UpdateBot at 18:41, 5 May 2022

2022-05-05T18:41:58Z

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{{cleanup lang|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox Writing system
| name = Lepcha
| native_name = {{Script|Lepc|ᰛᰩᰵ}}
| sample = Shukla Lepcha.svg
| type = [[Abugida]]
| fam1 = [[Proto-Sinaitic alphabet]]
| fam2 = [[Phoenician alphabet]]
| fam3 = [[Aramaic alphabet]] <sup>[a]</sup>
| footnotes = [a] The Semitic origin of the Brahmic scripts is not universally agreed upon.
| fam4 = [[Brāhmī script|Brāhmī]]
| fam5 = [[Gupta script|Gupta]]
| fam6 = [[Tibetan script|Tibetan]]
| sisters = [[Meitei script|Meitei]], [['Phags-pa script|Phagspa]], [[Marchen script|Marchen]]
| children = [[Limbu script|Limbu]]
| languages = [[Lepcha language|Lepcha]]
| time = c. 1700–present
| unicode = [https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1C00.pdf U+1C00–U+1C4F]
| iso15924 = Lepc
}}
{{Contains special characters|Uncommon Unicode}}
{{brahmic}}
The '''Lepcha script''', or '''Róng script''', is an [[abugida]] used by the [[Lepcha people]] to write the [[Lepcha language]]. Unusually for an abugida, syllable-final consonants are written as diacritics.

==History==
[[Image:Róng manuscript.JPG|thumb|center|300px|Róng manuscript]]

Lepcha is derived from the [[Tibetan script]], and may have some [[Burmese script|Burmese]] influence. According to tradition, it was devised at the beginning of the 18th century by prince [[Chakdor Namgyal]] of the [[Chogyal|Namgyal dynasty]] of [[Sikkim]], or by scholar [[Thikúng Men Salóng]] in the 17th century. Early Lepcha manuscripts were written vertically. When they were later written horizontally, the letters remained in their new orientations, rotated 90° from their Tibetan prototypes. This resulted in an unusual method of writing final consonants.

==Typology==
[[Image:Lazóng.SVG|thumb|right|300px|The Lepcha consonants in original direction (called Lazóng).]]
[[Image:Lepcha_Inventory_Unicode.png|thumb|right|300px|Lepcha inventory in Unicode]]

Lepcha is now written horizontally, but the changes in the direction of writing have resulted in a metamorphosis of the eight syllable-final consonants from conjuncts ([[Typographic ligature|ligature]]s) as in Tibetan to superposed [[diacritic]]s.

As in most other [[Brahmic scripts]], the short vowel /-a/ is not written; other vowels are written with diacritics before (/-i, -o/), after (/-ā, -u/), or under (/-e/) the initial consonant. The length mark, however, is written over the initial, as well as any final consonant diacritic, and fuses with /-o/ and /-u/. (When fused as /-ō/, however, it lies below any final consonant.) Initial vowels do not have separate letters, but are written with the vowel diacritics on an &-shaped [[zero consonant|zero-consonant letter]].

There are postposed diacritics for medial /-y-/ and /-r-/, which may be combined ''(krya).'' For medial /-l-/, however, there are seven dedicated conjunct letters. That is, there is a special letter for /kla/ which does not resemble the letter for /ka/. (Only /gla/ is written with a straightforward diacritic.)

One of the final letters, /-ŋ/, is an exception to these patterns. First, unlike the other finals, final /-ŋ/ is written to the left of the initial consonant rather than on top, occurring even before preposed vowels. That is, /kiŋ/ is written "ngki". Second, there is no inherent vowel before /-ŋ/; even short /-a-/ must be written, with a diacritic unique to this situation. (It appears to be the diacritic for long /-ā/ rotated 180° around the consonant letter.) That is, /kaŋ/ is written "ngka", rather than "{{overset|ng|k}}" as would be expected from the general pattern.

