# | features | samples | combination | transcription |
1 | horizontal | प्य | प + ् + य | pya |
2 | vertical | ड्ड | ड + ् + ड | DDa |
3 | independent | क्ष | क + ् + ष | k$a |
4 | with `virama' ् | ड्ड | ड + ् + ड | 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 | र + ् + प | rpa |
Cr | vertical | प्र | प + ् + र | 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] | प + ् + य = प्य | pya |
horizontal (half letter प् + full letter य) |
2 | C[+danda]C[-danda] | ष + ् + ट = ष्ट | $Ta |
horizontal (half letter ष् + full letter ट) |
3 | C[-danda]C[+danda] | द + ् + ग = द्ग | dga |
vertical
(द्ग) or with `virama' (द् ग) |
4 | C[-danda]C[-danda] | ड + ् + ड = ड्ड | DDa |
vertical
(ड्ड) or with `virama' (ड् ड) |
The above table tells us that the attribute of the first consonant letter of the combination is crucial to determine the type of conjunct letter.
C[+danda]C | horizontal ( half letter + full letter) |
C[-danda]C |
vertical or with `virama'( ्) |
Levels and fonts
To meet various needs for Devanagari fonts, we have set up three tentative `levels' for developing Devanagari font sets.
The font set of Level 1 font is strictly principled. So, as many as possible horizontal conjuncts are adopted in Level 1. As a reslut, some conjuncts generated on principle are "rational" but "not in use". In the table following, the sign `*' implies "rational on principle", but "not in use"
The font of Level 3 can look old-fashioned. It highly adopted vertical conjuncts which are traditional but not familiar in modern age probably due to the difficulties of printing. It is suitable for classical languages such as Sanskrit.
The font of Level 2 is moderate one between Level 1 and Level 3. This font is suitable for modern languages such as Hindi.
The following table shows the distribution and assignment of conjuncts in each level.
Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |||
C[+danda]C | all horizontal | horizontal, on principle | horizontal, on principle | ||
samples | e.g. py |
e.g. प + ् + य |
e.g. प्य |
e.g. प्य |
e.g. प्य |
exceptional | Cr | e.g. प + ् + र |
e.g. *प्र horizontal |
e.g. प्र vertical |
e.g. प्र vertical |
k$ | क + ् + ष | *क्ष horizontal | क्ष independent | क्ष independent | |
j~ | ज + ् + ञ | *ज्ञ horizontal | ज्ञ independent | ज्ञ independent | |
kt | क + ् + त | क्त | क्त independent | क्त independent | |
tt | त + ् + त | त्त | त्त independent | त्त independent | |
kk | क + ् + क | क्क | क्क | क्क vertical | |
kl | क + ् + ल | क्ल | क्ल | क्ल vertical | |
kv | क + ् + व | क्व | क्व | क्व vertical | |
gn | ग + ् + न | ग्न | ग्न | ग्न vertical | |
cc | च + ् + च | च्च | च्च | च्च vertical | |
jj | ज + ् + ज | ज्ज | ज्ज | ज्ज vertical | |
~c | ञ + ् + च | ञ्च | ञ्च | ञ्च vertical | |
~j | ञ + ् + ज | ञ्ज | ञ्ज | ञ्ज vertical | |
nn | न + ् + न | न्न | न्न | न्न vertical | |
pt | प + ् + त | प्त | प्त | प्त vertical | |
pl | प + ् + ल | प्ल | प्ल | प्ल vertical | |
p'l | फ + ् + ल | फ्ल | फ्ल | फ्ल vertical | |
ll | ल + ् + ल | ल्ल | ल्ल | ल्ल vertical | |
Sc | श + ् + च | श्च | श्च | श्च vertical | |
Sn | श + ् + न | श्न | श्न | श्न vertical | |
Sl | श + ् + ल | श्ल | श्ल | श्ल vertical | |
Sv | श + ् + व | श्व | श्व | श्व vertical | |
$T | ष + ् + ट | ष्ट | ष्ट | ष्ट vertical | |
$T' | ष + ् + ठ | 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. ड + ् + ड |
e.g. ड्ड |
e.g. ड्ड |
e.g. ड्ड |
exceptional | Cr | e.g. द + ् + र |
e.g. द्र vertical |
e.g. द्र vertical |
e.g. द्र vertical |
Cy | e.g. ड + ् + य |
e.g. ड्य |
e.g. ड्य 変則horizontal |
e.g. ड्य 変則horizontal |
|
dy | द + ् + य | द्य | द्य independent | द्य independent | |
hy | ह + ् + य | ह्य | ह्य 変則horizontal | ह्य 変則horizontal | |
hm | ह + ् + म | ह्म | ह्म 変則horizontal | ह्म 変則horizontal |