Re: Indian Linguistics

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "kishore patnaik"
<kishorepatnaik09@...> wrote:

> Ancient Indian scribes classified their letters
> according to places of articulation( a surprisingly 'modern' practice);
> first vowels and diphthongs, then consonants (with default /a/'(such

as ka

> and not merely K-Kishore)), in exact back to front order as in the human
> moth-gutturals, palatals, cerebral palatals, dentals, labials, semi

vowels

> and spirants.

But classifying semivowels and spirants separately cuts across the
ordering by place of articulation, and rather messes up scripts that
fill in the gaps.

Richard.