Va (Indic)

Comparison of Va in different scripts

Aramaic - Kharoṣṭhī 𐨬 Ashoka Brahmi Kushana Brahmi Tocharian  /  Gupta Brahmi Pallava - Kadamba - Bhaiksuki 𑰪 Siddhaṃ Grantha 𑌵 Cham ꨥ Sinhala ව Pyu / Old Mon - Tibetan ཝ / ྭ Newa 𑐰 Ahom - Malayalam വ Telugu వ Burmese ဝ Lepcha ᰟ Ranjana - Saurashtra ꢮ Dives Akuru 𑤩 Kannada ವ Kayah Li ꤠ Limbu ᤘ Soyombo 𑩾 Khmer វ Tamil Chakma 𑄤 Tai Tham ᩅ Meitei Mayek ꯋ Gaudi - Thai ว Lao ວ Tai Le ᥝ Marchen 𑲅 Tirhuta 𑒫 New Tai Lue ᦛ / ᦞ Tai Viet ꪪ / ꪫ Aksara Kawi - 'Phags-pa ꡓ Odia ଵ Sharada 𑆮 Rejang ꥀ Batak ᯋ Buginese ᨓ Zanabazar Square 𑨭 Bengali-Assamese Takri 𑚦 Javanese ꦮ Balinese ᬯ Makasar 𑻯 Hangul - Northern Nagari - Dogri 𑠦 Laṇḍā - Sundanese ᮝ Baybayin ᜏ Modi 𑘪 Gujarati વ Khojki 𑈨 Khudabadi 𑋛 Mahajani 𑅯 Tagbanwa ᝯ Devanagari Nandinagari 𑧊 Kaithi 𑂫 Gurmukhi ਵ Multani 𑊤 Buhid ᝏ Canadian Syllabics - Soyombo 𑩾 Sylheti Nagari ꠛ Gunjala Gondi 𑵭 Masaram Gondi 𑴨 Hanuno'o ᜯ Notes

Va or Wa is a consonant of Indic abugidas. In modern Indic scripts, Va is derived from the early "Ashoka" Brahmi letter after having gone through the Gupta letter . It is generally romanized as "Va" in scripts for Indic languages, but as "Wa" in many scripts for other language families.

Āryabhaṭa numeration

Further information: Āryabhaṭa numeration

Aryabhata used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to the Greek numerals, even after the invention of Indian numerals. The values of the different forms of व are:

• व [ʋə] = 60 (६०)
• वि [ʋɪ] = 6,000 (६ ०००)
• वु [ʋʊ] = 600,000 (६ ०० ०००)
• वृ [ʋri] = 60,000,000 (६ ०० ०० ०००)
• वॢ [ʋlə] = 6×10⁹ (६×१०^९)
• वे [ʋe] = 6×10¹¹ (६×१०^११)
• वै [ʋɛː] = 6×10¹³ (६×१०^१३)
• वो [ʋoː] = 6×10¹⁵ (६×१०^१५)
• वौ [ʋɔː] = 6×10¹⁷ (६×१०^१७)

Historic Va

There are three different general early historic scripts - Brahmi and its variants, Kharoṣṭhī, and Tocharian, the so-called slanting Brahmi. Va as found in standard Brahmi, was a simple geometric shape, with variations toward more flowing forms by the Gupta . The Tocharian Va had an alterante Fremdzeichen form, . The third form of va, in Kharoshthi () was probably derived from Aramaic separately from the Brahmi letter.

Brahmi Va

The Brahmi letter , Va, is probably derived from the Aramaic Waw , and is thus related to the modern Latin F, V, U, W, Y, and Greek Upsilon. Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Va can be found, most associated with a specific set of inscriptions from an artifact or diverse records from an historic period. As the earliest and most geometric style of Brahmi, the letters found on the Edicts of Ashoka and other records from around that time are normally the reference form for Brahmi letters, with vowel marks not attested until later forms of Brahmi back-formed to match the geometric writing style.

Brahmi Va historic forms

Ashoka (3rd-1st c. BCE)	Girnar (~150 BCE)	Kushana (~150-250 CE)	Gujarat (~250 CE)	Gupta (~350 CE)

Tocharian Va

The Tocharian letter is derived from the Brahmi , and has an alternate Fremdzeichen form used in conjuncts and as an alternate representation of Vä.

Tocharian Va with vowel marks

Va	Vā	Vi	Vī	Vu	Vū	Vr	Vr̄	Ve	Vai	Vo	Vau	Vä	Fremdzeichen

Kharoṣṭhī Va

The Kharoṣṭhī letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Waw , and is thus related to F, V, U, W, Y, and Upsilon, in addition to the Brahmi Va.

