INDIC ALPHABETS Meaning and
Definition
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Indic alphabets refer to the scripts or writing systems used to write various languages belonging to the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian language families in the Indian subcontinent. These alphabets are primarily used for writing languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, and many others.
Indic alphabets are characterized by their own unique set of characters, symbols, and signs. They are typically syllabic writing systems, meaning that each character represents a syllable rather than an individual sound or phoneme. These alphabets often include a combination of consonant letters, vowel signs, and diacritic marks to represent various sounds and phonetic features specific to the languages they are used for.
One of the most well-known and widely used Indic alphabets is Devanagari, which is primarily used for writing Hindi and other languages like Sanskrit. Devanagari consists of a set of 47 primary characters (including consonants and vowels) and a number of diacritic marks and modifiers. Other significant Indic alphabets include Bengali script, Tamil script, Telugu script, Gurmukhi script, Gujarati script, and Kannada script, among others.
Indic alphabets have a rich history dating back thousands of years and have evolved over time. They have played a crucial role in documenting and preserving the diverse languages and cultures of the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, Indic alphabets have been adapted for use in various digital platforms and computer systems, facilitating the typing and representation of Indic languages in the modern era.
Etymology of INDIC ALPHABETS
The term "Indic alphabets" refers to the alphabets used to write various languages in the Indian subcontinent, such as Devanagari (used for Hindi and Sanskrit), Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, etc. The word "Indic" comes from the Latin word "Indicus", which means "Indian" or "of India". It emerged in the English language in the 19th century to describe languages, scripts, or cultural elements associated with India.
The term "alphabet" is derived from the Greek words "alpha" and "beta", the names of the first two letters of the Greek alphabet. It originally referred to the set of letters or symbols used to represent the sounds of a language. In the case of "Indic alphabets", it specifically refers to the writing systems used in various languages of the Indian subcontinent.
