--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, Michael Everson <everson@...> wrote:

> I think the final consonants differ by having an end-stroke, which
> happens to end in a circular finial in some fonts.

Looking at the reference glyphs, those with descenders (NG, N, M, D)
have just an extra loop at the end of the descender; those without
descenders (V, K, B) have a connector to the end of the final loop,
which is roughly below right. How are those with descenders
distinguished in fonts without terminal loops?

Much more to the point, though - what is the origin of this diacritic?
Is it a little used and thus overlooked feature of the Old Tai Lue
script? Or is it an innovation added as part of the script reform?

Richard.