--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "P&G" <G&P@...> wrote:
>
> > the Gurmukhi script (the script normally used for Panjabi,
> > another IE language), has a similar 3-way split in its vowel-holder
> > consonant letters.
>
> I don't think you can mean Panjabi, which like Sanskrit, has vowel
letters
> used when a word or syllable begins with a vowel.
I very much do mean Panjabi/Gurmukhi.
We need to keep this discussion brief, as we are heading off-topic
into the realm of groups such as Qalam. Those who don't know the
script may find a chart at
http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0A00.pdf
. While someone familiar with Devanagari may just see a colllection
of independent vowel letters, the native tradition sees three vowel
holders:
** WARNING: Do NOT use these combinations for Unicode! **
(At least, not until the stability pact is torn up!)
1. Aira (Unicode U+0A05).
Ind. A = aira
Ind. AA = aira + dep. AA (this is well nigh universal in Indic scripts)
Ind. AI = aira + dep. AI
Ind. AU = aira + dep. AU
2. Iri (Unicode U+0A72)
Ind. I = iri + dep. I
Ind. II = iri + dep. II
Ind. EE = iri + dep. EE
3. Ura (Unicode U+0A73)
Ind. U = ura + dep. U
Ind. UU = ura + dep. UU
Ind. OO = deformed ura (Claimed as ligature of ura + dep OO?)
By contrast, the old Devanagari vowels can only be analysed as:
Ind. AA = Ind. A + AA
Ind. O = Ind. A + dep. O
Ind. AU = Ind. A + dep. AU
Ind. R = Reduced Ind. A(?) + dep. R
Ind. RR = Same base + dep. RR
Ind. I = sui generis
Ind. II = Ind. I + repha!
Ind. E = sui generis
Ind. AI = Ind. E + dep. E
Ind. U = sui generis
Ind. UU = Ind. U + dep. U
Ind. L = Hanging dep. L
Ind. LL = Hanging dep. LL
> Generally, Semitic
> scripts may need artificial "vowel-carriers", but Indian scripts do not.
The Indo-Chinese scripts have moved over, in varying degrees, to using
them, except that they are not artificial, for the corresponding
languages do have initial glottal stops. If you are using 'Indian' in
a restrictive sense to exclude Further India, it still makes sense in
terms of scripts to include all of the Indian Empire of the
King-Emperor - i.e. include Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Burma.
Richard.