Devanagari Va

Main article: Devanagari va

Va (व) is a consonant of the Devanagari abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , after having gone through the Gupta letter . Letters that derive from it are the Gujarati letter વ, and the Modi letter 𑘪.

Devanagari-using Languages

In all languages, व is pronounced as [və] or [v] when appropriate. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:

Devanagari व with vowel marks

Va	Vā	Vi	Vī	Vu	Vū	Vr	Vr̄	Vl	Vl̄	Ve	Vai	Vo	Vau	V
व	वा	वि	वी	वु	वू	वृ	वॄ	वॢ	वॣ	वे	वै	वो	वौ	व्

Conjuncts with व

Half form of Va.

Devanagari exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts. In modern Devanagari texts, most conjuncts are formed by reducing the letter shape to fit tightly to the following letter, usually by dropping a character's vertical stem, sometimes referred to as a "half form". Some conjunct clusters are always represented by a true ligature, instead of a shape that can be broken into constituent independent letters. Vertically stacked conjuncts are ubiquitous in older texts, while only a few are still used routinely in modern Devanagari texts. The use of ligatures and vertical conjuncts may vary across languages using the Devanagari script, with Marathi in particular preferring the use of half forms where texts in other languages would show ligatures and vertical stacks.

Ligature conjuncts of व

True ligatures are quite rare in Indic scripts. The most common ligated conjuncts in Devanagari are in the form of a slight mutation to fit in context or as a consistent variant form appended to the adjacent characters. Those variants include Na and the Repha and Rakar forms of Ra. Nepali and Marathi texts use the "eyelash" Ra half form for an initial "R" instead of repha.

• Repha र্ (r) + व (va) gives us the ligature rva: ^note

• Eyelash र্ (r) + व (va) gives us the ligature rva:

• व্ (v) + न (na) gives us the ligature vna:

• व্ (v) + rakar र (ra) gives us the ligature vra:

• द্ (d) + ध্ (dʱ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ddʱva:

• द্ (d) + व (va) gives us the ligature dva:

• द্ (d) + व্ (v) + य (ya) gives us the ligature dvya:

• Repha र্ (r) + द্ (d) + व (va) gives us the ligature rdva:

Stacked conjuncts of व

Vertically stacked ligatures are the most common conjunct forms found in Devanagari text. Although the constituent characters may need to be stretched and moved slightly in order to stack neatly, stacked conjuncts can be broken down into recognizable base letters, or a letter and an otherwise standard ligature.

• ब্ (b) + व (va) gives us the ligature bva:

• छ্ (cʰ) + व (va) gives us the ligature cʰva:

• च্ (c) + व (va) gives us the ligature cva:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ḍʱva:

• ड্ (ḍ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ḍva:

• ह্ (h) + व (va) gives us the ligature hva:

• झ্ (jʰ) + व (va) gives us the ligature jʰva:

• ज্ (j) + ज্ (j) + व (va) gives us the ligature jjva:

• ख্ (kʰ) + व (va) gives us the ligature kʰva:

• क্ (k) + त্ (t) + व (va) gives us the ligature ktva:

• क্ (k) + व (va) gives us the ligature kva:

• ळ্ (ḷ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ḷva:

• ल্ (l) + व (va) gives us the ligature lva:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ŋva:

• ञ্ (ñ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ñva:

• फ্ (pʰ) + व (va) gives us the ligature pʰva:

• Repha र্ (r) + स্ (s) + व (va) gives us the ligature rsva:

• श্ (ʃ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ʃva:

• ष্ (ṣ) + ट্ (ṭ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ṣṭva:

• स্ (s) + व (va) gives us the ligature sva:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ṭʰva:

• ट্ (ṭ) + व (va) gives us the ligature ṭva:

• त্ (t) + त্ (t) + व (va) gives us the ligature ttva:

• त্ (t) + व (va) gives us the ligature tva:

• व্ (v) + ब (ba) gives us the ligature vba:

• व্ (v) + च (ca) gives us the ligature vca:

• व্ (v) + छ (cʰa) gives us the ligature vcʰa:

• व্ (v) + ड (ḍa) gives us the ligature vḍa:

• व্ (v) + ग (ga) gives us the ligature vga:

• व্ (v) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature vja:

• व্ (v) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature vjña:

• व্ (v) + क (ka) gives us the ligature vka:

• व্ (v) + ल (la) gives us the ligature vla:

• व্ (v) + ङ (ŋa) gives us the ligature vŋa:

• व্ (v) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature vña:

• व্ (v) + व (va) gives us the ligature vva:

Bengali Va

The Bengali script ব is derived from the Siddhaṃ , and is marked by a similar horizontal head line, but less geometric shape, than its Devanagari counterpart, व. Unlike many of its cognates in other Indic scripts, ব is primarily identified as the /b/ consonant, especially as an independent consonant. It tends to have no inherent pronunciation itself when in a non-head position of a conjuct conjunct, often serving as an indication of gemination (doubling) of the preceding consonant sound, although there are a few words where it retains its /b/ pronunciation.

