Peter T. Daniels wrote:

> > Virama is certainly not a defining feature, IMHO, as even
> > the Ethiopic script (after which the term "abugida" was
> coined) has no virama (although you don't match the "schwa"
> vowel series with a virama).
>
> Eh?

Just a random thought. One of the Ethiopic vowels is nominally /@/ (schwa),
but in most cases this vowel is not pronounced, so I thought it could be
seen as the Ethiopic equivalent of virama.

But, admittedly, it would be a strange kind of virama, as it sometimes has a
vowel sound...

_ Marco