Kannada script: Information from Answers.com

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Kannada
Type	Abugida
Spoken languages	Kannada Tulu Konkani
Time period	c. 1500–present
Parent systems	Proto-Canaanite alphabet Phoenician alphabet Aramaic alphabet Brāhmī Kadamba Kannada
Sister systems	Telugu
Unicode range	U+0C80–U+0CFF
ISO 15924	`Knda`
Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode.

Brāhmī

The Brahmic script and its descendants

Northern Brahmic Kusan Tocharian Meitei Mayek Gupta Śāradā Landa Old Kashmiri Gurmukhī Khojki Takri Dogri Chameali Siddhaṃ Tibetan ’Phagspa Hangul (hypothetical) Lepcha Limbu Nāgarī Devanāgarī Modi Nandināgarī Gujarati Proto-Bengali Kaithi Sylheti Nagari Eastern Nagari Bengali Assamese Mithilakshar Oriya Nepal Bhujimol Prachalit Nepal Ranjana Soyombo

Southern Brahmic Tamil Brahmi Vatteluttu Kolezhuthu Tamil Pallava Grantha Malayalam Tulu Sinhala Dhives Akuru Saurashtra Khmer Lao Thai Cham Old Kawi Balinese Javanese Baybayin Batak Buhid Hanunó'o Tagbanwa Sundanese Lontara Rejang Mon Burmese Ojhopath Kalinga Bhattiprolu Script Kadamba Kannada Telugu Tai Le New Tai Lue Ahom

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The Kannada script is a syllabary (of the type sometimes called an abugida) of the Brahmic family,^[1] used primarily to write the Kannada language, one of the Dravidian languages in India. It is also used for Konkani, Tulu, Beary bashe and Kodava languages.

1 History
2 General
3 Vowels
4 Yogavaahas
5 Consonants
- 5.1 Structured consonants
- 5.2 Unstructured consonants
6 Numbers
7 Kannada Kagunita
8 Unicode
9 Script similarities
10 See also
11 External links
12 References

History

Kannada (Kanarese or Canarese) script is derived from the Old Kannda script.^[2] Old Kannada script is the continuation of the Kadamba script involved during 10th century CE,^[3] used to write the Kannada and Telugu languages, called as Kannada-Telugu script. Modern scripts of Kannada and Telugu started to separate as early as the 13th century CE (During 1100 CE - 1400 CE).

The Kadamba script is evolved from the Brahmi script (during 5th century CE).^[4]

General

A sign board in Kannada script

The script has forty-nine characters in its alphasyllabary and is phonemic. The Kannada character set is almost identical to that of other Indian languages. The number of written symbols, however, is far more than the 49 characters in the alphasyllabary, because different characters can be combined to form compound characters (ottaksharas). Each written symbol in the Kannada script corresponds with one syllable, as opposed to one phoneme in languages like English. The Kannada writing system is an abugida, with consonants appearing with an inherent vowel.

The characters are classified into three categories: swaras (vowels), vyanjanas (consonants) and yogavaahas (part vowel, part consonants).

The name given for a pure, true letter is akshara, akkara or varna. Each letter has its own form (ākāra) and sound (shabda); providing the visible and audible representations, respectively. Kannada is written from left to right.^[5] Kannada alphabet (aksharamale or varnamale) now consists of 49 letters.^[6]

Each sound has its own distinct letter, and therefore every word is pronounced exactly as it is spelt; so the ear is a sufficient guide. After the exact sounds of the letters have been once gained, every word can be pronounced with perfect accuracy. The accent falls on the first syllable.^[5]

Vowels

There are thirteen vowels (swaras).

Brahmi script, Kanheri Caves

Kannada	ISO notation	Unicode name
ಅ	a	KANNADA LETTER A
ಆ	ā	KANNADA LETTER AA
ಇ	i	KANNADA LETTER I
ಈ	ī	KANNADA LETTER II
ಉ	u	KANNADA LETTER U
ಊ	ū	KANNADA LETTER UU
ಋ	r̥	KANNADA LETTER VOCALIC R
ಎ	e	KANNADA LETTER E
ಏ	ē	KANNADA LETTER EE
ಐ	ai	KANNADA LETTER AI
ಒ	o	KANNADA LETTER O
ಓ	ō	KANNADA LETTER OO
ಔ	au	KANNADA LETTER AU

Yogavaahas

The yogavaahas (part-vowel, part consonant) include two letters:

The anusvara: ಂ (am)
The visarga: ಃ (ah)

Consonants

Two types of consonants are identified in Kannada: the structured consonants and the unstructured consonants. The structured consonants are classified according to where the tongue touches the palate of the mouth and are classified accordingly into five structured groups.

