Social:Chakma script
| Chakma Changmha Ajhapat 𑄌𑄋𑄴𑄟𑄳𑄦 𑄃𑄧𑄏𑄛𑄖𑄴 | |
|---|---|
 The word 'Changmha Ajhapat' in Chakma script | |
| Type | Abugida
|
| Languages | Chakma language, Pali[1] |
Parent systems | Proto-Sinaitic alphabet[a]
|
| Direction | Left-to-right |
| ISO 15924 | Cakm, 349 |
Unicode alias | Chakma |
| U+11100–U+1114F[6] | |
[a] The Semitic origin of the Brahmic scripts is not universally agreed upon. | |
The Chakma Script (Ajhā pāṭh), also called Ajhā pāṭh, Ojhapath, Ojhopath, Aaojhapath, is an abugida used for the Chakma language, and recently for the Pali language.[1]
History
The Chakma script is an abugida that belongs to the Brahmic family of scripts. Chakma evolved from the Burmese script, which was ultimately derived from Pallava.[3][4][5]
The script, along with the Chakma language, has been introduced to non-government schools in Bangladesh, and as well as schools in Mizoram.[7]
Structure
Chakma is of the Brahmic type: the consonant letters contain an inherent vowel. Unusually for Brahmic scripts, the inherent vowel in Chakma is a long 'ā' (aː) as opposed to short 'a' (ə) which is standard in most other languages of India such as Hindi, Marathi or Tamil. Consonant clusters are written with conjunct characters, and a visible vowel killer shows the deletion of the inherent vowel when there is no conjunct.
Vowels
Four independent vowels exist: Template:Script/Chakma a, Template:Script/Chakma i, Template:Script/Chakma u, and Template:Script/Chakma e.
| 𑄃 | 𑄄 | 𑄅 | 𑄆 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ā (aa) | i | u | e |
Other vowels in initial position are formed by adding the vowel sign to Template:Script/Chakma a, as in Template:Script/Chakma ī, Template:Script/Chakma ū, Template:Script/Chakma ai, Template:Script/Chakma oi. Some modern writers are generalizing this spelling in Template:Script/Chakma i, Template:Script/Chakma u, and Template:Script/Chakma e.
Chakma vowel signs with the letter Template:Script/Chakma ka are given below:
| 𑄇 | 𑄇𑄧 | 𑄇𑄨 | 𑄇𑄩 | 𑄇𑄪 | 𑄇𑄫 | 𑄇𑄬 | 𑄇𑄮 | 𑄇𑄭 | 𑄇𑄯 | Template:Script/Chakma | Template:Script/Chakma | Template:Script/Chakma | Template:Script/Chakma | Template:Script/Chakma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kā | ka | ki | kī | ku | kū | ke | ko | kāi | kau | koi | kaṃ | kaṃ | kaḥ | k |
One of the interesting features of Chakma writing is that candrabindu 𑄀 (cānaphudā) can be used together with anusvara 𑄁 (ekaphudā) and visarga 𑄂 (dviphudā):
Template:Script/Chakma aḥṃ = Template:Script/Chakma ā + Template:Script/Chakma
Template:Script/Chakma aṃṃ = Template:Script/Chakma ā + Template:Script/Chakma
Template:Script/Chakma uṃṃ = Template:Script/Chakma u + Template:Script/Chakma
Template:Script/Chakma muṃ = Template:Script/Chakma mā + Template:Script/Chakma
Consonants
| 𑄇 | 𑄈 | 𑄉 | 𑄊 | 𑄋 | 𑄌 | 𑄍 | 𑄎 | 𑄏 | 𑄐 | 𑄑 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kā | khā | gā | ghā | ṅā | cā | chā | jā | jhā | ñā | ṭā |
| 𑄒 | 𑄓 | 𑄔 | 𑄕 | 𑄖 | 𑄗 | 𑄘 | 𑄙 | 𑄚 | 𑄛 | 𑄜 |
| ṭhā | dā | dhā | ṇā | tā | thā | dā | dhā | nā | pā | phā |
| 𑄝 | 𑄞 | 𑄟 | 𑄠 | 𑄡 | 𑄢 | 𑄣 | 𑄤 | 𑄥 | 𑄦 | |
| bā | bhā | mā | yyā | yā | rā | lā | wā | sā | hā |
Vowel-killer
Like other Brahmic scripts, Chakma makes use of the maayyaa (killer) to invoke conjoined consonants. In the past, practice was much more common than it is today. Like the Myanmar script, Chakma is encoded with two vowel-killing characters in order to conform to modern user expectations. As shown above, most letters have their vowels killed with the use of the explicit maayyaa:
𑄇𑄴 k = 𑄇 kā + 𑄴 MAAYYAA
Conjucts
In 2001 an orthographic reform was recommended in the book Cāṅmā pattham pāt which would limit the standard repertoire of conjuncts to those composed with the five letters 𑄠 yā, 𑄢 rā, 𑄣 lā, 𑄤 wā, and 𑄚 nā. The four here are the most widely accepted repertoire of conjuncts.
