Social:Chakma script

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Short description: Writing system used for Chakma language
Chakma
Changmha Ajhapat
𑄌𑄋𑄴𑄟𑄳𑄦 𑄃𑄧𑄏𑄛𑄖𑄴
Shukla Chakma I.svg
The word 'Changmha Ajhapat' in Chakma script
Type
Abugida
LanguagesChakma language, Pali[1]
Parent systems
Proto-Sinaitic alphabet[a]
DirectionLeft-to-right
ISO 15924Cakm, 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 Letters

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
ka ki ku 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
khā ghā ṅā chā jhā ñā ṭā
𑄒 𑄓 𑄔 𑄕 𑄖 𑄗 𑄘 𑄙 𑄚 𑄛 𑄜
ṭhā dhā ṇā thā dhā phā
𑄝 𑄞 𑄟 𑄠 𑄡 𑄢 𑄣 𑄤 𑄥 𑄦
bhā yyā

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

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

ra: X + Template:Script/Chakma + Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

la: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

wa: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

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

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

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

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

ma: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

ha: X + Template:Script/Chakma VIRAMA + Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

Template:Script/Chakma

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

Main page: Chakma (Unicode block)

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. 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. 
  2. 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. 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. 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. 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. 
  6. "Chakma". The Unicode Standard, Version 15.1. The Unicode Consortium. https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U11100.pdf. 
  7. 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. 
  8. "Unicode 6.1.0". 2012-01-31. https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.1.0/. 
  9. "Chakma Language". https://kokborokoml.tripura.gov.in/chakma. 

Further reading

External links