Kaithi
Kaithī Kayathi, Kayasthi, 𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲 | |
---|---|
Script type | |
Time period | c. 16th–mid 20th century |
Direction | Left-to-right Sylheti Nagari |
Sister systems | |
ISO 15924 | |
Unicode range | U+11080–U+110CF |
[a] The Semitic origin of the Brahmic scripts is debated. | |
Brahmic scripts |
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The Brahmi script and its descendants |
Kaithi (𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲), also called Kayathi (𑂍𑂨𑂟𑂲) or Kayasthi (𑂍𑂰𑂨𑂮𑂹𑂟𑂲), is a historical Brahmic script that was used widely in parts of Northern and Eastern India, primarily in the present-day states of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar. In particular, it was used for writing legal, administrative and private records.[1] It was used for a variety of Indo-Aryan languages, including Angika, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Hindustani, Magahi, and Nagpuri.
Etymology
Kaithi script derives its name from the word Kayastha, a social group of India that is historically related to writing and traditionally consists of administrators and accountants.[2] The Kayastha community was closely associated with the princely courts and British colonial governments of North India and were employed by them to write and maintain records of revenue transactions, legal documents and title deeds; general correspondence and proceedings of the royal courts and related bodies.[3] The script used by them acquired the name Kaithi.[citation needed]
History
Documents in Kaithi are traceable to at least the 16th century. The script was widely used during the
In the late 19th century,
Classes
On the basis of local variants Kaithi can be divided into three classes viz. Bhojpuri, Magahi and Trihuti.[8][9]
Bhojpuri
This was used in Bhojpuri speaking regions and was considered as the most legible style of Kaithi.[8]
Magahi
