Gurmukhi alphabet
| Gurmukhi |
|
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Languages |
Predominantly: Others: |
|
Time period
|
16th century CE |
|
Parent systems
|
|
|
Sister systems
|
|
| Direction | Left-to-right |
| ISO 15924 | Guru, 310 |
|
Unicode alias
|
Gurmukhi |
| U+0A00–U+0A7F | |
Gurmukhi (IPA: [ɡʊɾmʊkʰi]; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ) is a Sikh script modified, standardized and used by the second Sikh Guru, Guru Angad (1563–1606). Gurmukhi is one of two scripts used for the Punjabi language, the other being Shahmukhi script. While the Punjabi Muslims use Shahmukhi to record Punjabi, Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus use Gurmukhi. The central scripture of Sikhism, Guru Granth Sahib is written in the Gurmukhī alphabet, in various dialects – including Lahnda (Western Punjabi), Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Sanskrit, Sindhi and Persian – often coalesced under the generic title of Sant Bhasha.
Modern Gurmukhī has thirty-eight consonants (akhar), 10 vowel symbols (lāga mātrā), two symbols for nasal sounds (pair bindi and ṭippī), and one symbol which duplicates the sound of any consonant (addak). In addition, four conjuncts are used: three subjoined forms of the consonants Rara, Haha and Vava, and one half-form of Yayya. Use of the conjunct forms of Vava and Yayya is increasingly scarce in modern contexts.
The Gurmukhi script has roots in the Brahmi script like most north Indian and west Chinese languages. In a cursory look, the Gurmukhi script appears different from other Indic scripts such as Bengali, Oriya, Tibetan or Devanagari, but a closer examination reveals they are similar except for angles and structural emphasis.
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