Structured consonants

These consonants are shown here with the IAST symbols and the unicode name following.

	voiceless	voiceless aspirate	voiced	voiced aspirate	nasal
Velars	ಕ(ka)	ಖ(kha)	ಗ(ga)	ಘ(gha)	ಙ(nga)
Palatals	ಚ (ca)	ಛ (cha)	ಜ (ja)	ಝ (jha)	ಞ (IAST ñ, Unicode nya)
Retroflex	ಟ (IAST ṭa, Unicode tta)	ಠ (IAST ṭha, Unicode ttha)	ಡ (IAST ḍa, Unicode dda)	ಢ (IAST ḍha, Unicode ddha)	ಣ (IAST ṇa, Unicode nna)
Dentals	ತ (ta)	ಥ (tha)	ದ (da)	ಧ (dha)	ನ (na)
Labials	ಪ (pa)	ಫ (pha)	ಬ (ba)	ಭ (bha)	ಮ (ma)

See place of articulation for more information on tongue positions.

Unstructured consonants

The unstructured consonants are consonants that do not fall into any of the above structures:

ಯ (ya), ರ (ra), ಲ (la), ವ (va), ಶ (IAST śa, Unicode sha), ಷ (IAST ṣa, Unicode ssa) ಸ (sa), ಹ (ha), ಳ (IAST ḷa, Unicode lla)

Numbers

The decimal numbers in the script are:

೦ (0), ೧ (1), ೨ (2), ೩ (3), ೪ (4), ೫ (5), ೬ (6), ೭ (7), ೮ (8), ೯ (9)

