Burmese Orthography

2 Pages·1991·0.07 MB·English

by  Campbell, George L.

SCRIPT
The Burmese script is derived from the Mon version ofBrahmi. As in all
Indie scripts, each base consonant has an inherent short vowel /a/. In
addition to their primary forms, all vowels and certain consonants have
secondary forms. The table shows the consonantal inventory of Burmese,
and the initial vowel signs and the secondary vowel signs as applied to a
consonant, denoted by C.
Elevenvowels arecoded for tone, i.e. they require no tone marker. Seven
ofthese are second tone, three are first tone, and one is third. Using/k/ as
bearerconsonant, we then have:
Second tone
COO ka, Ski, cq kit, GCOke, cocS&e, GCoSko, cfyko
First tone
&
CO ka, ki cqku
t
Third tone
chke
First-tone vowels other than the three specified above are marked with
subscript dot, e.g.
Gcqke, chke, sen?kj, $ ko
Third-tone vowels are markedwith : (< Sanskritvisarga): e.g.
cooska, c8s ki, crjs kut gods ke
COMPENDIUM WORLD'S geosregcoendl.edciatimopnbell SimultaneouslypubblyisRhoeudtlinedtgheeUSAandCanada
OFTHE LANGUAGES ISBN0-415-20298-1(Set) ©1991,2000GeorgeL.Campbell
THE BURMESE SCRIPT
CONSONANTS