| Kaithī Kayathi, Kayasthi,𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲 | |
|---|---|
 Kaithī script (vowels top three rows, consonants below) | |
| Script type | |
Period | c. 16th–mid 20th century |
| Direction | Left-to-right  |
| Languages | Awadhi,Bhojpuri,Hindustani,Magahi,Nagpuri,Maithili |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | |
Child systems | Sylheti Nagari |
Sister systems | |
| ISO 15924 | |
| ISO 15924 | Kthi(317), Kaithi |
| Unicode | |
Unicode alias | Kaithi |
| U+11080–U+110CF | |
| This article containsphonetic transcriptions in theInternational Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, seeHelp:IPA. For the distinction between[ ],/ / and ⟨ ⟩, seeIPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters. | |
| Brahmic scripts |
|---|
| TheBrahmi script and its descendants |
Kaithi (𑂍𑂶𑂟𑂲,IPA:[kəɪ̯t̪ʰiː]), also calledKayathi (𑂍𑂨𑂟𑂲),Kayasthi (𑂍𑂰𑂨𑂮𑂹𑂟𑂲,IPA:[kəjəst̪ʰiː]),Kayastani, orKaite Lipi (काइते लिपि) inNepali language,[1] is aBrahmic script historically used across parts of Northern and Eastern India. It was prevalent in regions corresponding to modern-dayUttar Pradesh,Bihar, andJharkhand. The script was primarily utilized for legal, administrative, and private records and was adapted for a variety of Indo-Aryan languages, includingAngika,Awadhi,Bhojpuri,Hindustani,Maithili,Magahi, andNagpuri.[2]
The name Kaithi script is derived from the termKayastha, asocio-professional group historically linked to writing, record-keeping and administration.[3] This community served in royal courts and later in British colonial administration, maintaining revenue records, legal documents, title deeds, and general correspondence.[4] The script they utilized was thus named Kaithi, reflecting their association with written documentation.[citation needed]
Documents in Kaithi are traceable to at least the 16th century. The script was widely used during theMughal period. In the 1880s, during theBritish Raj, the script was recognised as the official script of thelaw courts ofBihar. Kaithi was the most widely used script of North India west of Bengal. In 1854, 77,368 school primers were in Kaithi script, as compared to 25,151 in Devanagari and 24,302 inMahajani.[5] Among the three scripts widely used in the 'Hindi Belt', Kaithi was widely perceived to be neutral, as it was used by both Hindus and Muslims alike[citation needed] for day-to-day correspondence, financial and administrative activities, while Devanagari was used by Hindus and Persian script by Muslims for religious literature and education. This made Kaithi increasingly unfavorable to the more conservative and religiously inclined members of society who insisted on Devanagari-based and Persian-based transcription of Hindi dialects. As a result of their influence and due to the wide availability of Devanagari type as opposed to the incredibly large variability of Kaithi, Devanagari was promoted, particularly in the Northwest Provinces, which covers present-dayUttar Pradesh.[6]