Native to Magah or Magadh it lies between Bhojpuri and Trihuti.[8]
Tirhuti
It was used in Maithili speaking regions and was considered as the most elegant style.[8]
Consonants
All Kaithi consonants have an inherent a vowel:
VOICELESS PLOSIVES | VOICED PLOSIVES | NASALS | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unaspirated | Aspirated | Unaspirated | Aspirated | ||||||||||
Letter | Trans. | IPA | Letter | Trans. | Letter | Trans. | IPA | Letter | Trans. | Letter | Trans. | IPA | |
Velar | 𑂍 | k | /k/ | 𑂎 | kh | 𑂏 | g | /ɡ/ | 𑂐 | gh | 𑂑 | ṅ | /ŋ/ |
Palatal | 𑂒 | c | /c/ | 𑂓 | ch | 𑂔 | j | /ɟ/ | 𑂕 | jh | 𑂖 | ñ | /ɲ/ |
Retroflex | 𑂗 | ṭ | /ʈ/ | 𑂘 | ṭh | 𑂙 | ḍ | /ɖ/ | 𑂛 | ḍh | 𑂝 | ṇ | /ɳ/ |
𑂚 | ṛ | /ɽ/ | 𑂜 | ṛh | |||||||||
Dental | 𑂞 | t | /t/ | 𑂟 | th | 𑂠 | d | /d/ | 𑂡 | dh | 𑂢 | n | /n/ |
Labial | 𑂣 | p | /p/ | 𑂤 | ph | 𑂥 | b | /b/ | 𑂦 | bh | 𑂧 | m | /m/ |
Palatal | Retroflex | Dental | Labial | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Letter | Trans. | IPA | Letter | Trans. | IPA | Letter | Trans. | IPA | Letter | Trans. | IPA | ||
Sonorants | 𑂨 | y | /j/ | 𑂩 | r | /r/ | 𑂪 | l | /l/ | 𑂫 | v | /ʋ/ | |
Sibilants | 𑂬 | ś | /ɕ/ | 𑂭 | ṣ | /ʂ/ | 𑂮 | s | /s/ | ||||
Other | |||||||||||||
𑂯 | h | /h/ |
Vowels
Kaithi vowels have independent (initial) and dependent (diacritic) forms:
Trans. | Letter | Diacritic | Shown with k | Trans. | Letter | Diacritic | Shown with k | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guttural | a | 𑂃 | 𑂍 | ā | 𑂄 | 𑂰 | 𑂍𑂰 | |
Palatal |
i | 𑂅 | 𑂱 | 𑂍𑂱 | ī | 𑂆 | 𑂲 | 𑂍𑂲 |
Rounded | u | 𑂇 | 𑂳 | 𑂍𑂳 | ū | 𑂈 | 𑂴 | 𑂍𑂴 |
Palatoguttural | e | 𑂉 | 𑂵 | 𑂍𑂵 | ai | 𑂊 | 𑂶 | 𑂍𑂶 |
Labioguttural | o | 𑂋 | 𑂷 | 𑂍𑂷 | au | 𑂌 | 𑂸 | 𑂍𑂸 |
Diacritics
Several diacritics are employed to change the meaning of letters:
Diacritic | Name | Function |
---|---|---|
𑂀 | chandrabindu |
A chandrabindu denotes nasalisation although it is not normally used with Kaithi.[3]
|
𑂁 | anusvara | An anusvara in Kaithi represents true vowel nasalisation.[3] For example, 𑂍𑂁, kaṃ. |