ya: X + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄠 yā
ra: X + Template:Script/Chakma + Template:Script/Chakma rā
la: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma lā
wa: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma wā
No separate conjunct forms of subjoined full-form -yā or -rā appear to exist. The fifth of these conjuncts, the -na conjunct, is exemplary of the orthographic shift which has taken place in the Chakma language.
na: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma nā
While some writers would indeed write kakna (in ligating style) as 𑄇𑄇𑄳𑄚 or (in subjoining style) as 𑄇𑄇𑄳𑄚, most now would probably expect it to be written as 𑄇𑄇𑄴𑄚. The ligating style of glyphs is now considered old-fashioned. Thus, taking the letter 𑄟 mā as the second element, while the glyph shapes 𑄇𑄳𑄟 kmā, 𑄖𑄳𑄟 tmā, 𑄚𑄳𑄟 nmā, 𑄝𑄳𑄝 bbā, 𑄟𑄳𑄟 mmā, 𑄣𑄳𑄣 llā, 𑄥𑄳𑄟 smā, and 𑄦𑄳𑄟 hmā are attested, most users now prefer the glyph shapes 𑄇𑄳𑄟 kmā, 𑄖𑄳𑄟 tmā, 𑄚𑄳𑄟 nmā, 𑄝𑄳𑄝 bbā, 𑄟𑄳𑄟 mmā, 𑄣𑄳𑄣 llā, 𑄥𑄳𑄟 smā, and 𑄦𑄳𑄟 hmā. Again, this distinction is stylistic and not orthographic.
The 2004 book Phadagaṅ shows examples of the five conjuncts above together alongside conjuncts formed with 𑄝 bā, 𑄟 mā, and 𑄦 hā. These are all formed by simple subjoining.
ba: X + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄝 nā
ma: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma nā
ha: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma nā
In the 1982 book Cāṅmār āg pudhi a much wider range of conjunct pairs is shown, some of them with fairly complicated glyphs:
Template:Script/Chakma kkā = Template:Script/Chakma kā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄇 kā
Template:Script/Chakma kṭā = Template:Script/Chakma kā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄑 ṭā
Template:Script/Chakma ktā = Template:Script/Chakma kā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄖 tā
Template:Script/Chakma kmā = Template:Script/Chakma kā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄟 mā
Template:Script/Chakma kcā = Template:Script/Chakma kā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄌 cā
Template:Script/Chakma ṅkā = Template:Script/Chakma ṅā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄇 kā
Template:Script/Chakma ṅkā = Template:Script/Chakma ṅā + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + 𑄉 gā
Template:Script/Chakma ccā = Template:Script/Chakma cā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄌 cā
Template:Script/Chakma cchā = Template:Script/Chakma cā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄍 chā
Template:Script/Chakma ñcā = Template:Script/Chakma ñā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄌 cā
Template:Script/Chakma ñjā = Template:Script/Chakma ñā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄎 jā
Template:Script/Chakma ñjhā = Template:Script/Chakma ñā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄏 jhā
Template:Script/Chakma ṭṭā = Template:Script/Chakma ṭā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄑 ṭā
Template:Script/Chakma ttā = Template:Script/Chakma tā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄖 tā
Template:Script/Chakma tmā = Template:Script/Chakma tā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄟 mā
Template:Script/Chakma tthā = Template:Script/Chakma tā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄗 thā
Template:Script/Chakma ddā = Template:Script/Chakma dā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄘 dā
Template:Script/Chakma ddhā = 𑄘 dā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄙 dhā
Template:Script/Chakma ntā = 𑄚 nā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄖 tā
Template:Script/Chakma nthā = 𑄚 nā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄗 thā
Template:Script/Chakma nmā = 𑄚 nā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄟 mā
Template:Script/Chakma ppā = 𑄛 pā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄛 pā
Template:Script/Chakma bbā = 𑄝 bā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄝 bā
Template:Script/Chakma mmā = 𑄟 mā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄟 mā
Template:Script/Chakma jjā = 𑄎 jā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄎 jā
Template:Script/Chakma lkā = 𑄣 lā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄇 kā
Template:Script/Chakma lgā = 𑄣 lā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄉 gā
Template:Script/Chakma llā = 𑄣 lā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄣 lā
Template:Script/Chakma lṭā = 𑄣 lā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄑 ṭā
Template:Script/Chakma lpā = 𑄣 lā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄛 pā
Template:Script/Chakma lchā = 𑄣 lā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄍 chā
Template:Script/Chakma sṭā = 𑄥 sā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄑 ṭā
Template:Script/Chakma skā = 𑄥 sā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄇 kā
Template:Script/Chakma spā = 𑄥 sā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄛 pā
Template:Script/Chakma smā = 𑄥 sā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄟 mā
Template:Script/Chakma hmā = 𑄦 hā + 𑄳 VIRAMA + 𑄟 hmā
Letter names and punctuation
Chakma letters have a descriptive name followed by a traditional Brahmic consonant. These are given in annotations to the character names. Alongside a single (𑅁) and double (𑅂) danda punctuation, Chakma has a unique question mark (𑅃), and a section sign, Phulacihna. There is some variation in the glyphs for the Phulacihna (𑅀), some looking like flowers or leaves.
