Tibetan script

Tibetan syllable structure

Tibetan map of the Kizil Caves (13th entury CE)

Unknown Tibetan Sanskrit Text

Tibetan Keyboard

Dzongkha Keyboard layout Main

Tibetan script refers to the writing system used for the Tibetan language, which belongs to the Tibeto-Burman group of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It is used in Tibet, Bhutan, parts of Nepal, and in parts of northern India, such as Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The script is also employed in writing several other languages, including Dzongkha (the national language of Bhutan), Ladakhi, and Balti.

History

The Tibetan script was created in the early 7th century during the reign of Songtsen Gampo, who is credited with the unification of Tibet. The script was devised by Thonmi Sambhota, who was sent to India to study writing systems. It is heavily influenced by the Indian Brahmi script, particularly the Gupta script variant, reflecting the strong cultural and religious influence India had on Tibet at the time.

Characteristics

The Tibetan script is an abugida, a type of writing system where each character represents a consonant-vowel syllable, with the inherent vowel being /a/. Other vowels are represented by adding diacritical marks to the base consonant. The script is written from left to right and does not use spaces between words; instead, a small mark called "tsek" is used to separate syllables within a word.

Alphabet

The Tibetan alphabet consists of 30 consonants and four vowel signs that modify the inherent /a/ sound of the consonants. The script also includes various subjoined letters, used to create consonant clusters, and special symbols for writing Sanskrit and other foreign words.

Usage

In addition to literary and secular texts, the Tibetan script is extensively used for religious texts, including the Kanjur and Tanjur, which are the Tibetan Buddhist canons. The script's decorative forms are found in religious art, such as thangka paintings and carved mantras on stones and prayer wheels.

Modern Developments

Today, the Tibetan script faces challenges due to political and social changes in Tibet and the spread of digital technology. Efforts are being made to support the script through the development of Unicode encoding and digital fonts, which facilitate its use on computers and the internet. Educational programs in Tibetan areas and among the diaspora aim to preserve the script and language.

See Also

• Tibetan language
• Tibetan literature
• Tibetan Buddhism
• Sino-Tibetan languages

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