𑂂 | visarga | Visarga is a Sanskrit holdover originally representing /h/. For example, 𑂍𑂂 kaḥ.[3] |
𑂹 | halanta |
A virama removes a consonant's inherent a and in some cases forms consonant clusters. Compare 𑂧𑂥 maba with 𑂧𑂹𑂥 mba.[10] |
𑂺 | nuqta | A nuqta is used to extend letters to represent non-native sounds. For example, 𑂔 ja + nuqta = 𑂔𑂺, which represents Arabic zayin.[3] |
Vowel diacritics
The following table shows the list of vowel diacritics on consonants. The vowel diacritics on consonants are call kakahārā (𑂍𑂍𑂯𑂰𑂩𑂰).
् | 𑂃 | 𑂄 | 𑂅 | 𑂆 | 𑂇 | 𑂈 | 𑂉 | 𑂊 | 𑂋 | 𑂌 | 𑂃𑂁 | 𑂃𑂂 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
𑂹𑂍 | 𑂍 | 𑂍𑂰 | 𑂍𑂱 | 𑂍𑂲 | 𑂍𑂳 | 𑂍𑂴 | 𑂍𑂵 | 𑂍𑂶 | 𑂍𑂷 | 𑂍𑂸 | 𑂍𑂁 | 𑂍𑂂 |
𑂹𑂎 | 𑂎 | 𑂎𑂰 | 𑂎𑂱 | 𑂎𑂲 | 𑂎𑂳 | 𑂎𑂴 | 𑂎𑂵 | 𑂎𑂶 | 𑂎𑂷 | 𑂎𑂸 | 𑂎𑂁 | 𑂎𑂂 |
𑂹𑂏 | 𑂏 | 𑂏𑂰 | 𑂏𑂱 | 𑂏𑂲 | 𑂏𑂳 | 𑂏𑂴 | 𑂏𑂵 | 𑂏𑂶 | 𑂏𑂷 | 𑂏𑂸 | 𑂏𑂁 | 𑂏𑂂 |
𑂹𑂐 | 𑂐 | 𑂐𑂰 | 𑂐𑂱 | 𑂐𑂲 | 𑂐𑂳 | 𑂐𑂴 | 𑂐𑂵 | 𑂐𑂶 | 𑂐𑂷 | 𑂐𑂸 | 𑂐𑂁 | 𑂐𑂂 |
𑂑𑂹 | 𑂑 | 𑂑𑂰 | 𑂑𑂱 | 𑂑𑂲 | 𑂑𑂳 | 𑂑𑂴 | 𑂑𑂵 | 𑂑𑂶 | 𑂑𑂷 | 𑂑𑂸 | 𑂑𑂁 | 𑂑𑂂 |
𑂹𑂒 | 𑂒 | 𑂒𑂰 | 𑂒𑂱 | 𑂒𑂲 | 𑂒𑂳 | 𑂒𑂴 | 𑂒𑂵 | 𑂒𑂶 | 𑂒𑂷 | 𑂒𑂸 | 𑂒𑂁 | 𑂒𑂂 |
𑂓𑂹 | 𑂓 | 𑂓𑂰 | 𑂓𑂱 | 𑂓𑂲 | 𑂓𑂳 | 𑂓𑂴 | 𑂓𑂵 | 𑂓𑂶 | 𑂓𑂷 | 𑂓𑂸 | 𑂓𑂁 | 𑂓𑂂 |
𑂹𑂔 | 𑂔 | 𑂔𑂰 | 𑂔𑂱 | 𑂔𑂲 | 𑂔𑂳 | 𑂔𑂴 | 𑂔𑂵 | 𑂔𑂶 | 𑂔𑂷 | 𑂔𑂸 | 𑂔𑂁 | 𑂔𑂂 |
𑂕𑂹 | 𑂕 | 𑂕𑂰 | 𑂕𑂱 | 𑂕𑂲 | 𑂕𑂳 | 𑂕𑂴 | 𑂕𑂵 | 𑂕𑂶 | 𑂕𑂷 | 𑂕𑂸 | 𑂕𑂁 | 𑂕𑂂 |
𑂹𑂖 | 𑂖 | 𑂖𑂰 | 𑂖𑂱 | 𑂖𑂲 | 𑂖𑂳 | 𑂖𑂴 | 𑂖𑂵 | 𑂖𑂶 | 𑂖𑂷 | 𑂖𑂸 | 𑂖𑂁 | 𑂖𑂂 |
𑂗𑂹 | 𑂗 | 𑂗𑂰 | 𑂗𑂱 | 𑂗𑂲 | 𑂗𑂳 | 𑂗𑂴 | 𑂗𑂵 | 𑂗𑂶 | 𑂗𑂷 | 𑂗𑂸 | 𑂗𑂁 | 𑂗𑂂 |
𑂘𑂹 | 𑂘 | 𑂘𑂰 | 𑂘𑂱 | 𑂘𑂲 | 𑂘𑂳 | 𑂘𑂴 | 𑂘𑂵 | 𑂘𑂶 | 𑂘𑂷 | 𑂘𑂸 | 𑂘𑂁 | 𑂘𑂂 |
𑂙𑂹 | 𑂙 | 𑂙𑂰 | 𑂙𑂱 | 𑂙𑂲 | 𑂙𑂳 | 𑂙𑂴 | 𑂙𑂵 | 𑂙𑂶 | 𑂙𑂷 | 𑂙𑂸 | 𑂙𑂁 | 𑂙𑂂 |
𑂛𑂹 | 𑂛 | 𑂛𑂰 | 𑂛𑂱 | 𑂛𑂲 | 𑂛𑂳 | 𑂛𑂴 | 𑂛𑂵 | 𑂛𑂶 | 𑂛𑂷 | 𑂛𑂸 | 𑂛𑂁 | 𑂛𑂂 |
𑂹𑂝 | 𑂝 | 𑂝𑂰 | 𑂝𑂱 | 𑂝𑂲 | 𑂝𑂳 | 𑂝𑂴 | 𑂝𑂵 | 𑂝𑂶 | 𑂝𑂷 | 𑂝𑂸 | 𑂝𑂁 | 𑂝𑂂 |
𑂹𑂞 | 𑂞 | 𑂞𑂰 | 𑂞𑂱 | 𑂞𑂲 | 𑂞𑂳 | 𑂞𑂴 | 𑂞𑂵 | 𑂞𑂶 | 𑂞𑂷 | 𑂞𑂸 | 𑂞𑂁 | 𑂞𑂂 |
𑂹𑂟 | 𑂟 | 𑂟𑂰 | 𑂟𑂱 | 𑂟𑂲 | 𑂟𑂳 | 𑂟𑂴 | 𑂟𑂵 | 𑂟𑂶 | 𑂟𑂷 | 𑂟𑂸 | 𑂟𑂁 | 𑂟𑂂 |
𑂹𑂠 | 𑂠 | 𑂠𑂰 | 𑂠𑂲 | 𑂠𑂲 | 𑂠𑂳 | 𑂠𑂴 | 𑂠𑂵 | 𑂠𑂶 | 𑂠𑂷 | 𑂠𑂸 | 𑂠𑂁 | 𑂠𑂂 |
𑂹𑂡 | 𑂡 | 𑂡𑂰 | 𑂡𑂱 | 𑂡𑂲 | 𑂡𑂳 | 𑂡𑂴 | 𑂡𑂵 | 𑂡𑂶 | 𑂡𑂷 | 𑂡𑂸 | 𑂡𑂁 | 𑂡𑂂 |
𑂹𑂢 | 𑂢 | 𑂢𑂰 | 𑂢𑂱 | 𑂢𑂲 | 𑂢𑂳 | 𑂢𑂴 | 𑂢𑂵 | 𑂢𑂶 | 𑂢𑂷 | 𑂢𑂸 | 𑂢𑂁 | 𑂢𑂂 |
