Sundanese script

Sundanese script (su: Aksara Sunda) is a writing system which is currently used by some Sundanese people. It is built based on Old Sundanese script (su Aksara Sunda Kuna) which was used by ancient Sundanese between 14th and 18th centuries.

History

Sundanese civilization has been using different scripts for writing its languages.

• Pallava script or Pra-Nagari was used to write Sanskrit, until 7th century.
• Old Sundanese script was derived from Pallawa script.
• Carakan script or Javanese script, was used when Central Javanese civilization influenced Sundanese civilization between 16th and 17th centuries.
• Pegon script was and is still used mainly in pesantren (traditional Islamic schools)
• Latin script is now mostly used, was introduced in the 19-th century by Netherland people during their colonialization in Indonesia.
• 'Modern' Sundanese script is announced after research conducted to old Sundanese script.

Since 2003, West Java Government support officially the use of Sundanese script in daily activities.

Script structure

Sundanese script consists of several groups of characters:

• ngalagena characters (su:aksara Ngalagena), or consonant forms,
• swara characters (su:aksara Swara), or independent vocal forms,
• vocalization signs, are used to modify the vocal sound of ngalagena characters.
• numbers.

See also

• Sundanese language

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