[Indic-computing-devel] Re: Indic computing handbook: devanagari

[Krishnamurthy N. <kn...@ya...>]

--- alo...@so... wrote:
> Krishnamurthy Nagarajan writes: 
> 
> > 
> > Well, one may 'combine' glyphs to create 'ksha'
> but it
> > stands on its own as a consonant (it has its own
> > 'gunintha' in Kannada and Telugu and Hindi) and
> its
> 
> What's a gunintha? 

Oh, sorry, I forgetfully used that term (relevant only
in the context of Telugu and Kannana). It's the basic
consonant + vowel conjunct series (like 'ka', 'kaa',
'ki, 'kee' ...)
 
> Actually, it can be. The same goes for thra/tra and
> gya/jna/gna.
> Lexically there is absolutely no difference between
> half ka + shha and the 
> ksha we are talking about. 
> 
> We've all been studying the three as separate
> characters in school, but they 
> are not basic consonants, but conjuncts ie
> sanyuktakshars. 

Yes, I am very very aware of the lexical structure of
at least four languages, including Hindi. In theory,
Tra is just a conjunct. Gna too. But Ksha is rather
distinct, though it can be synthesised from 'ka' and
'sha'. And the other two also can be synthesized from
the respective constituent consonants. But
historically, they have been documented in the script
(a'ksha'ramala) as distinct letters. So, it may be
worth documenting the fact in the handbook. That's all
I wanted to convey.

Nagarajan


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