Gujarati Alphabets
The Gujarati Alphabet
Every language has a different method of writing the script. Gujarati script is derived from Devanagari script to which it bears a considerable resemblance. The difference consists mainly in the ommision in Gujarati of the head-line used in joining together most of the Devanagari characters.
Besides, some of the letters are written in quite a different style. As such the Gujarati script is easier to write than any other script. The letters have for their limbs or parts geometrical figures like arcs of circles, straight lines and dots combined in various ways.
The height of the letters is uniform and they can therefore be neatly written between two parallel lines. But vowel marks are placed either before, or after, or on top, or below a consonant, giving the writing the appearance of a multi-storied building. Though by themselves the vowels are written as separate letters, they are reduced to certain signs which must be used while combining them with consonants to determine the final sound.
The order of writing is from left to right like the Roman script. ( The Persian way of writing is from right to left, the Chinese from top to bottom vertically.)
The Letters are divided into two categories . The Letters which can be pronounced independently by themselves are called Voewls . The Letters which cannot be pronounced independently by themselves are called Consonants . There are 11 Voewls and 34 Consonants in the Gujarati albhabets .
When initial, i.e. when they begin a syllable, the initial vowels are depicted on the first line and just below them are the corresponding vowel marks :
The dot on a represents the nasal sound called anuswar, and the two dot after a represents the soft aspirate sound called visarga. these have been given there to show how these dots are applied to each letters.
The vovel marks or sign shown above are applied to all consonants in the sam eway as they are applied to K . The only exception is the application of E when it is applied to J and when o is applied to R.
The above Gujarati text was adapted from the text book:
“Gujarati Self-Instructor, with pronunciations in Roman Characters – One Month’s Course” By: A.T. Shahani