In the late 19th century,John Nesfield inOudh,George Campbell of Inverneill inBihar and a committee in Bengal all advocated for the use of Kaithi script in education.[7] Many legal documents were written in Kaithi, and from 1950 to 1954 it was the official legal script of Bihar district courts. Present day Bihar courts struggle to read old Kaithi documents.[8]
On the basis of local variants Kaithi can be divided into three classes viz. Bhojpuri, Magahi and Trihuti.[9][10]
This was used in Bhojpuri speaking regions and was considered as the most legible style of Kaithi.[9]
Native to Magah or Magadh it lies between Bhojpuri and Trihuti.[9]
It was used in Maithili speaking regions and was considered as the most elegant style.[9]
All Kaithi consonants have an inherenta vowel:
| VOICELESSPLOSIVES | VOICEDPLOSIVES | NASALS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaspirated | Aspirated | Unaspirated | Aspirated | ||
| Velar | 𑂍 k IPA:/k/ | 𑂎 kh IPA:/kʰ/ | 𑂏 g IPA:/ɡ/ | 𑂐 gh IPA:/ɡʱ/ | 𑂑 ṅ IPA:/ŋ/ |
| Palatal | 𑂒 c IPA:/c/ | 𑂓 ch IPA:/tʃʰ/ | 𑂔 j IPA:/ɟ/ | 𑂕 jh IPA:/dʒʱ/ | 𑂖 ñ IPA:/ɲ/ |
| Retroflex | 𑂗 ṭ IPA:/ʈ/ | 𑂘 ṭh IPA:/ʈʰ/ | 𑂙 ḍ IPA:/ɖ/ | 𑂛 ḍh IPA:/ɖʱ/ | 𑂝 ṇ IPA:/ɳ/ |
𑂚 ṛ IPA:/ɽ/ | 𑂜 ṛh IPA:/ɽʱ/ | ||||
| Dental | 𑂞 t IPA:/t/ | 𑂟 th IPA:/tʰ/ | 𑂠 d IPA:/d/ | 𑂡 dh IPA:/dʱ/ | 𑂢 n IPA:/n/ |
| Labial | 𑂣 p IPA:/p/ | 𑂤 ph IPA:/pʰ/ | 𑂥 b IPA:/b/ | 𑂦 bh IPA:/bʱ/ | 𑂧 m IPA:/m/ |
| Palatal | Retroflex | Dental | Labial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonorants | 𑂨 y IPA:/j/ | 𑂩 r IPA:/r/ | 𑂪 l IPA:/l/ | 𑂫 v IPA:/ʋ/ |
| Sibilants | 𑂬 ś IPA:/ɕ/ | 𑂭 ṣ IPA:/ʂ/ | 𑂮 s IPA:/s/ | |
| Other | 𑂯 h IPA:/h/ | |||
Kaithi vowels have independent (initial) and dependent (diacritic) forms:
| Trans. | Shown with⟨𑂍⟩ | Trans. | Shown with⟨𑂍⟩ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guttural | 𑂃 a | 𑂍 | 𑂄𑂰 ā | 𑂍𑂰 |
| Palatal | 𑂅𑂱 i | 𑂍𑂱 | 𑂆𑂲 ī | 𑂍𑂲 |
| Rounded | 𑂇𑂳 u | 𑂍𑂳 | 𑂈𑂴 ū | 𑂍𑂴 |
| Palatoguttural | 𑂉𑂵 e | 𑂍𑂵 | 𑂊𑂶 ai | 𑂍𑂶 |
| Labioguttural | 𑂋𑂷 o | 𑂍𑂷 | 𑂌𑂸 au | 𑂍𑂸 |
Several diacritics are employed to change the meaning of letters:
| Diacritic | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
𑂀 | chandrabindu | A chandrabindu denotesnasalisation although it is not normally used with Kaithi.[4] |
𑂁 | anusvara | An anusvara in Kaithi represents true vowel nasalisation.[4] For example,𑂍𑂁,kaṃ. |
𑂂 | visarga | Visarga is aSanskrit holdover originally representing /h/. For example,𑂍𑂂kaḥ.[4] |
𑂹 | halanta | A virama removes a consonant's inherenta and in some cases forms consonant clusters. Compare𑂧𑂥maba with𑂧𑂹𑂥mba.[11] |
𑂺 | nuqta | A nuqta is used to extend letters to represent non-native sounds. For example,𑂔ja + nuqta =𑂔𑂺, which represents Arabiczayin.[4] |
The following table shows the list of vowel diacritics on consonants. The vowel diacritics on consonants are calledkakahārā (𑂍𑂍𑂯𑂰𑂩𑂰).