==Structure==
As an [[abugida]], a basic letter represents both a consonant and an inherent, or default, vowel. In [[Lepcha language|Lepcha]], the inherent vowel is {{IPA|/a/}}.
=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Consonants
|-
| '''Transcription''' || a || ka || kha || ga || nga || ca || cha || ja || nya || ta || tha || da || na || pa || pha || fa || ba || ma
|-
| '''[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]''' || /a/ || /ka/ || /kʰa/ || /ga/ || /ŋa/ || /ca/ || /cʰa/ || /dʒa/ || /nja/ || /ta/ || /tʰa/ || /da/ || /na/ || /pa/ || /pʰa/ || /fa/ || /ba/ || /ma/
|-
| '''Letter''' || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰀ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰂ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰃ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰅ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰆ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰇ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰈ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰉ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰊ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰋ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰌ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰍ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰎ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰐ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰑ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰓ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰕ}}}}
|-
| '''Transcription''' || tsa || tsha || za || ya || ra || la || ha || va || sha || sa || wa
|-
| '''[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]''' || /tˢa/ || /tʃa/ || /za/ || /ja/ || /ra/ || /la/ || /ha/ || /va/ || /ʃa/ || /sa/ || /ua/
|-
| '''Letter''' || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰗ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰘ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰙ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰚ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰛ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰝ}}}}|| {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰟ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰡ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰠ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰢ}}}}
|-
| '''Transcription''' || kla || gla || pla || fla || bla || mla || hla || tta || ttha || dda
|-
| '''[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]''' || /kla/ || /gla/ || /pla/ || /fla/ || /bla/ || /mla/ || /hla/ || /tta/ || /tθa/ || /dda/
|-
| '''Letter''' || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰁ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰄ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰏ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰒ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰔ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰖ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰞ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᱍ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᱎ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᱏ}}}}
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subjoined Consonants
|-
| '''Transcription''' || -y- || -r-
|-
| '''Dependent mark''' || {{Script|Lepc| ᰤ}} || {{Script|Lepc| ᰥ}}
|-
| '''Example using {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜ}}}}(la)''' || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰤ}}}}(lya) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰥ}}}}(lra)
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Final Consonants
|-
| '''Transcription''' || -k || -m || -l || -n || -p || -r || -t || -ng
|-
| '''Dependent mark''' || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰭ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰮ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰯ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰰ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰱ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰲ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰳ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰵ}}}}{{efn|Written as {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰴ}}}} with an /-a-/ vowel, as in the example.}}
|-
| '''Example using {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜ}}}}(la)''' || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰭ}}}}(lak) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰮ}}}}(lam) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰯ}}}}(lal) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰰ}}}}(lan) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰱ}}}}(lap) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰲ}}}}(lar) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰳ}}}}(lat) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰴ}}}}(lang)
|}

=== Vowels ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Vowel signs
|-
! Transcription
| â || á || i || í || o || ó || u || ú || e/ä{{efn|The transcription 'e' is used in this article.}}
|-
! Dependent diacritical mark
| {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᰶ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᰦ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰧ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰧ ᰶ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰨ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰩ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰪ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰫ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰬ}}}}
|-
! Letter (not dependent)
| {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰶ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰦ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰧ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰧᰶ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰨ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰩ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰪ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰫ}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰣᰬ}}}}
|-
! Example using {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜ}}}}(la)
| {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰶ}}}}(lâ) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰦ}}}}(lá) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰧ}}}}(li) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰧᰶ}}}}(lí) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰨ}}}}(lo) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰩ}}}}(ló) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰪ}}}}(lu) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰫ}}}}(lú) || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|ᰜᰬ}}}}(le)
|}

{{notelist}}

===Numerals===

{| class="wikitable"
|- align="center"
! Lepcha numerals
|| {{huge|{{Script|Lepc|᱀}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱁}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱂}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱃}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱄}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱅}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱆}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱇}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱈}}}} || {{huge|{{Script|Lepc| ᱉}}}}
|- align="center"
! Hindu-Arabic numerals
|| 0 || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9
|}

==Unicode==
{{Main|Lepcha (Unicode block)}}

Lepcha script was added to the [[Unicode]] Standard in April, 2008 with the release of version 5.1.

The Unicode block for Lepcha is U+1C00–U+1C4F:

{{Unicode chart Lepcha}}

==References==
*Leonard van der Kuijp, ''The Tibetan Script and Derivatives,'' in Daniels and Bright, ''The World's Writing Systems,'' 1996.

==External links==
{{commons category|Lepcha script}}
* [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/lepcha.htm Lepcha script at Omniglot.com]
* [http://www.siblac.org/lepcha_script.html Róng Kít] - A free Lepcha Unicode Kit including fonts and keyboard files (Win/Mac/Linux), published by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC)
* [https://www.google.com/get/noto/#sans-lepc Noto Sans Lepcha] - A free Lepcha Unicode font that harmonizes with other fonts of the [[Noto fonts|Noto font family]]
* [http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=Mingzat Mingzat] - A Lepcha Unicode font by SIL, based on Jason Glavy’s JG Lepcha
* [http://glavyfonts.com/asian.html JG Lepcha] - A free and well designed but non-Unicode compliant font by Jason Glavy.

{{list of writing systems}}

[[Category:Brahmic scripts]]

Lepcha script - Revision history

UpdateBot at 18:41, 5 May 2022