_conjunct_consonant.jpg)
and "Ya"
. Used in the spelling of the word "Shakyamuni" to designate theBuddha,Rummindei pillar ofAshoka (c. 250 BCE).
Conjunct consonants are a type of letters that is used, for example, inBrahmi or its derived modern scripts such asBalinese,Bengali,Devanagari,Gujarati,Tibetan andDzongkha to writeconsonant clusters such as/pr/ or/rv/. Although letters are formed usually by using a simple consonant with the inherent value vowel "a" (as with "k", pronounced "ka" in Brahmi), or by combining a consonant with an vowel in the form of adiacritic (as with "ki"
in Brahmi), the use of conjunct consonant permits the creation of more sophisticated sounds (as with "kya"
, formed with the consonants "k" and "y" assembled vertically).[1] Conjuncts are often used with loan words. Native words typically use the basic consonant, and native speakers know to suppress the vowel.
In modern Devanagari the components of a conjunct are written left to right when possible (when the first consonant has a vertical stem that can be removed at the right), but in Brahmi characters, they are joined vertically downwards.[1]
Some simple examples of conjunct consonants in Devanagari areत + व = त्व (tva),ण + ढ = ण्ढ (ṇḍha),स + थ = स्थ (stha), where the vertical stroke of the first letter is simply lost in the combination. Sometimes, conjunct consonants are not clearly derived from the letters making up their components: the conjunct forkṣ isक्ष (क् + ष) and forjñ it isज्ञ (ज् + ञ).
Some examples of conjunct consonants in Gujarati areપ + ઝ = પ્ઝ (pjha) (where a stroke of the first letter is lost in the combination),હ + ળ = હ્ળ (hḷa),જ + ભ = જ્ભ (jbha). Sometimes, conjunct consonants are not clearly derived from the letters making up their components: the conjunct forśc isશ્ચ (શ્ + ચ) and forñj it isઞ્જ (ઞ્ + જ).
Conjunct consonants are used in many other scripts as well, most of which are derived from the Brahmi script.[2] InBalinese, conjunct consonants are calledHaksara Wrehastra.[3]