𑂹𑂣 | 𑂣 | 𑂣𑂰 | 𑂣𑂱 | 𑂣𑂲 | 𑂣𑂳 | 𑂣𑂴 | 𑂣𑂵 | 𑂣𑂶 | 𑂣𑂷 | 𑂣𑂸 | 𑂣𑂁 | 𑂣𑂂 |
𑂹𑂤 | 𑂤 | 𑂤𑂰 | 𑂤𑂱 | 𑂤𑂲 | 𑂤𑂳 | 𑂤𑂴 | 𑂤𑂵 | 𑂤𑂶 | 𑂤𑂷 | 𑂤𑂸 | 𑂤𑂁 | 𑂤𑂂 |
𑂹𑂥 | 𑂥 | 𑂥𑂰 | 𑂥𑂱 | 𑂥𑂲 | 𑂥𑂳 | 𑂥𑂴 | 𑂥𑂵 | 𑂥𑂶 | 𑂥𑂷 | 𑂥𑂸 | 𑂥𑂁 | 𑂥𑂂 |
𑂹𑂦 | 𑂦 | 𑂦𑂰 | 𑂦𑂱 | 𑂦𑂲 | 𑂦𑂳 | 𑂦𑂴 | 𑂦𑂵 | 𑂦𑂶 | 𑂦𑂷 | 𑂦𑂸 | 𑂦𑂁 | 𑂦𑂂 |
𑂹𑂧 | 𑂧 | 𑂧𑂰 | 𑂧𑂱 | 𑂧𑂲 | 𑂧𑂳 | 𑂧𑂴 | 𑂧𑂵 | 𑂧𑂶 | 𑂧𑂷 | 𑂧𑂸 | 𑂧𑂁 | 𑂧𑂂 |
𑂹𑂨 | 𑂨 | 𑂨𑂰 | 𑂨𑂱 | 𑂨𑂲 | 𑂨𑂳 | 𑂨𑂴 | 𑂨𑂵 | 𑂨𑂶 | 𑂨𑂷 | 𑂨𑂸 | 𑂨𑂁 | 𑂨𑂂 |
𑂹𑂩 | 𑂩 | 𑂩𑂰 | 𑂩𑂱 | 𑂩𑂲 | 𑂩𑂳 | 𑂩𑂴 | 𑂩𑂵 | 𑂩𑂶 | 𑂩𑂷 | 𑂩𑂸 | 𑂩𑂁 | 𑂩𑂂 |
𑂹𑂪 | 𑂪 | 𑂪𑂰 | 𑂪𑂱 | 𑂪𑂲 | 𑂪𑂳 | 𑂪𑂴 | 𑂪𑂵 | 𑂪𑂶 | 𑂪𑂷 | 𑂪𑂸 | 𑂪𑂁 | 𑂪𑂂 |
𑂹𑂫 | 𑂫 | 𑂫𑂰 | 𑂫𑂱 | 𑂫𑂲 | 𑂫𑂳 | 𑂫𑂴 | 𑂫𑂵 | 𑂫𑂶 | 𑂫𑂷 | 𑂫𑂸 | 𑂫𑂁 | 𑂫𑂂 |
𑂹𑂬 | 𑂬 | 𑂬𑂰 | 𑂬𑂱 | 𑂬𑂲 | 𑂬𑂳 | 𑂬𑂴 | 𑂬𑂵 | 𑂬𑂶 | 𑂬𑂷 | 𑂬𑂸 | 𑂬𑂁 | 𑂬𑂂 |
𑂹𑂭 | 𑂭 | 𑂭𑂰 | 𑂭𑂱 | 𑂭𑂲 | 𑂭𑂳 | 𑂭𑂴 | 𑂭𑂵 | 𑂭𑂶 | 𑂭𑂷 | 𑂭𑂸 | 𑂭𑂁 | 𑂭𑂂 |
𑂹𑂮 | 𑂮 | 𑂮𑂰 | 𑂮𑂱 | 𑂮𑂲 | 𑂮𑂳 | 𑂮𑂴 | 𑂮𑂵 | 𑂮𑂶 | 𑂮𑂷 | 𑂮𑂸 | 𑂮𑂁 | 𑂮𑂂 |
𑂹𑂯 | 𑂯 | 𑂯𑂰 | 𑂯𑂱 | 𑂯𑂲 | 𑂯𑂳 | 𑂯𑂴 | 𑂯𑂵 | 𑂯𑂶 | 𑂯𑂷 | 𑂯𑂸 | 𑂯𑂁 | 𑂯𑂂 |
Signs and Punctuation
Kaithi has several script-specific punctuation marks:
Sign | Description |
---|---|
𑂻 | The abbreviation sign is one method of representing abbreviations in Kaithi.[3] For example, 𑂪𑂱𑂎𑂱𑂞𑂧 can be abbreviated as 𑂪𑂲𑂻.[3] |
| The number sign is used with digits for enumerated lists and numerical sequences.[3] It can appear above, below, or before a digit or sequence of digits.[3] For example, १२३. |
𑂼 | The enumeration sign is a spacing version of the number sign.[10] It always appears before a digit or sequence of digits (never above or below). |
𑂾 | The section sign indicates the end of a sentence.[10] |
𑂿 | The double section sign indicates the end of a larger section of text, such as a paragraph.[10] |
𑃀 | Danda is a Kaithi-specific danda, which can mark the end of a sentence or line. |
𑃁 | Double danda is a Kaithi-specific double danda. |
General punctuation is also used with Kaithi:
- + plus sign can be used to mark phrase boundaries
- ‐ hyphen and - hyphen-minus can be used for hyphenation
- ⸱ word separator middle dot can be used as a word boundary (as can a hyphen)
Digits
