>Cewbot at 18:22, 13 April 2021

2021-04-13T18:22:24Z

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{{Indic glyph |letname = A |previousletter = A |previousdisp =   |nextletter = Aa


|devacp = 0A05 |devaimg = Devanagari a.svg |bengcp = 0985 |bengimg = Bengali Letter A.svg |gurucp = 0A05 |gujrcp = 0A85 |oryacp = 0B05 |tamlcp = 0B85 |tamlimg = Tamil-alphabet-அஅ.svg
|telucp = 0C05 |kndacp = 0C85 |mlymcp = 0D05 |sinhcp = 0D85 |thaicp = 0E2D |laoocp = 0EAD
|tibtcp = 0F68 |tibtimg = Tibetan A.svg
|mymrcp = 1021 |tglgcp = 1700 |hanocp = 1720 |buhdcp = 1740 |tagbcp = 1760 |khmrcp = 17A2 |limbcp = 1900;&#x1920 |talecp = 1963 |talucp = 19B0 |bugicp = 1A15 |lanacp = 1A4B |balicp = 1B05 |sundcp = 1B83 |batkcp = 1BC0 |lepccp = 1C23 |sylocp = A800 |phagcp = A85D |saurcp = A882 |kalicp = A922 |rjngcp = A946 |javacp = A984 |chamcp = AA00 |tavtcp = AAAE |tavt2cp = AAAF |tavtletname = Tai Viet Low O |tavt2letname = Tai Viet High O |mteicp = ABD1

|kharcp = 10A00 |kthicp = 11083 |soracp = 110E2 |cakmcp = 11103;&#x11127 |mahjcp = 11150 |shrdcp = 11183 |khojcp = 11200 |sindcp = 112B0 |grancp = 11305 |tirhcp = 11481 |modicp = 11600 |takrcp = 11680

|brahcp = 11005 |kushanaimg = Gupta ashoka a.svg |guptaimg = Gupta allahabad a.svg |ashokaimg = Brahmi a.svg |brahletname = Brahmi 'A'
|tochimg = Tocharian letter a.gif
|siddcp = 11580 |siddimg = Siddham a.svg |siddletname = Siddhaṃ 'A'

|ipa = a |ipa2 = ə |ipa3 = ɔ |iast = a |iscii = A4


|multcp = 11280 |newacp = 11400 |ahomcp = 11712 |ahom2cp = 11720 |dogrcp = 11800 |diakcp = 11900 |nandcp = 119A0 |zanbcp = 11A00 |pauccp = 11AD5 |bhkscp = 11C00 |marccp = 11C8F |gonmcp = 11D00 |gongcp = 11D60 |makacp = 11EF1
}}

'''A''' is a vowel of Indic abugidas. In modern Indic scripts, A is derived from the early "[[Ashoka]]" Brahmi letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|ng]] after having gone through the [[Gupta script|Gupta]] letter [[File:Gupta allahabad a.svg|13px]]. Bare consonants without a modifying vowel sign have the "A" vowel inherently, and thus there is no modifier sign for "A" in Indic scripts.

==Āryabhaṭa numeration==

{{further|Āryabhaṭa numeration}}

[[Aryabhata]] used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to the [[Greek numerals]], even after the invention of [[Indian numerals]]. The letter अ was not used in the Aryabhata number system, and consonants with the inherent "a" vowel retained their base value.<ref name="Ifrah">{{cite book|last=Ifrah|first=Georges|title=The Universal History of Numbers. From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer|url=https://archive.org/details/universalhistory00ifra_411|url-access=limited|year=2000|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=New York|isbn=0-471-39340-1|pages=[https://archive.org/details/universalhistory00ifra_411/page/n468 447]–450}}</ref>

==Historic A==
There are three different general early historic scripts - [[Brahmi script|Brahmi]] and its variants, [[Kharosthi|Kharoṣṭhī]], and [[Tocharian alphabet|Tocharian]], the so-called ''slanting Brahmi''. A as found in standard [[Brahmi]], [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]] was a simple geometric shape, with variations toward more flowing forms by the Gupta [[Image:Gupta allahabad a.svg|13px|A]]. Like all Brahmic scripts, the Tocharian A [[Image:Tocharian letter a.gif|18px|A]] is the inherent vowel for all consonant characters, apart from the alternate [[Tocharian alphabet#Script|Fremdzeichen]] forms, which have the inherent vowel "Ä". In Kharoṣṭhī, the only independent vowel letter is for the inherent A, with all other independent vowels built from vowel marks added to A.

