The word "phagspa script" is spelled as [pʰakʰspa skript] in IPA phonetic transcription. The "ph" represents the aspirated "p" sound at the beginning of the word, while the "g" is pronounced as a voiceless velar fricative. The "a" is pronounced as a short "a" sound, and the "s" is pronounced as an unvoiced "s" sound. The second "p" is pronounced as an unaspirated "p", and the final "a" is pronounced as a schwa sound. Overall, the pronunciation of "phagspa script" follows standard rules of English pronunciation.
The Phagspa script is a writing system developed during the 13th century by the Tibetan monk and scholar, Drogön Chögyal Phagpa. It is an alphabet that was specifically created for writing Mongolian, Tibetan, and Chinese languages.
The Phagspa script is classified as an abugida, as it represents consonant sounds followed by a vowel sound. It is written horizontally from left to right, unlike the vertical script of traditional Mongolian and Tibetan. The letters in this script are quite distinct, with rounded shapes and relatively few strokes.
The Phagspa script consists of 38 base characters, which are all derived from the Tibetan script. There are specific diacritic marks used to represent vowels, nasal sounds, and other additional phonetic elements. The script also includes punctuation marks and numerical characters.
Historically, the Phagspa script was widely used during the Yuan dynasty in China as the official script for administrative and political documents. It played a significant role in spreading the influence of the Mongol Empire in East Asia. However, it gradually fell out of use after the collapse of the Yuan dynasty and the reestablishment of the Ming dynasty, and it is no longer commonly used.
Today, the Phagspa script is primarily of interest to scholars and researchers studying the history of writing systems and the culture of the Mongol Empire.
The term "Phagspa script" is derived from the name of its creator, the Tibetan scholar and imperial preceptor, Drogön Chögyal Phagpa. Phagpa was a prominent figure in the 13th century and served as the spiritual advisor to Kublai Khan, the fifth emperor of the Mongol Empire.
The script was developed during this period under Phagpa's supervision and was used primarily for writing Mongolian, Tibetan, and Chinese languages. It is also known as the "Mongolian new script" or "Square script" due to its distinctive square shape. The word "Phagspa" in the script's name refers to its originator, highlighting his significant contribution to its creation and propagation.