Kaithi uses stylistic variants of Devanagari digits. It also uses common Indic number signs for fractions and unit marks.[10]
Unicode
Kaithi script was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2009 with the release of version 5.2.
The Unicode block for Kaithi is U+11080–U+110CF:
Kaithi[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+1108x | 𑂀 | 𑂁 | 𑂂 | 𑂃 | 𑂄 | 𑂅 | 𑂆 | 𑂇 | 𑂈 | 𑂉 | 𑂊 | 𑂋 | 𑂌 | 𑂍 | 𑂎 | 𑂏 |
U+1109x | 𑂐 | 𑂑 | 𑂒 | 𑂓 | 𑂔 | 𑂕 | 𑂖 | 𑂗 | 𑂘 | 𑂙 | 𑂚 | 𑂛 | 𑂜 | 𑂝 | 𑂞 | 𑂟 |
U+110Ax | 𑂠 | 𑂡 | 𑂢 | 𑂣 | 𑂤 | 𑂥 | 𑂦 | 𑂧 | 𑂨 | 𑂩 | 𑂪 | 𑂫 | 𑂬 | 𑂭 | 𑂮 | 𑂯 |
U+110Bx | 𑂰 | 𑂱 | 𑂲 | 𑂳 | 𑂴 | 𑂵 | 𑂶 | 𑂷 | 𑂸 | 𑂹 | 𑂺 | 𑂻 | 𑂼 | | 𑂾 | 𑂿 |
U+110Cx | 𑃀 | 𑃁 | 𑃂 | | ||||||||||||
Notes |
Publications
The first Bhojpuri quarterly Bagsar Samāchar was published in this script in 1915.[11]
See also
- Devanagari
- Sylheti Nagari
- Gujarati script
- Modi script
References
- ^ King, Christopher R. 1995. One Language, Two Scripts: The Hindi Movement in Nineteenth Century North India.New York: Oxford University Press.
- ^ Grierson, George A. 1899. A Handbook to the Kaithi Character. Calcutta: Thacker, Spink & Co.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pandey, Anshuman (6 May 2008). "L2/08-194: Proposal to Encode the Kaithi Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ Rai, Alok. "Hindi Nationalism", p. 13
- ^ General Report on Public Instruction in the Bengal Presidency, p. 103.
- ISBN 978-81-250-1979-4.
- ^ "कहीं पन्नों में दफन न हो जाए कैथी". inextlive (in Hindi). 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d Grierson, G.A. (1881). A Handbook to the Kayathi Character. Calcutta: Thacar Spink and Co. p. 4.
- ^ Grierson, G.A. (1902). Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. V, Part II.
- ^ a b c d e "The Unicode Standard, Chapter 15.2: Kaithi" (PDF). Unicode Consortium. March 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ Journal of Historical Research. Department of History, Ranchi University. 2004.