Like all Indic consonants, ব can be modified by marks to indicate another (or no) vowel than its inherent "a".

Bengali ব with vowel marks

ba	bā	bi	bī	bu	bū	br	br̄	be	bai	bo	bau	b
ব	বা	বি	বী	বু	বূ	বৃ	বৄ	বে	বৈ	বো	বৌ	ব্

ব in Bengali-using languages

ব is used as a basic consonant character in all of the major Bengali script orthographies, including Bengali and Assamese.

Conjuncts with non-head ব

Bengali ব exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts, with a tendency towards stacked ligatures. When used as the head (first) consonant in a conjunct, ব is normally pronounced as /b/.

See also: Ba (Indic) § Conjuncts with head ব

Bengali Va-phala

Bengali Va-phala

Like Ra and Ya, the Bengali Va is almost always realized in a reduced form called "Va phala" (vo pholo) when found as the final consonant of a conjunct. This reduced form is appended at the bottom of a vertical stem, or otherwise attached at the bottom of a preceding consonant or conjunct.

• ভ্ (bʰ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature bʰva:

• চ্ (c) + ছ্ (cʰ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ccʰva:

• চ্ (c) + ব (va) gives us the ligature cva:

• ড্ (ḍ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ḍva:

• দ্ (d) + দ্ (d) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ddva:

• দ্ (d) + ব (va) gives us the ligature dva:

• গ্ (g) + ব (va) gives us the ligature gva:

• জ্ (j) + জ্ (j) + ব (va) gives us the ligature jjva:

• জ্ (j) + ব (va) gives us the ligature jva:

• খ্ (kʰ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature kʰva:

• ক্ (k) + শ্ (ʃ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature kʃva:

• ক্ (k) + ব (va) gives us the ligature kva:

• ল্ (l) + ব (va) gives us the ligature lva:

• ম্ (m) + ব (va) gives us the ligature mva:

• ন্ (n) + দ্ (d) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ndva:

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ntva:

• ন্ (n) + ব (va) gives us the ligature nva:

• র্ (r) + দ্ (d) + ব (va) gives us the ligature rdva, with repha in addition to va phala:

• র্ (r) + শ্ (ʃ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature rʃva, with repha in addition to va phala:

• শ্ (ʃ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ʃva:

• ষ্ (ṣ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ṣva:

• স্ (s) + ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature stva:

• স্ (s) + ব (va) gives us the ligature sva:

• থ্ (tʰ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature tʰva:

• ট্ (ṭ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ṭva:

• ত্ (t) + ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ttva:

• ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature tva:

Other ব conjuncts

A few letters conjoin with ব by keeping it in its full form instead of the reduced Va-phala.

• ধ্ (dʱ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature dʱva with full-form va:

• র্ (r) + ধ্ (dʱ) + ব (va) gives us the ligature rdʱva, with repha:

• ম্ (m) + ব্ (v) + র (ra) gives us the ligature mvra, with the ra phala suffix. Note that this is a different base conjunct than mva, above:

Gujarati Va

Gujarati Va.

Va (વ) is the twenty-ninth consonant of the Gujarati abugida. It is derived from the Devanagari Va with the top bar (shiro rekha) removed, and ultimately the Brahmi letter .

Gujarati-using Languages

The Gujarati script is used to write the Gujarati and Kutchi languages. In both languages, વ is pronounced as [və] or [v] when appropriate. Like all Indic scripts, Gujarati uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:

Va	Vā	Vi	Vī	Vu	Vū	Vr	Vl	Vr̄	Vl̄	Vĕ	Ve	Vai	Vŏ	Vo	Vau	V
Gujarati Va syllables, with vowel marks in red.

Conjuncts with વ

Half form of Va.

Gujarati વ exhibits conjunct ligatures, much like its parent Devanagari Script. Most Gujarati conjuncts can only be formed by reducing the letter shape to fit tightly to the following letter, usually by dropping a character's vertical stem, sometimes referred to as a "half form". A few conjunct clusters can be represented by a true ligature, instead of a shape that can be broken into constituent independent letters, and vertically stacked conjuncts can also be found in Gujarati, although much less commonly than in Devanagari.