===Brahmi A===

The Brahmi letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]], A, is [[Brahmi script#origin|probably derived]] from the Aramaic [[Alef]] [[File:Aleph.svg|13px]], and is thus related to the modern Latin [[A]] and Greek [[Alpha]].<ref name="Buhler">{{cite web |last1=Bühler |first1=Georg |title=On the Origin of the Indian Brahmi Alphabet |url=https://archive.org/details/onoriginofindian00bhuoft/page/n3/mode/2up |website=archive.org |publisher=Karl J. Trübner |accessdate=10 June 2020}}</ref> Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi A can be found, most associated with a specific set of inscriptions from an artifact or diverse records from an historic period.<ref>[[:File:Brahmi script consonants according to James Prinsep March 1838.jpg|Evolutionary chart]], Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 7, 1838 [https://archive.org/stream/journalofasiatic775asia#page/n101]</ref> 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.

{|class="wikitable"
|+Brahmi A historic forms
|-
!Ashoka ([[Brahmi script#Early Brahmi or "Ashokan Brahmi" (3rd-1st century BCE)|3rd-1st c. BCE]]) !! Girnar (~150 BCE) !! Kushana ([[Brahmi script#Middle Brahmi or "Kushana Brahmi" (1st–3rd centuries CE)|~150-250 CE]]) !! Gujarat (~250 CE) !! Gupta ([[Gupta script|~350 CE]])
|-
| [[File:Brahmi a.svg|37px]] || [[Image:Gupta girnar a.svg|37px]] || [[Image:Gupta ashoka a.svg|37px]] || [[Image:Gupta gujarat a.svg|37px]] || [[Image:Gupta allahabad a.svg|37px]]
|}

===Tocharian A===

The Tocharian letter [[Image:Tocharian letter a.gif|25px|A]] is derived from the Brahmi [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]].

{|class="wikitable"
|+A is the inherent vowel of all non-[[Tocharian alphabet#Script|Fremdzeichen]] consonants in Tocharian
|-
! Ka !! Kha !! Ga !! Gha !! Ca !! Cha !! Ja !! Jha !! Nya !! Ṭa !! Ṭha !! Ḍa !! Ḍha !! Ṇa
|-
| [[File:Tocharian letter ka.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter kha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ga.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter gha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ca.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter cha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ja.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter jha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter nya.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter tta.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ttha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter dda.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ddha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter nna.gif|37px]]
|-
! Ta !! Tha !! Da !! Dha !! Na !! Pa !! Pha !! Ba !! Bha !! Ma !! Ya !! Ra !! La !! Va
|-
| [[File:Tocharian letter ta.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter tha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter da.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter dha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter na.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter pa.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter pha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ba.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter bha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ma.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ya.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ra.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter la.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter va.gif|37px]]
|-
! Śa !! Ṣa !! Sa !! Ha
|-
| [[File:Tocharian letter sha.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ssa.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter sa.gif|37px]] || [[File:Tocharian letter ha.gif|37px]]
|}

===Kharoṣṭhī A===

The Kharoṣṭhī letter A is the only independent vowel in Kharosthi. It is derived from the Aramaic [[Alef]] [[File:Aleph.svg|13px]], and is thus related to [[A]] and [[Alpha]], as well as the Brahmi A.<ref name="Buhler"/>

==Devanagari A==
{{main|Devanagari a}}
[[File:Devanagari a.svg|100px|thumb|right|Devanagari A vowel]]
'''A''' ('''अ''') is a vowel of the [[Devanagari]] [[abugida]]. It ultimately arose from the [[Brahmi]] letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]], after having gone through the [[Gupta script|Gupta]] letter [[File:Gupta allahabad a.svg|13px|A]]. Letters that derive from it are the [[Gujarati script|Gujarati]] letter '''અ''', and the [[Modi alphabet|Modi]] letter 𑘀.

