Conjuncts and Nonconjuncts in Tamil and Malayalam

From: N. Ganesan (naa.ganesan@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Apr 06 2005 - 05:46:46 CST

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    Scripts of Dravidian languages do implement
    innovations. When we take a look at the
    general trends in Dravidian scripts, simplification
    towards nonconjunct forms is a reality.
    Even though north Indian and Devanagari script
    will go for conjuncts, south Indian scripts
    implement innovations. Even Tamil visarga sign (aaytham)
    changed from combining form to free-standing form.

    Only in Unicode standard 4.0, the Malayalam
    u/uu vowel + consonant abugidas were explicitly
    stated to have nonconjunct forms. Earlier fonts
    etc., had only conjuncts as default. Similarly
    Code2000 font had ORNL forms as default.
    Whereas later Unicode fonts do implement
    the nonconjunct forms of Nai, Lai, lai, Raa, Naa, n2aa.

    In the following pdf file, I have placed some old
    nonconjunct forms and modern innovations (default now)
    samples from Tamil and Malayalam:
    thamizh@sbcglobal.net/ornl_malylm_uU.pdf">http://www.geocities.com/thamizh@sbcglobal.net/ornl_malylm_uU.pdf

    A question: For the same unicode text, different
    fonts render these letters either as deprecated conjuncts or
    as modern nonconjuncts. How is this done
    inside unicode fonts in simple terms, please?

    Thanks,
    N. Ganesan, Ph.D.
    Houston, Texas



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