatestyles src="Script/styles_myanmar.css" />မြန်မာအက္ခရာ |
| Chakma | Burmese | 8th century | Chakma language | Cakm | U+11100–U+1114F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Cham | Pallava | 8th century | Cham language | Cham | U+AA00–U+AA5F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Devanagari | Nagari | 13th century | Several Indo-Aryan languages (Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, Sanskrit, Nepali, Bhili, Sindhi, Gujarati etc), Sino-Tibetan languages (Bodo, Nepal Bhasa, Sherpa etc.), Mundari (Austroasiatic language) and others. | Deva | U+0900–U+097F, U+A8E0–U+A8FF, U+11B00–U+11B5F | <templatestyles src="Script/styles.css" />देवनागरीTemplate:Script/doc/id-unk |
| Dhives Akuru | Gupta | Before 6th-8th century | Was used to write the Maldivian language up until the 20th century.[7] | Diak | U+11900–U+1195F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Dogra | Takri | Was used to write Dogri. Dogra script is closely related to Takri.[8] | Dogr | U+11800–U+1184F | Script error: No such module "Lang". | |
| Grantha | Pallava | 6th century | Restricted use in traditional Vedic schools to write Sanskrit. Was widely used by Tamil speakers for Sanskrit and the classical language Manipravalam. | Gran | U+11300–U+1137F | Template:Script/Grantha |
| Gujarati | Nagari | 17th century | Gujarati language, Kutchi language | Gujr | U+0A80–U+0AFF | <templatestyles src="Script/styles.css" />ગુજરાતી લિપિTemplate:Script/doc/id-unk |
| Gunjala Gondi | uncertain | 16th century | Used for writing the Adilabad dialect of the Gondi language.[9] | Gong | U+11D60–U+11DAF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Gurmukhi | Sharada | 16th century | Punjabi language | Guru | U+0A00–U+0A7F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Hanunó'o | Kawi | 14th century | Hanuno'o language | Hano | U+1720–U+173F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Javanese | Kawi | 16th century | Javanese language, Sundanese language, Madurese language | Java | U+A980–U+A9DF | Template:Script/Javanese |
| Kaithi | Nagari | 16th century | Historically used for writing legal, administrative, and private records. | Kthi | U+11080–U+110CF | Template:Script/Kaithi |
| Kannada | Telugu-Kannada | Around 4th-6th century | Sanskrit, Kannada, Konkani, Tulu, Badaga, Kodava, Beary, others | Knda | U+0C80–U+0CFF | <templatestyles src="Script/styles.css" />ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಕ್ಷರಮಾಲೆTemplate:Script/doc/id-unk |
| Kawi | Pallava | 8th century | Kawi was found primarily in Java and used across much of Maritime Southeast Asia between the 8th century and the 16th century.[10] | Kawi | U+11F00–U+11F5F | Template:Script/Kawi |
| Khmer | Pallava | 11th century | Khmer language | Khmr | U+1780–U+17FF, U+19E0–U+19FF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Khojki | Landa | 16th century | Some use by Ismaili communities. Was used by the Khoja community for Muslim religious literature. | Khoj | U+11200–U+1124F | Template:Script/Khojki |
| Khudawadi | Landa | 16th century | Was used by Sindhi communities for correspondence and business records. | Sind | U+112B0–U+112FF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Lao | Tai Noi | 14th century | Lao language, others | Laoo | U+0E80–U+0EFF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Lepcha | Tibetan | 18th century | Lepcha language | Lepc | U+1C00–U+1C4F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Limbu | Lepcha | 18th century | Limbu language | Limb | U+1900–U+194F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Lontara | Kawi | 17th century | Buginese language, others | Bugi | U+1A00–U+1A1F | Template:Script/Lontara |
| Mahajani | Landa | 16th century | Historically used in northern India for writing accounts and financial records. | Mahj | U+11150–U+1117F | Template:Script/Mahajani |
| Makasar | Kawi | 17th century | Was used in South Sulawesi, Indonesia for writing the Makassarese language.[11] Makasar script is also known as "Old Makassarese" or "Makassarese bird script" in English-language scholarly works.[12] | Maka | U+11EE0–U+11EFF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Malayalam | Grantha | 12th century | Malayalam | Mlym | U+0D00–U+0D7F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Marchen | Tibetan | 7th century | Was used in the Tibetan Bön tradition to write the extinct Zhang-Zhung language | Marc | U+11C70–U+11CBF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Meetei Mayek | Tibetan[13] | 6th century[14] | officially used for Meitei language (constitutionally termed as "Manipuri") in accordance to "The Manipur Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2021"[6] | Mtei | U+AAE0–U+AAFF, U+ABC0–U+ABFF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Modi | Nāgarī | 17th century | Was used to write the Marathi language | Modi | U+11600–U+1165F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Multani | Landa | Was used to write the Multani language | Mult | U+11280–U+112AF | Template:Script/Multani | |
