Ca (Indic)
Comparison of Ca in different scripts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Notes
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Ca is the sixth consonant of Indic abugidas. In modern Indic scripts, ca is derived from the early "Ashoka" Brahmi letter , which is probably derived from the North Semitic letter tsade (reflected in the Aramaic
, "ts"), with an inversion seen in several other derivatives,[1] after having gone through the Gupta letter
.
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 च are:[2]
- च [t͡ʃə] = 6 (६)
- चि [t͡ʃɪ] = 600 (६००)
- चु [t͡ʃʊ] = 60,000 (६० ०००)
- चृ [t͡ʃri] = 6,000,000 (६० ०० ०००)
- चॢ [t͡ʃlə] = 6×108 (६०८)
- चे [t͡ʃe] = 6×1010 (६०१०)
- चै [t͡ʃɛː] = 6×1012 (६०१२)
- चो [t͡ʃoː] = 6×1014 (६०१४)
- चौ [t͡ʃɔː] = 6×1016 (६०१६)
Historic Ca
There are three different general early historic scripts - Brahmi and its variants, Kharoṣṭhī, and Tocharian, the so-called slanting Brahmi. Ca as found in standard Brahmi, was a simple geometric shape, with variations toward more flowing forms by the Gupta
. The Tocharian Ca
did not have an alterante Fremdzeichen form. The third form of ca, in Kharoshthi (
) was probably derived from Aramaic separately from the Brahmi letter.
Brahmi Ca
The Brahmi letter , Ca, is probably derived from the Aramaic Tsade
, and is thus related to the Greek San. Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Ca can be found, most associated with a specific set of inscriptions from an artifact or diverse records from an historic period.[3] 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.
Ashoka (3rd-1st c. BCE) |
Girnar (~150 BCE) |
Kushana (~150-250 CE) |
Gujarat (~250 CE) |
Gupta (~350 CE) |
---|---|---|---|---|
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Tocharian Ca
The Tocharian letter is derived from the Brahmi
, but does not have an alternate Fremdzeichen form.
Ca | Cā | Ci | Cī | Cu | Cū | Cr | Cr̄ | Ce | Cai | Co | Cau | Cä |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Kharoṣṭhī Ca
The Kharoṣṭhī letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Tsade
, and is thus related to San (letter), in addition to the Brahmi Ca.
Devanagari script
Devanāgarī |
---|
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Ca (च) is the sixth consonant of the Devanagari abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , after having gone through the Gupta letter
. In Marathi, च is sometimes pronounced as [t͡sə] or [t͡s] in addition to [t͡ʃə] or [t͡ʃ]. Letters that derive from it are the Gujarati letter ચ and the Modi letter 𑘓.
Devanagari-using Languages
In all languages, च is pronounced as [t͡ʃə] or [t͡ʃ] when appropriate. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:
Ca | Cā | Ci | Cī | Cu | Cū | Cr | Cr̄ | Cl | Cl̄ | Ce | Cai | Co | Cau | C |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
च | चा | चि | ची | चु | चू | चृ | चॄ | चॢ | चॣ | चे | चै | चो | चौ | च् |
Conjuncts with च
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Devanagari_Ca_half_form.svg/100px-Devanagari_Ca_half_form.svg.png)
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.[4]
Ligature conjuncts of च
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.
- र্ (r) + च (ca) gives us the ligature rca:
- च্ (c) + र (ra) gives us the ligature cra:
- च্ (c) + न (na) gives us the ligature cna:
Stacked conjuncts of च
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) + च (ca) gives us the ligature bca:
- भ্ (bʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature bʰca:
- च্ (c) + ब (ba) gives us the ligature cba:
- च্ (c) + च (ca) gives us the ligature cca:
- च্ (c) + ड (ḍa) gives us the ligature cḍa:
- छ্ (cʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature cʰca:
- च্ (c) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature cja:
- च্ (c) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature cjña:
- च্ (c) + क (ka) gives us the ligature cka:
- च্ (c) + ल (la) gives us the ligature cla:
- च্ (c) + ङ (ŋa) gives us the ligature cŋa:
- च্ (c) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature cña:
- च্ (c) + व (va) gives us the ligature cva:
- द্ (d) + च (ca) gives us the ligature dca:
- ड্ (ḍ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ḍca:
- ढ্ (ḍʱ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ḍʱca:
- ध্ (dʱ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature dʱca:
- घ্ (ɡʱ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ɡʱca:
- ह্ (h) + च (ca) gives us the ligature hca:
- ज্ (j) + च (ca) gives us the ligature jca:
- झ্ (jʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature jʰca:
- क্ (k) + च (ca) gives us the ligature kca:
- ख্ (kʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature kʰca:
- ल্ (l) + च (ca) gives us the ligature lca:
- ळ্ (ḷ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ḷca:
- म্ (m) + च (ca) gives us the ligature mca:
- न্ (n) + च (ca) gives us the ligature nca:
- ङ্ (ŋ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ŋca:
- ञ্ (ñ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ñca:
- प্ (p) + च (ca) gives us the ligature pca:
- फ্ (pʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature pʰca:
- स্ (s) + च (ca) gives us the ligature sca:
- श্ (ʃ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ʃca:
- ष্ (ṣ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ṣca:
- त্ (t) + च (ca) gives us the ligature tca:
- थ্ (tʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature tʰca:
- ट্ (ṭ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ṭca:
- ठ্ (ṭʰ) + च (ca) gives us the ligature ṭʰca:
- व্ (v) + च (ca) gives us the ligature vca:
- य্ (y) + च (ca) gives us the ligature yca:
Bengali script
The Bengali script চ is derived from the Siddhaṃ , and is marked by a similar horizontal head line, but less geometric shape, than its Devanagari counterpart, च. The inherent vowel of Bengali consonant letters is /ɔ/, so the bare letter চ will sometimes be transliterated as "co" instead of "ca". Adding okar, the "o" vowel mark, gives a reading of /t͡ʃo/.
