| Kannada | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Abugida | |
| Languages | Kannada, Konkani, Tulu | |
| Time period | {{{time}}} | |
| ISO 15924 | Knda | |
| Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. | ||
| The Brahmic script and its descendants |
|---|
|
Brahmi |
The Kannada script is a syllabary (of the type sometimes called an abugida) of the Brahmic family[1], 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.
Contents |
General
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). Note: Unicode character entities used below. You will need a font that supports Kannada to see the characters. English transliterations based on Unicode character names listed next to symbol.
Vowels
There are fourteen to sixteen vowels (swaras). The long forms of the vocalic r and l are rarely used and are not shown below.
| Kannada | IAST notation | Unicode name |
|---|---|---|
| ಅ | a | a |
| ಆ | ā | aa |
| ಇ | i | i |
| ಈ | ī | ii |
| ಉ | u | u |
| ಊ | ū | uu |
| ಋ | r̥ | vocalic r |
| ಌ | l̥̥ | vocalic l |
| ಎ | e | a~ |
| ಏ | ē | ea |
| ಐ | ai | ai |
| ಒ | o | o |
| ಓ | ō | oo |
| ಔ | au | 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 shha) 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 0C80—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.[2]
|
|
||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
| U+0C8x | ಀ | ಁ | ಂ | ಃ | ಄ | 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 | | | | | | ೕ | ೖ | | | | | | | ೝ | ೞ | |
| U+0CEx | ೠ | ೡ | ೢ | ೣ | | | ೦ | ೧ | ೨ | ೩ | ೪ | ೫ | ೬ | ೭ | ೮ | ೯ |
| U+0CFx | | ೱ | ೲ | ೳ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
See also
External links
- The Unicode Book: Chapter 9PDF (634 KiB) — South and Southeast Asian Scripts
- The Unicode Standard 5.0 — Kannada Code Chart PDF (106 KiB)
- Kannada alphabet — From Omniglot
- Indian Language Converter — Transliterate from Romanised to Unicode Kannada
- Free Kannada fonts and editing software — Free fonts and software to compose in Kannada, from Baraha.com
- [1] — Free Kannada transliteration page
- Google ಕನ್ನಡ — Google's Kannada transliteration page
References
- ^ Campbell, George L. (1997-11-06). Handbook of scripts and alphabets, 1st Ed., Routledge, Newyork, 84–5. ISBN 9780415137157. OCLC 34473667.
- ^ Proposal to add six characters for Kannada to the BMP of the UCS
|
|
|---|
|
Kannada literature · Kannada Wikipedia Hubli kannada · Kannada language · Kannada alphabet Kannada film · Kannada film industry · Kannada poetry · Kannada Saahithya Parishath |