===Devanagari Using Languages===
The Devanagari script is used to write the [[Hindi language]], [[Sanskrit]] and the majority of [[Indic languages]]. In most of these languages, अ is pronounced as {{IPA-hi|ə|}}. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari vowels come in two forms: an independent vowel form for syllables that begin with a vowel sound. However, since /ə/ is the inherent vowel of all consonants, there is no need for an A vowel sign.

==Bengali A==
{{main|A (Bengali)}}
[[File:Bengali Letter A.svg|100px|thumb|right|Bengali A vowel]]

'''A''' ('''অ''') is a vowel of the [[Bengali script|Bengali]] [[abugida]]. It is derived from the [[Siddhaṃ]] letter [[Image:Siddham a.svg|13px|A]], and is marked by a similar horizontal head line, but less geometric shape, than its Devanagari counterpart, अ.

===Bengali Script Using Languages===
The Bengali script is used to write several languages of eastern India, notably the [[Bengali language]] and [[Assamese language|Assamese]]. In most languages, অ is pronounced as {{IPA-bn|ɔ|}}. Like all Indic scripts, Bengali vowels come in two forms: an independent vowel form for syllables that begin with a vowel sound. However, Bengali A represents the /ɔ/ vowel inherent in all consonants, and is thus indicated by the lack of any modifying vowel sign.

==Gujarati A==
[[File:Gujarati vowel A.svg|thumb|right|100px|Guajarati independent A vowel.]]
'''A''' ('''અ''') is a vowel of the [[Gujarati script|Gujarati]] [[abugida]]. It is derived from the Devanagari A [[Image:Devanagari a.svg|13px|a]], and ultimately the [[Brahmi]] letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|a]].

===Gujarati-using Languages===
The Gujarati script is used to write the [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] and [[Kutchi language|Kutchi]] languages. In both languages, અ is pronounced as {{IPA-gu|ə|}}. Like all Indic scripts, Gujarati vowels come in two forms: an independent vowel form for syllables that begin with a vowel sound. However, since A is the inherent vowel in unmarked consonants, there is no A vowel sign in Gujarati.

==Javanese A==
{{main|A (Javanese)}}

==Telugu A==
[[File:Telugu vowel A.svg|thumb|100px|Telugu independent vowel A]]

'''A''' ('''అ''') is a vowel of the [[Telugu script|Telugu]] [[abugida]]. It ultimately arose from the [[Brahmi]] letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]]. It is closely related to the [[Kannada script|Kannada]] letter '''ಅ'''. Like in other Indic scripts, "A" in Telugu is inherent in all consonants, and there is no vowel sign for the "A" vowel.

==Malayalam A==
[[File:Malayalam vowel A.svg|thumb|left|100px|Malayalam independent vowel A]]
'''A''' ('''അ''') is a vowel of the [[Malayalam script|Malayalam]] [[abugida]]. It ultimately arose from the [[Brahmi]] letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]], via the [[Grantha script|Grantha]] letter [[Image:Grantha vowel A.svg|x15px|A]] ''a''. Like in other Indic scripts, "A" is the inherent vowel of Malayalam consonants, so there is no modifying vowel sign for A. As in most Indic scripts, independent Malayalam vowels do not decompose into A with a vowel sign attached, but rather are unique characters themselves. Independent vowel letters in Malayalam are used when a word begins with a vowel, rather than a consonant sound.

==Odia A==
[[File:Odia vowel a.svg|thumb|100px|Odia A vowel]]

'''A''' ('''ଅ''') is a vowel of the [[Odia script|Odia]] [[abugida]]. It ultimately arose from the [[Brahmi]] letter [[Image:Brahmi a.svg|13px|A]], via the [[Siddhaṃ script|Siddhaṃ]] letter [[Image:Siddham a.svg|x15px|A]] ''a''. Like in other Indic scripts, Odia consonants inherently contain the "a" vowel, so there is no modifying sign for indicating that vowel.


{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Devanagari_abugida}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:A (Indic)}}
[[Category:Indic letters]]

A Indic - Revision history

>Cewbot at 18:22, 13 April 2021