Like all Indic consonants, চ can be modified by marks to indicate another (or no) vowel than its inherent "a".
ca | cā | ci | cī | cu | cū | cr | cr̄ | ce | cai | co | cau | c |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
চ | চা | চি | চী | চু | চূ | চৃ | চৄ | চে | চৈ | চো | চৌ | চ্ |
চ in Bengali-using languages
চ is used as a basic consonant character in all of the major Bengali script orthographies, including Bengali and Assamese.
Conjuncts with চ
Bengali চ exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts. Unlike other Bengali letters, Ca does not tend towards stacked ligatures.[5]
- চ্ (c) + চ (ca) gives us the ligature cca:
- চ্ (c) + ছ (cʰa) gives us the ligature ccʰa:
- চ্ (c) + ছ্ (cʰ) + র (ra) gives us the ligature ccʰra, with the ra phala suffix:
- চ্ (c) + ছ্ (cʰ) + র (ra) gives us the ligature ccʰra, with the ra phala suffix:
- চ্ (c) + ঞ (ña) gives us the ligature cña:
- চ্ (c) + ব (va) gives us the ligature cva, with the va phala suffix:
- চ্ (c) + য (ya) gives us the ligature cya, with the ya phala suffix:
- ঞ (ñ) + চ (ca) gives us the ligature ñca:
- র্ (r) + চ (ca) gives us the ligature rca, with the repha prefix:
- র্ (r) + চ্ (c) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rcya, with the repha prefix and ya phala suffix:
- শ্ (ʃ) + চ (ca) gives us the ligature ʃca:
Gurmukhi script
Chachaa [t͡ʃət͡ʃːɑ] (ਚ) is the eleventh letter of the Gurmukhi alphabet. Its name is [t͡ʃət͡ʃːɑ] and is pronounced as /t͡ʃ/ when used in words. It is derived from the Laṇḍā letter ca, and ultimately from the Brahmi ca. Gurmukhi chachaa does not have a special pairin or addha (reduced) form for making conjuncts, and in modern Punjabi texts do not take a half form or halant to indicate the bare consonant /t͡ʃ/, although Gurmukhi Sanskrit texts may use an explicit halant.
Gujarati script
Ca (ચ) is the sixth consonant of the Gujarati script. It is derived from 16th century Devanagari letter ca (च) with the top bar (shiro rekha) removed. Like most Gujarati letters, it forms conjunct clusters with a half-form, where the vertical stem on the right is dropped and the remaining letter body appended to the following letter. The Gujarati letter ca (ચ) should not be confused with the Gujarati vowel a (અ).
Thai script
Cho chan (จ) is the eighth letter of the Thai script. It falls under the middle class of Thai consonants. In IPA, cho chan is pronounced as [tɕ] at the beginning of a syllable and is pronounced as [t̚] at the end of a syllable. The ninth letter of the alphabet, cho ching (ฉ), is also named cho and falls under the high class of Thai consonants. The tenth and twelfth letters of the alphabet, cho chang (ช) and cho choe (ฌ), are also named cho, however, they all fall under the low class of Thai consonants. Unlike many Indic scripts, Thai consonants do not form conjunct ligatures, and use the pinthu—an explicit virama with a dot shape—to indicate bare consonants. In the acrophony of the Thai script, chan (จาน) means ‘plate’. Cho chan corresponds to the Sanskrit character ‘च’.
Javanese script
See also
References
- ^ Bühler, Georg (1898). On the Origin of the Indian Brahma Alphabet. Strassburg K.J. Trübner. p. 68.
- ^ Ifrah, Georges (2000). The Universal History of Numbers. From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 447–450. ISBN 0-471-39340-1.
- ^ Evolutionary chart, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 7, 1838 [1]
- ^ Pall, Peeter. "Microsoft Word - kblhi2" (PDF). Eesti Keele Instituudi kohanimeandmed. Eesti Keele Instituudi kohanimeandmed. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "The Bengali Alphabet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-28.
Further reading
- Kurt Elfering: Die Mathematik des Aryabhata I. Text, Übersetzung aus dem Sanskrit und Kommentar. Wilhelm Fink Verlag, München, 1975, ISBN 3-7705-1326-6
- Georges Ifrah: The Universal History of Numbers. From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-471-39340-1.
- B. L. van der Waerden: Erwachende Wissenschaft. Ägyptische, babylonische und griechische Mathematik. Birkhäuser-Verlag, Basel Stuttgart, 1966, ISBN 3-7643-0399-9
- Fleet, J. F. (January 1911). "Aryabhata's System of Expressing Numbers". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 43: 109–126. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00040995. ISSN 0035-869X. JSTOR 25189823.
- Fleet, J. F. (1911). "Aryabhata's System of Expressing Numbers". The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 43. Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland: 109–126. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00040995. JSTOR 25189823.