| ् | 𑂃 | 𑂄 | 𑂅 | 𑂆 | 𑂇 | 𑂈 | 𑂉 | 𑂊 | 𑂋 | 𑂌 | 𑂃𑂁 | 𑂃𑂂 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 𑂍𑂹 | 𑂍 | 𑂍𑂰 | 𑂍𑂱 | 𑂍𑂲 | 𑂍𑂳 | 𑂍𑂴 | 𑂍𑂵 | 𑂍𑂶 | 𑂍𑂷 | 𑂍𑂸 | 𑂍𑂁 | 𑂍𑂂 |
| 𑂎𑂹 | 𑂎 | 𑂎𑂰 | 𑂎𑂱 | 𑂎𑂲 | 𑂎𑂳 | 𑂎𑂴 | 𑂎𑂵 | 𑂎𑂶 | 𑂎𑂷 | 𑂎𑂸 | 𑂎𑂁 | 𑂎𑂂 |
| 𑂏𑂹 | 𑂏 | 𑂏𑂰 | 𑂏𑂱 | 𑂏𑂲 | 𑂏𑂳 | 𑂏𑂴 | 𑂏𑂵 | 𑂏𑂶 | 𑂏𑂷 | 𑂏𑂸 | 𑂏𑂁 | 𑂏𑂂 |
| 𑂐𑂹 | 𑂐 | 𑂐𑂰 | 𑂐𑂱 | 𑂐𑂲 | 𑂐𑂳 | 𑂐𑂴 | 𑂐𑂵 | 𑂐𑂶 | 𑂐𑂷 | 𑂐𑂸 | 𑂐𑂁 | 𑂐𑂂 |
| 𑂑 𑂹 | 𑂑 | 𑂑𑂰 | 𑂑𑂱 | 𑂑𑂲 | 𑂑𑂳 | 𑂑𑂴 | 𑂑𑂵 | 𑂑𑂶 | 𑂑𑂷 | 𑂑𑂸 | 𑂑𑂁 | 𑂑𑂂 |
| 𑂒𑂹 | 𑂒 | 𑂒𑂰 | 𑂒𑂱 | 𑂒𑂲 | 𑂒𑂳 | 𑂒𑂴 | 𑂒𑂵 | 𑂒𑂶 | 𑂒𑂷 | 𑂒𑂸 | 𑂒𑂁 | 𑂒𑂂 |
| 𑂓𑂹 | 𑂓 | 𑂓𑂰 | 𑂓𑂱 | 𑂓𑂲 | 𑂓𑂳 | 𑂓𑂴 | 𑂓𑂵 | 𑂓𑂶 | 𑂓𑂷 | 𑂓𑂸 | 𑂓𑂁 | 𑂓𑂂 |
| 𑂔𑂹 | 𑂔 | 𑂔𑂰 | 𑂔𑂱 | 𑂔𑂲 | 𑂔𑂳 | 𑂔𑂴 | 𑂔𑂵 | 𑂔𑂶 | 𑂔𑂷 | 𑂔𑂸 | 𑂔𑂁 | 𑂔𑂂 |
| 𑂕𑂹 | 𑂕 | 𑂕𑂰 | 𑂕𑂱 | 𑂕𑂲 | 𑂕𑂳 | 𑂕𑂴 | 𑂕𑂵 | 𑂕𑂶 | 𑂕𑂷 | 𑂕𑂸 | 𑂕𑂁 | 𑂕𑂂 |
| 𑂖𑂹 | 𑂖 | 𑂖𑂰 | 𑂖𑂱 | 𑂖𑂲 | 𑂖𑂳 | 𑂖𑂴 | 𑂖𑂵 | 𑂖𑂶 | 𑂖𑂷 | 𑂖𑂸 | 𑂖𑂁 | 𑂖𑂂 |
| 𑂗 𑂹 | 𑂗 | 𑂗𑂰 | 𑂗𑂱 | 𑂗𑂲 | 𑂗𑂳 | 𑂗𑂴 | 𑂗𑂵 | 𑂗𑂶 | 𑂗𑂷 | 𑂗𑂸 | 𑂗𑂁 | 𑂗𑂂 |
| 𑂘𑂹 | 𑂘 | 𑂘𑂰 | 𑂘𑂱 | 𑂘𑂲 | 𑂘𑂳 | 𑂘𑂴 | 𑂘𑂵 | 𑂘𑂶 | 𑂘𑂷 | 𑂘𑂸 | 𑂘𑂁 | 𑂘𑂂 |
| 𑂙𑂹 | 𑂙 | 𑂙𑂰 | 𑂙𑂱 | 𑂙𑂲 | 𑂙𑂳 | 𑂙𑂴 | 𑂙𑂵 | 𑂙𑂶 | 𑂙𑂷 | 𑂙𑂸 | 𑂙𑂁 | 𑂙𑂂 |
| 𑂛𑂹 | 𑂛 | 𑂛𑂰 | 𑂛𑂱 | 𑂛𑂲 | 𑂛𑂳 | 𑂛𑂴 | 𑂛𑂵 | 𑂛𑂶 | 𑂛𑂷 | 𑂛𑂸 | 𑂛𑂁 | 𑂛𑂂 |
| 𑂝𑂹 | 𑂝 | 𑂝𑂰 | 𑂝𑂱 | 𑂝𑂲 | 𑂝𑂳 | 𑂝𑂴 | 𑂝𑂵 | 𑂝𑂶 | 𑂝𑂷 | 𑂝𑂸 | 𑂝𑂁 | 𑂝𑂂 |
| 𑂞𑂹 | 𑂞 | 𑂞𑂰 | 𑂞𑂱 | 𑂞𑂲 | 𑂞𑂳 | 𑂞𑂴 | 𑂞𑂵 | 𑂞𑂶 | 𑂞𑂷 | 𑂞𑂸 | 𑂞𑂁 | 𑂞𑂂 |
| 𑂟𑂹 | 𑂟 | 𑂟𑂰 | 𑂟𑂱 | 𑂟𑂲 | 𑂟𑂳 | 𑂟𑂴 | 𑂟𑂵 | 𑂟𑂶 | 𑂟𑂷 | 𑂟𑂸 | 𑂟𑂁 | 𑂟𑂂 |
| 𑂠𑂹 | 𑂠 | 𑂠𑂰 | 𑂠𑂱 | 𑂠𑂲 | 𑂠𑂳 | 𑂠𑂴 | 𑂠𑂵 | 𑂠𑂶 | 𑂠𑂷 | 𑂠𑂸 | 𑂠𑂁 | 𑂠𑂂 |