Kannada Kagunita

ಅ	ಆ	ಇ	ಈ	ಉ	ಊ	ಋ	ಎ	ಏ	ಐ	ಒ	ಓ	ಔ	ಅಂ	ಅಃ
ಕ	ಕಾ	ಕಿ	ಕೀ	ಕು	ಕೂ	ಕೃ	ಕೆ	ಕೇ	ಕೈ	ಕೊ	ಕೋ	ಕೌ	ಕಂ	ಕಃ
ಖ	ಖಾ	ಖಿ	ಖೀ	ಖು	ಖೂ	ಖೃ	ಖೆ	ಖೇ	ಖೈ	ಖೊ	ಖೋ	ಖೌ	ಖಂ	ಖಃ
ಗ	ಗಾ	ಗಿ	ಗೀ	ಗು	ಗೂ	ಗೃ	ಗೆ	ಗೇ	ಗೈ	ಗೊ	ಗೋ	ಗೌ	ಗಂ	ಗಃ
ಘ	ಘಾ	ಘಿ	ಘೀ	ಘು	ಘೂ	ಘೃ	ಘೆ	ಘೇ	ಘೈ	ಘೊ	ಘೋ	ಘೌ	ಘಂ	ಘಃ
ಙ	ಙಾ	ಙಿ	ಙೀ	ಙು	ಙೂ	ಙೃ	ಙೆ	ಙೇ	ಙೈ	ಙೊ	ಙೋ	ಙೌ	ಙಂ	ಙಃ
ಚ	ಚಾ	ಚಿ	ಚೀ	ಚು	ಚೂ	ಚೃ	ಚೆ	ಚೇ	ಚೈ	ಚೊ	ಚೋ	ಚೌ	ಚಂ	ಚಃ
ಛ	ಛಾ	ಛಿ	ಛೀ	ಛು	ಛೂ	ಛೃ	ಛೆ	ಛೇ	ಛೈ	ಛೊ	ಛೋ	ಛೌ	ಛಂ	ಛಃ
ಜ	ಜಾ	ಜಿ	ಜೀ	ಜು	ಜೂ	ಜೃ	ಜೆ	ಜೇ	ಜೈ	ಜೊ	ಜೋ	ಜೌ	ಜಂ	ಜಃ
ಝ	ಝಾ	ಝಿ	ಝೀ	ಝು	ಝೂ	ಝೃ	ಝೆ	ಝೇ	ಝೈ	ಝೊ	ಝೋ	ಝೌ	ಝಂ	ಝಃ
ಞ	ಞಾ	ಞಿ	ಞೀ	ಞು	ಞೂ	ಞೃ	ಞೆ	ಞೇ	ಞೈ	ಞೊ	ಞೋ	ಞೌ	ಞಂ	ಞಃ
ತ	ತಾ	ತಿ	ತೀ	ತು	ತೂ	ತೃ	ತೆ	ತೇ	ತೈ	ತೊ	ತೋ	ತೌ	ತಂ	ತಃ
ಥ	ಥಾ	ಥಿ	ಥೀ	ಥು	ಥೂ	ಥೃ	ಥೆ	ಥೇ	ಥೈ	ಥೊ	ಥೋ	ಥೌ	ಥಂ	ಥಃ
ದ	ದಾ	ದಿ	ದೀ	ದು	ದೂ	ದೃ	ದೆ	ದೇ	ದೈ	ದೊ	ದೋ	ದೌ	ದಂ	ದಃ
ಧ	ಧಾ	ಧಿ	ಧೀ	ಧು	ಧೂ	ಧೃ	ಧೆ	ಧೇ	ಧೈ	ಧೊ	ಧೋ	ಧೌ	ಧಂ	ಧಃ
ನ	ನಾ	ನಿ	ನೀ	ನು	ನೂ	ನೃ	ನೆ	ನೇ	ನೈ	ನೊ	ನೋ	ನೌ	ನಂ	ನಃ
ಟ	ಟಾ	ಟಿ	ಟೀ	ಟು	ಟೂ	ಟೃ	ಟೆ	ಟೇ	ಟೈ	ಟೊ	ಟೋ	ಟೌ	ಟಂ	ಟಃ
ಠ	ಠಾ	ಠಿ	ಠೀ	ಠು	ಠೂ	ಠೃ	ಠೆ	ಠೇ	ಠೈ	ಠೊ	ಠೋ	ಠೌ	ಠಂ	ಠಃ
ಡ	ಡಾ	ಡಿ	ಡೀ	ಡು	ಡೂ	ಡೃ	ಡೆ	ಡೇ	ಡೈ	ಡೊ	ಡೋ	ಡೌ	ಡಂ	ಡಃ
ಢ	ಢಾ	ಢಿ	ಢೀ	ಢು	ಢೂ	ಢೃ	ಢೆ	ಢೇ	ಢೈ	ಢೊ	ಢೋ	ಢೌ	ಢಂ	ಢಃ
ಣ	ಣಾ	ಣಿ	ಣೀ	ಣು	ಣೂ	ಣೃ	ಣೆ	ಣೇ	ಣೈ	ಣೊ	ಣೋ	ಣೌ	ಣಂ	ಣಃ
ಪ	ಪಾ	ಪಿ	ಪೀ	ಪು	ಪೂ	ಪೃ	ಪೆ	ಪೇ	ಪೈ	ಪೊ	ಪೋ	ಪೌ	ಪಂ	ಪಃ
ಫ	ಫಾ	ಫಿ	ಫೀ	ಫು	ಫೂ	ಫೃ	ಫೆ	ಫೇ	ಫೈ	ಫೊ	ಫೋ	ಫೌ	ಫಂ	ಫಃ
ಬ	ಬಾ	ಬಿ	ಬೀ	ಬು	ಬೂ	ಬೃ	ಬೆ	ಬೇ	ಬೈ	ಬೊ	ಬೋ	ಬೌ	ಬಂ	ಬಃ
ಭ	ಭಾ	ಭಿ	ಭೀ	ಭು	ಭೂ	ಭೃ	ಭೆ	ಭೇ	ಭೈ	ಭೊ	ಭೋ	ಭೌ	ಭಂ	ಭಃ
ಮ	ಮಾ	ಮಿ	ಮೀ	ಮು	ಮೂ	ಮೃ	ಮೆ	ಮೇ	ಮೈ	ಮೊ	ಮೋ	ಮೌ	ಮಂ	ಮಃ
ಯ	ಯಾ	ಯಿ	ಯೀ	ಯು	ಯೂ	ಯೃ	ಯೆ	ಯೇ	ಯೈ	ಯೊ	ಯೋ	ಯೌ	ಯಂ	ಯಃ
ರ	ರಾ	ರಿ	ರೀ	ರು	ರೂ	ರೃ	ರೆ	ರೇ	ರೈ	ರೊ	ರೋ	ರೌ	ರಂ	ರಃ
ಲ	ಲಾ	ಲಿ	ಲೀ	ಲು	ಲೂ	ಲೃ	ಲೆ	ಲೇ	ಲೈ	ಲೊ	ಲೋ	ಲೌ	ಲಂ	ಲಃ
ವ	ವಾ	ವಿ	ವೀ	ವು	ವೂ	ವೃ	ವೆ	ವೇ	ವೈ	ವೊ	ವೋ	ವೌ	ವಂ	ವಃ
ಶ	ಶಾ	ಶಿ	ಶೀ	ಶು	ಶೂ	ಶೃ	ಶೆ	ಶೇ	ಶೈ	ಶೊ	ಶೋ	ಶೌ	ಶಂ	ಶಃ
ಷ	ಷಾ	ಷಿ	ಷೀ	ಷು	ಷೂ	ಷೃ	ಷೆ	ಷೇ	ಷೈ	ಷೊ	ಷೋ	ಷೌ	ಷಂ	ಷಃ
ಸ	ಸಾ	ಸಿ	ಸೀ	ಸು	ಸೂ	ಸೃ	ಸೆ	ಸೇ	ಸೈ	ಸೊ	ಸೋ	ಸೌ	ಸಂ	ಸಃ
ಹ	ಹಾ	ಹಿ	ಹೀ	ಹು	ಹೂ	ಹೃ	ಹೆ	ಹೇ	ಹೈ	ಹೊ	ಹೋ	ಹೌ	ಹಂ	ಹಃ
ಳ	ಳಾ	ಳಿ	ಳೀ	ಳು	ಳೂ	ಳೃ	ಳೆ	ಳೇ	ಳೈ	ಳೊ	ಳೋ	ಳೌ	ಳಂ	ಳಃ

