Ar 09:27 -0800 1998-10-30, scr�obh Mark Leisher:
>Someone was asking me recently why they should use the Unicode Indic dependent
>vowels internally. I don't see any reason to use them because they make
>akshara construction and searching more complicated. They are only useful for
>rendering.
Indic languages do not implement Brahmic principles identically. A lot of
odd things occur, including non-initial independent vowels. Since an
independent vowel can occur non-initially, you couldn't predict when it was
a- and when it was -a.
Cham, for instance, makes regular use of independent vowels non-initially,
and indeed allows the use of dependent vowels with independent vowels as
well as consonants.
Isn't "Aer Indiya" written with an initial a- and initial e-? I can't seem
to remember.
It is important to make the distinction. For the gods' sake don't do a
"compatibility decomposition" on them.
Svasti,
-- Michael Everson, Everson Gunn Teoranta ** http://www.indigo.ie/egt 15 Port Chaeimhghein �ochtarach; Baile �tha Cliath 2; �ire/Ireland Guth�n: +353 1 478-2597 ** Facsa: +353 1 478-2597 (by arrangement) 27 P�irc an Fh�ithlinn; Baile an Bh�thair; Co. �tha Cliath; �ire
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