| 𑂡𑂹 | 𑂡 | 𑂡𑂰 | 𑂡𑂱 | 𑂡𑂲 | 𑂡𑂳 | 𑂡𑂴 | 𑂡𑂵 | 𑂡𑂶 | 𑂡𑂷 | 𑂡𑂸 | 𑂡𑂁 | 𑂡𑂂 |
| 𑂢𑂹 | 𑂢 | 𑂢𑂰 | 𑂢𑂱 | 𑂢𑂲 | 𑂢𑂳 | 𑂢𑂴 | 𑂢𑂵 | 𑂢𑂶 | 𑂢𑂷 | 𑂢𑂸 | 𑂢𑂁 | 𑂢𑂂 |
| 𑂣𑂹 | 𑂣 | 𑂣𑂰 | 𑂣𑂱 | 𑂣𑂲 | 𑂣𑂳 | 𑂣𑂴 | 𑂣𑂵 | 𑂣𑂶 | 𑂣𑂷 | 𑂣𑂸 | 𑂣𑂁 | 𑂣𑂂 |
| 𑂤𑂹 | 𑂤 | 𑂤𑂰 | 𑂤𑂱 | 𑂤𑂲 | 𑂤𑂳 | 𑂤𑂴 | 𑂤𑂵 | 𑂤𑂶 | 𑂤𑂷 | 𑂤𑂸 | 𑂤𑂁 | 𑂤𑂂 |
| 𑂥𑂹 | 𑂥 | 𑂥𑂰 | 𑂥𑂱 | 𑂥𑂲 | 𑂥𑂳 | 𑂥𑂴 | 𑂥𑂵 | 𑂥𑂶 | 𑂥𑂷 | 𑂥𑂸 | 𑂥𑂁 | 𑂥𑂂 |
| 𑂦𑂹 | 𑂦 | 𑂦𑂰 | 𑂦𑂱 | 𑂦𑂲 | 𑂦𑂳 | 𑂦𑂴 | 𑂦𑂵 | 𑂦𑂶 | 𑂦𑂷 | 𑂦𑂸 | 𑂦𑂁 | 𑂦𑂂 |
| 𑂧𑂹 | 𑂧 | 𑂧𑂰 | 𑂧𑂱 | 𑂧𑂲 | 𑂧𑂳 | 𑂧𑂴 | 𑂧𑂵 | 𑂧𑂶 | 𑂧𑂷 | 𑂧𑂸 | 𑂧𑂁 | 𑂧𑂂 |
| 𑂨𑂹 | 𑂨 | 𑂨𑂰 | 𑂨𑂱 | 𑂨𑂲 | 𑂨𑂳 | 𑂨𑂴 | 𑂨𑂵 | 𑂨𑂶 | 𑂨𑂷 | 𑂨𑂸 | 𑂨𑂁 | 𑂨𑂂 |
| 𑂩𑂹 | 𑂩 | 𑂩𑂰 | 𑂩𑂱 | 𑂩𑂲 | 𑂩𑂳 | 𑂩𑂴 | 𑂩𑂵 | 𑂩𑂶 | 𑂩𑂷 | 𑂩𑂸 | 𑂩𑂁 | 𑂩𑂂 |
| 𑂪𑂹 | 𑂪 | 𑂪𑂰 | 𑂪𑂱 | 𑂪𑂲 | 𑂪𑂳 | 𑂪𑂴 | 𑂪𑂵 | 𑂪𑂶 | 𑂪𑂷 | 𑂪𑂸 | 𑂪𑂁 | 𑂪𑂂 |
| 𑂫𑂹 | 𑂫 | 𑂫𑂰 | 𑂫𑂱 | 𑂫𑂲 | 𑂫𑂳 | 𑂫𑂴 | 𑂫𑂵 | 𑂫𑂶 | 𑂫𑂷 | 𑂫𑂸 | 𑂫𑂁 | 𑂫𑂂 |
| 𑂬𑂹 | 𑂬 | 𑂬𑂰 | 𑂬𑂱 | 𑂬𑂲 | 𑂬𑂳 | 𑂬𑂴 | 𑂬𑂵 | 𑂬𑂶 | 𑂬𑂷 | 𑂬𑂸 | 𑂬𑂁 | 𑂬𑂂 |
| 𑂭𑂹 | 𑂭 | 𑂭𑂰 | 𑂭𑂱 | 𑂭𑂲 | 𑂭𑂳 | 𑂭𑂴 | 𑂭𑂵 | 𑂭𑂶 | 𑂭𑂷 | 𑂭𑂸 | 𑂭𑂁 | 𑂭𑂂 |
| 𑂮𑂹 | 𑂮 | 𑂮𑂰 | 𑂮𑂱 | 𑂮𑂲 | 𑂮𑂳 | 𑂮𑂴 | 𑂮𑂵 | 𑂮𑂶 | 𑂮𑂷 | 𑂮𑂸 | 𑂮𑂁 | 𑂮𑂂 |
| 𑂯𑂹 | 𑂯 | 𑂯𑂰 | 𑂯𑂱 | 𑂯𑂲 | 𑂯𑂳 | 𑂯𑂴 | 𑂯𑂵 | 𑂯𑂶 | 𑂯𑂷 | 𑂯𑂸 | 𑂯𑂁 | 𑂯𑂂 |
Kaithi has several script-specific punctuation marks:
| Sign | Description |
|---|---|
| 𑂻 | Theabbreviation sign is one method of representing abbreviations in Kaithi.[4] For example,𑂪𑂱𑂎𑂱𑂞𑂧 can be abbreviated as𑂪𑂲𑂻.[4] |
| | Thenumber sign is used with digits for enumerated lists and numerical sequences.[4] It can appear above, below, or before a digit or sequence of digits.[4] For example,१२३. |