Unicode

Unicode contains the Kannada script in the range U+0C80–U+0CFF. There are 86 characters in this block as of Unicode 5.0, which added 4 rare letters used for writing Sanskrit in Kannada script.^[7] Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points.

Kannada Unicode.org chart (PDF)
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	A	B	C	D	E	F
U+0C8x			ಂ	ಃ		ಅ	ಆ	ಇ	ಈ	ಉ	ಊ	ಋ	ಌ		ಎ	ಏ
U+0C9x	ಐ		ಒ	ಓ	ಔ	ಕ	ಖ	ಗ	ಘ	ಙ	ಚ	ಛ	ಜ	ಝ	ಞ	ಟ
U+0CAx	ಠ	ಡ	ಢ	ಣ	ತ	ಥ	ದ	ಧ	ನ		ಪ	ಫ	ಬ	ಭ	ಮ	ಯ
U+0CBx	ರ	ಱ	ಲ	ಳ		ವ	ಶ	ಷ	ಸ	ಹ			಼	ಽ	ಾ	ಿ
U+0CCx	ೀ	ು	ೂ	ೃ	ೄ		ೆ	ೇ	ೈ		ೊ	ೋ	ೌ	್
U+0CDx						ೕ	ೖ								ೞ
U+0CEx	ೠ	ೡ	ೢ	ೣ			೦	೧	೨	೩	೪	೫	೬	೭	೮	೯
U+0CFx		ೱ	ೲ

kannada alphabet names are called swaragalu.

Script similarities

Telugu script is closely related to the Kannada script because both scripts are derived from the old Telugu-Kannada script.^[8] Scripts which are close to Kannada script other than Telugu script are Sinhala script^[9](which included some elements from the Kadamba script^[10]), and old Peguan script (used in Burma).^[11]

External links

The Unicode Book: Chapter 9PDF (634 KB) — South and Southeast Asian Scripts
The Unicode Standard 5.0 — Kannada Code Chart PDF (111 KB)
Kannada alphabet — From Omniglot

References

^ Campbell, George L. (1997-11-06). Handbook of scripts and alphabets (1st Ed. ed.). Routledge, Newyork. p. 84–5. ISBN 9780415137157. OCLC 34473667.
^ "Kannada". http://www.ancientscripts.com/kannada.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
^ "Old Kannada". http://www.ancientscripts.com/old_kannada.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
^ "Kadamba". http://www.ancientscripts.com/kadamba.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
^ ^a ^b A Grammar of the Kannada Language F.Kittel (1993), pp. 5
^ "BhashaIndia.com :: Kannada". http://www.bhashaindia.com/Patrons/LanguageTech/Kannada.aspx. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
^ Proposal to add six characters for Kannada to the BMP of the UCS
^ "Ancient scripts, Telugu". http://www.ancientscripts.com/telugu.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
^ "Romanization, Sinhala (Sinhalese) Script". http://www.atla.com/tsig/Foreign_Lang_presentation/files2/9_22SinhalaRomanization.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
^ "Ancient scripts, Sinhala". http://www.ancientscripts.com/sinhala.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
^ "Telugu & Sinhalese script similarities". http://www.bhaavana.net/telusa/jan96/0155.html. Retrieved 2009-05-07.

v • d • e Kannada language

Kannada literature · Kannada Wikipedia · Kannada language · Kannada alphabet · Kannada film · Kannada film industry · Kannada poetry · Kannada Saahithya Parishath

v • d • e Writing systems

Overview	History of writing · History of the alphabet · Graphemes

Lists	Writing systems · Languages by writing system / by first written account · Undeciphered writing systems · Inventors of writing systems

Types	Featural alphabets · Alphabets · Abjads · Alphasyllabaries / Abugidas · Syllabaries · Ideogrammic · Pictographic · Logographic

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