| Nandinagari | Nāgarī | 7th century | Historically used to write Sanskrit in southern India | Nand | U+119A0–U+119FF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Newar | Nepal | 10th century | Newar, Sanskrit, Maithili | Newa | U+11400–U+1147F | Template:Script/Newa |
| New Tai Lue | Tai Tham | 1950s | Tai Lü language | Talu | U+1980–U+19DF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Odia | Siddhaṃ | 13th century | Odia language | Orya | U+0B00–U+0B7F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| ʼPhags-pa | Tibetan | 13th century | Historically used during the Mongol Yuan dynasty. | Phag | U+A840–U+A87F | Template:Phagspa |
| Rejang | Kawi | 18th century | Rejang language, mostly obsolete | Rjng | U+A930–U+A95F | Template:Script/Rejang |
| Saurashtra | Grantha | 20th century | Saurashtra language, mostly obsolete | Saur | U+A880–U+A8DF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Sharada | Gupta | 8th century | Was used for writing Sanskrit and Kashmiri | Shrd | U+11180–U111DF, U+11B60–U11B7F | Template:Script/Sharada |
| Siddham | Gupta | 7th century | Was used for writing Sanskrit | Sidd | U+11580–U+115FF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Sinhala | Brahmi[15] | 4th century[16] | Sinhala language | Sinh | U+0D80–U+0DFF, U+111E0–U+111FF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Sundanese | Kawi | 14th century | Sundanese language | Sund | U+1B80–U+1BBF, U+1CC0–U+1CCF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Sylheti Nagari | Nagari | 16th century | Historically used for writing the Sylheti language | Sylo | U+A800–U+A82F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Tagbanwa | Kawi | 14th century | Various languages of Palawan, nearly extinct | Tagb | U+1760–U+177F | Template:Script/Tagbanwa |
| Tai Le | Mon | 13th century | Tai Nüa language | Tale | U+1950–U+197F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Tai Tham | Mon | 13th century | Northern Thai language, Tai Lü language, Khün language | Lana | U+1A20–U+1AAF | Template:Script/Tai Tham |
| Tai Viet | Thai | 16th century | Tai Dam language | Tavt | U+AA80–U+AADF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Tai Yo/Lai Tay | Khmer | 16th century | Tai Yo language[17] | Tayo | U+1E6C0–U1E6FF | |
| Takri | Sharada | 16th century | Was used for writing Chambeali and other languages | Takr | U+11680–U+116CF | Template:Script/Takri |
| Tamil | Pallava | 2nd century | Tamil language | Taml | U+0B80–U+0BFF, U+11FC0–U+11FFF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Telugu | Telugu-Kannada | 5th century | Telugu language | Telu | U+0C00–U+0C7F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Thai | Sukhothai | 13th century | Thai language | Thai | U+0E00–U+0E7F | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
| Tibetan | Gupta | 8th century | Classical Tibetan, Dzongkha, Ladakhi language | Tibt | U+0F00–U+0FFF | Template:Script/Tibetan |
| Tigalari/Tulu | Grantha | 9th century | Tulu, Kannada, and Sanskrit | Tutg | U+11380–U113FF | <templatestyles src="Script/styles.css" />Template:Script/doc/id-unk |
| Tirhuta | Siddham | 13th century | Historically used for the Maithili language | Tirh | U+11480–U+114DF | Script error: No such module "Lang". |
Gallery
Northern Brahmi
Script error: No such module "Gallery".
Southern Brahmi
Script error: No such module "Gallery".
Brahmic-derived scripts and constructed neographies
Script error: No such module "Gallery".
See also
- Devanagari transliteration
- Bharati Braille, the unified braille assignments of Indian languages
- Indus script – symbols produced by the Indus Valley Civilisation
- Indian Script Code for Information Interchange (ISCII) – the coding scheme specifically designed to represent Indic scripts
References
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Aditya Bayu Perdana and Ilham Nurwansah 2020. Proposal to encode Kawi
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
External links
Script error: No such module "Side box".
- Online Tool which supports Conversion between various Brahmic Scripts
- Windows Indic Script Support
- An Introduction to Indic Scripts
- South Asian Writing Systems
- Enhanced Indic Transliterator Script error: No such module "webarchive". Transliterate from romanised script to Indian Languages.
- Indian Transliterator A means to transliterate from romanised to Unicode Indian scripts.
- Imperial Brahmi Font and Text-Editor Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- Brahmi Script
- Xlit: Tool for Transliteration between English and Indian Languages
- Padma: Transformer for Indic Scripts Script error: No such module "webarchive". – a Firefox add-on
Script error: No such module "navbox". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "navbox with collapsible groups".