| 𑂼 | Theenumeration sign is a spacing version of thenumber sign.[11] It always appears before a digit or sequence of digits (never above or below). |
| 𑂾 | Thesection sign indicates the end of a sentence.[11] |
| 𑂿 | Thedouble section sign indicates the end of a larger section of text, such as a paragraph.[11] |
| 𑃀 | Danda is a Kaithi-specificdanda, which can mark the end of a sentence or line. |
| 𑃁 | Double danda is a Kaithi-specific double danda. |
General punctuation is also used with Kaithi:
Kaithi uses stylistic variants ofDevanagari numeral. It also usescommon Indic number signs for fractions and unit marks.[11]
Kaithi script was added to theUnicode Standard in October 2009 with the release of version 5.2.
The Unicode block for Kaithi is U+11080–U+110CF:
| Kaithi[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
| U+1108x | 𑂀 | 𑂁 | 𑂂 | 𑂃 | 𑂄 | 𑂅 | 𑂆 | 𑂇 | 𑂈 | 𑂉 | 𑂊 | 𑂋 | 𑂌 | 𑂍 | 𑂎 | 𑂏 |
| U+1109x | 𑂐 | 𑂑 | 𑂒 | 𑂓 | 𑂔 | 𑂕 | 𑂖 | 𑂗 | 𑂘 | 𑂙 | 𑂚 | 𑂛 | 𑂜 | 𑂝 | 𑂞 | 𑂟 |
| U+110Ax | 𑂠 | 𑂡 | 𑂢 | 𑂣 | 𑂤 | 𑂥 | 𑂦 | 𑂧 | 𑂨 | 𑂩 | 𑂪 | 𑂫 | 𑂬 | 𑂭 | 𑂮 | 𑂯 |
| U+110Bx | 𑂰 | 𑂱 | 𑂲 | 𑂳 | 𑂴 | 𑂵 | 𑂶 | 𑂷 | 𑂸 | 𑂹 | 𑂺 | 𑂻 | 𑂼 | | 𑂾 | 𑂿 |
| U+110Cx | 𑃀 | 𑃁 | 𑃂 | | ||||||||||||
| Notes | ||||||||||||||||
The first Bhojpuri quarterly Bagsar Samāchar was published in this script in 1915.[12]