True ligatures are quite rare in Indic scripts. The most common ligated conjuncts in Gujarati are in the form of a slight mutation to fit in context or as a consistent variant form appended to the adjacent characters. Those variants include Na and the Repha and Rakar forms of Ra.

• ર્ (r) + વ (va) gives us the ligature RVa:

• વ્ (v) + ર (ra) gives us the ligature VRa:

• ટ્ (ʈ) + વ (va) gives us the ligature ṬVa:

• ડ્ (ɖ) + વ (va) gives us the ligature ḌVa:

• દ્ (d) + વ (va) gives us the ligature DVa:

• વ્ (v) + ન (na) gives us the ligature VNa:

• શ્ (ʃ) + વ (va) gives us the ligature ŚVa:

• હ્ (h) + વ (va) gives us the ligature HVa:

Javanese Va

Main article: Va (Javanese)

Telugu Va

Telugu independent and subjoined Va.

Va (వ) is a consonant of the Telugu abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter . It is closely related to the Kannada letter ವ. Most Telugu consonants contain a v-shaped headstroke that is related to the horizontal headline found in other Indic scripts, although headstrokes do not connect adjacent letters in Telugu. The headstroke is normally lost when adding vowel matras.

Telugu conjuncts are created by reducing trailing letters to a subjoined form that appears below the initial consonant of the conjunct. Many subjoined forms are created by dropping their headline, with many extending the end of the stroke of the main letter body to form an extended tail reaching up to the right of the preceding consonant. This subjoining of trailing letters to create conjuncts is in contrast to the leading half forms of Devanagari and Bengali letters. Ligature conjuncts are not a feature in Telugu, with the only non-standard construction being an alternate subjoined form of Ṣa (borrowed from Kannada) in the KṢa conjunct.

Malayalam Va

Malayalam letter Va

Va (വ) is a consonant of the Malayalam abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , via the Grantha letter Va. Like in other Indic scripts, Malayalam consonants have the inherent vowel "a", and take one of several modifying vowel signs to represent syllables with another vowel or no vowel at all.

Malayalam Va matras: Va, Vā, Vi, Vī, Vu, Vū, Vr̥, Vr̥̄, Vl̥, Vl̥̄, Ve, Vē, Vai, Vo, Vō, Vau, and V.

Conjuncts of വ

As is common in Indic scripts, Malayalam joins letters together to form conjunct consonant clusters. There are several ways in which conjuncts are formed in Malayalam texts: using a post-base form of a trailing consonant placed under the initial consonant of a conjunct, a combined ligature of two or more consonants joined together, a conjoining form that appears as a combining mark on the rest of the conjunct, the use of an explicit candrakkala mark to suppress the inherent "a" vowel, or a special consonant form called a "chillu" letter, representing a bare consonant without the inherent "a" vowel. Texts written with the modern reformed Malayalam orthography, put̪iya lipi, may favor more regular conjunct forms than older texts in paḻaya lipi, due to changes undertaken in the 1970s by the Government of Kerala.

• വ് (v) + വ (va) gives us the ligature vva:

Odia Wa

Odia independent and subjoined letter Wa.

Wa (ୱ) is a consonant of the Odia abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , via the Siddhaṃ letter Va. Like in other Indic scripts, Odia consonants have the inherent vowel "a", and take one of several modifying vowel signs to represent syllables with another vowel or no vowel at all.

Odia Wa with vowel matras

Wa	Wā	Wi	Wī	Wu	Wū	Wr̥	Wr̥̄	Wl̥	Wl̥̄	We	Wai	Wo	Wau	W
ୱ	ୱା	ୱି	ୱୀ	ୱୁ	ୱୂ	ୱୃ	ୱୄ	ୱୢ	ୱୣ	ୱେ	ୱୈ	ୱୋ	ୱୌ	ୱ୍

As is common in Indic scripts, Odia joins letters together to form conjunct consonant clusters. The most common conjunct formation is achieved by using a small subjoined form of trailing consonants. Most consonants' subjoined forms are identical to the full form, just reduced in size, although a few drop the curved headline or have a subjoined form not directly related to the full form of the consonant. Wa shares its subjoined form with Ba, called "Ba Phala" or "Wa Phala" depending on its pronunciation in context. Ba is the character normally used for the /w/ and /v/ sounds of the letter Wa. ୱ generates conjuncts only by subjoining and does not form ligatures.

References

^note Conjuncts are identified by IAST transliteration, except aspirated consonants are indicated with a superscript "h" to distinguish from an unaspirated cononant + Ha, and the use of the IPA "ŋ" and "ʃ" instead of the less dinstinctive "ṅ" and "ś".