From: N. Ganesan (naa.ganesan@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Apr 06 2005 - 05:46:46 CST
Scripts of Dravidian languages do implement
innovations. When we take a look at the
general trends in Dravidian scripts, simplification
towards nonconjunct forms is a reality.
Even though north Indian and Devanagari script
will go for conjuncts, south Indian scripts
implement innovations. Even Tamil visarga sign (aaytham)
changed from combining form to free-standing form.
Only in Unicode standard 4.0, the Malayalam
u/uu vowel + consonant abugidas were explicitly
stated to have nonconjunct forms. Earlier fonts
etc., had only conjuncts as default. Similarly
Code2000 font had ORNL forms as default.
Whereas later Unicode fonts do implement
the nonconjunct forms of Nai, Lai, lai, Raa, Naa, n2aa.
In the following pdf file, I have placed some old
nonconjunct forms and modern innovations (default now)
samples from Tamil and Malayalam:
thamizh@sbcglobal.net/ornl_malylm_uU.pdf">http://www.geocities.com/thamizh@sbcglobal.net/ornl_malylm_uU.pdf
A question: For the same unicode text, different
fonts render these letters either as deprecated conjuncts or
as modern nonconjuncts. How is this done
inside unicode fonts in simple terms, please?
Thanks,
N. Ganesan, Ph.D.
Houston, Texas
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