Classification of Conjunct Glyphs of Devanagari Script

# features samples combination transcription
1 horizontal प्य + + pya
2 vertical ड्ड + + DDa
3 independent क्ष + + k$a
4 with `virama' ड्‌ड + + DDa

The traditional glyphs of the combinations (Cr and rC) can be classified into vertical glyphsal.
`C' denotes any consonant.

features samples combinations transcription
rC vertical र्प + + rpa
Cr vertical प्र + + pra

Each consonant letter of Devanagari, as well as of other Indic scripts, has inherent vowel `a'. The history of the conjunct letters has been one of invention of how to omit the vowel inherent in consonant letter.

All consonant letters of Devanagari script can be classified into two major groups on the basis of whether it contains vertical stroke `danda' डंडा or not. The danda of Devanagari had developed in the course of its own history. As a result this characteristic feature enabled each Devanagari consonant letter with danda to generate another glyph without danda, which is so-called `half letter'. The invention of the `half letter' conveying consonant only brought out the innovation of Devanagari conjuncts.

The following table shows the classification of all Devanagari consonant letters with/without danda. C[+danda] and C[-danda] imply a consonant letter with danda and one without danda respectively. The glyphs in round brackets represent `half letters'.

+/- danda
location
samples numbers
+danda end ख (ख्‍), ग (ग्‍), घ (घ्‍), च (च्‍), ज (ज्‍), झ (झ्‍), ञ (ञ्‍), ण (ण्‍), त (त्‍), थ (थ्‍), ध (ध्‍), न (न्‍), प (प्‍), ब (ब्‍), भ (भ्‍), म (म्‍), य (य्‍), ल (ल्‍), व (व्‍), श (श्‍), ष (ष्‍), स (स्‍) 22
middle क (क्‍), फ (फ्‍) 2
-danda - ङ, छ, ट, ठ, ड, ढ, द, र, ह 9

All the possible combinations of two consonant letters with/without danda are as follows.

following
C[+danda] C[-danda]
preceding C[+danda] 1 2
C[-danda] 3 4

Samples are as follows.

# combinations samples transcription features
1 C[+danda]C[+danda] + + = प्य pya horizontal
(half letter प्‍ + full letter )
2 C[+danda]C[-danda] + + = ष्ट $Ta horizontal
(half letter ष्‍ + full letter )
3 C[-danda]C[+danda] + + = द्ग dga vertical (द्ग)
or
with `virama'
(द् )
4 C[-danda]C[-danda] + + = ड्ड DDa vertical (ड्ड)
or
with `virama'
(ड् )

The above table tells us that the attribute of the first consonant letter of the combination is crucial to determine the type of conjunct letter.

C[+danda]C horizontal ( half letter + full letter)
C[-danda]C vertical
or
with `virama'( )


Levels and fonts

To meet various needs for Devanagari fonts, we have set up three tentative `levels' for developing Devanagari font sets.

The font set of Level 1 font is strictly principled. So, as many as possible horizontal conjuncts are adopted in Level 1. As a reslut, some conjuncts generated on principle are "rational" but "not in use". In the table following, the sign `*' implies "rational on principle", but "not in use"

The font of Level 3 can look old-fashioned. It highly adopted vertical conjuncts which are traditional but not familiar in modern age probably due to the difficulties of printing. It is suitable for classical languages such as Sanskrit.

The font of Level 2 is moderate one between Level 1 and Level 3. This font is suitable for modern languages such as Hindi.

The following table shows the distribution and assignment of conjuncts in each level.

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
C[+danda]C all horizontal horizontal, on principle horizontal, on principle
samples e.g.
py
e.g.
+ +
e.g.
प्य
e.g.
प्य
e.g.
प्य
exceptional Cr e.g.
+ +
e.g.
*प्र horizontal
e.g.
प्र vertical
e.g.
प्र vertical
k$ + + *क्ष horizontal क्ष independent क्ष independent
j~ + + *ज्ञ horizontal ज्ञ independent ज्ञ independent
kt + + क्त क्त independent क्त independent
tt + + त्त त्त independent त्त independent
kk + + क्क क्क क्क vertical
kl + + क्ल क्ल क्ल vertical
kv + + क्व क्व क्व vertical
gn + + ग्न ग्न ग्न vertical
cc + + च्च च्च च्च vertical
jj + + ज्ज ज्ज ज्ज vertical
~c + + ञ्च ञ्च ञ्च vertical
~j + + ञ्ज ञ्ज ञ्ज vertical
nn + + न्न न्न न्न vertical
pt + + प्त प्त प्त vertical
pl + + प्ल प्ल प्ल vertical
p'l + + फ्ल फ्ल फ्ल vertical
ll + + ल्ल ल्ल ल्ल vertical
Sc + + श्च श्च श्च vertical
Sn + + श्न श्न श्न vertical
Sl + + श्ल श्ल श्ल vertical
Sv + + श्व श्व श्व vertical
$T + + ष्ट ष्ट ष्ट vertical
$T' + + ष्ठ ष्ठ ष्ठ vertical
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
C[-danda]C with `virama', on principle vertical, on principle vertical, on principle
samples e.g.
DD
e.g.
+ +
e.g.
ड्‌ड
e.g.
ड्ड
e.g.
ड्ड
exceptional Cr e.g.
+ +
e.g.
द्र vertical
e.g.
द्र vertical
e.g.
द्र vertical
Cy e.g.
+ +
e.g.
ड्‌य
e.g.
ड्य 変則horizontal
e.g.
ड्य 変則horizontal
dy + + द्‌य द्य independent द्य independent
hy + + ह्‌य ह्य 変則horizontal ह्य 変則horizontal
hm + + ह्‌म ह्म 変則horizontal ह्म 変則horizontal