Numerals
The Chakma script contains its own set of numerals, although Bengali numerals are also used.
| 𑄶 | 𑄷 | 𑄸 | 𑄹 | 𑄺 | 𑄻 | 𑄼 | 𑄽 | 𑄾 | 𑄿 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
Unicode
Chakma script was added to the Unicode Standard in January 2012 with the release of version 6.1.[8]
The Unicode block for Chakma script is U+11100–U+1114F. Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points:
Educational Institutions
The Chakma language is being taught in many Government and private schools in India (Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh) and Bangladesh. The Chakma language was officially introduced in primary schools by the Govt. of Tripura under The Directorate of Kokborok & Other Minority Languages in 2004 through Bengali Script and since 2013 through Chakma script (also known as Ajhā Pāṭh). Presently,[when?] the Chakma language is being taught in 87 schools.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Scheuren, Zachary (2019-04-22). "Proposal to encode CHAKMA LETTER VAA for Pali". https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2019/19143-chakma-letter-vaa.pdf.
- ↑ Handbook of Literacy in Akshara Orthography. Literacy Studies. 17. 2019. p. 28. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-05977-4. ISBN 978-3-030-05976-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Talukdar, S. P. (2010). Genesis of Indigenous Chakma Buddhists and Their Pulverization Worldwide. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 9788178357584. https://books.google.com/books?id=RGHfVGV5A5wC&q=chakma+script+burmese%2Cp214&pg=PA214.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brauns, Claus-Dieter; Löffler, Lorenz G. (11 November 2013). Mru: Hill People on the Border of Bangladesh. Birkhäuser. ISBN 9783034856942. https://books.google.com/books?id=jWP0BwAAQBAJ&q=chakma+script+burmese&pg=PA28.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Everson, Michael; Hosken, Martin (2009-07-28). "Proposal for encoding the Chakma script in the UCS". http://unicode.org/L2/L2009/09187r-n3645r-chakma.pdf.
- ↑ "Chakma". The Unicode Standard, Version 15.1. The Unicode Consortium. https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U11100.pdf.
- ↑ Brandt, Carmen (2014). "Script as a potential demarcator and stabilizer of languages in South Asia". in Cardoso, Hugo C.. Language Endangerment and Preservation in South Asia. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780985621148.
- ↑ "Unicode 6.1.0". 2012-01-31. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.1.0/.
- ↑ "Chakma Language". https://kokborokoml.tripura.gov.in/chakma.
Further reading
- . Kaler Kantho. 2012-06-18. http://www.kalerkantho.com/print_edition/index.php?view=details&archiev=yes&arch_date=06-10-2012&type=gold&data=Food&pub_no=1024&cat_id=1&menu_id=14&news_type_id=1&index=6#.UsIKQvTuI2Y.
External links
- RibengUni (First Chakma Unicode Font)
- Chakma Script
- Chakma Bangla Blog
- Chakma Prototype Keyboard
- Chakma Unicode Converter
- Available Chakma Unicode Fonts
- Chakma Keyboard Layout for Mac OSX
- Chakma Open Dictionary
- "Chakma alphabet, pronunciation and language". Omniglot. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/chakma.htm.
- "Tribal Languages - Banglapedia". Banglapedia. http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Tribal_Languages.
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