Modern Meitei/Script/Diacritics

In Meitei writing system (Meetei Mayek), there are diacritics (formally known as "Cheitap Mayek") that when applied to either consonants or vowels will produce specific sounds. Unlike, other Indian scripts, Meitei diacritics are applicable to vowels. +Cheitap letters(Cheitap mayek)Cheitap mayekNameIPALatinExample ꯥaa-tapaaItaly (ꯏꯇꯥꯂꯤ) ꯤee-napie or iKing (ꯀꯤꯡ), Feel (ꯐꯤꯜ) ꯨuu-napuu or ooCool (ꯀꯨꯜ), Fum (ꯐꯨꯝ) ꯦyet-napeay or eBay (ꯕꯦ), Ken (ꯀꯦꯟ) ꯣo-napooBo (ꯕꯣ), Cold (ꯀꯣꯜ꯭ꯗ) ꯩchei-napejeiHei (ꯍꯩ), Fei (ꯐꯩ) ꯧsou-napowou or owSou (ꯁꯧ), Hou (ꯍꯧ), Bowl (ꯕꯧꯜ) ꯪnung or noongɐŋang or ngAnglo (ꯑꯪꯒ꯭ꯂꯣ), Kangla (ꯀꯪꯂꯥ) Diacritics application for consonants For better understanding and easy learning, let's take the consonants one by one: First consonant - "ꯀ" (K) ꯀꯥ - kaa (kā) ꯀꯤ - kee (kī) ꯀꯨ - koo (ku) ꯀꯦ - ke ꯀꯩ - kei ꯀꯣ - ko ꯀꯧ - kou (kow) ꯀꯪ - kang (kung) For better understanding and easy learning, let's compare the Meitei writings with those equivalents of Devanagari script and Bengali-Assamese script. With Devanagari script ꯀꯥ - kaa (kā) - का ꯀꯤ - kee (kī) - कि / की (both कि & की are equivalent to ꯀꯤ) ꯀꯨ - koo (ku) - कु / कू (both कु & कू are equivalent to ꯀꯨ) ꯀꯦ - ke - के ꯀꯩ - kei - कै ꯀꯣ - ko - को ꯀꯧ - kou (kow) - कौ ꯀꯪ - kang (kung) - कं With Bengali-Assamese script ꯀꯥ - kaa (kā) - কা ꯀꯤ - kee (kī) - কি / কী (both কি & কী are equivalent to ꯀꯤ) ꯀꯨ - koo (ku) - কু / কূ (both কু & কূ are equivalent to ꯀꯨ) ꯀꯦ - ke - কে ꯀꯩ - kei - কৈ ꯀꯣ - ko - কো ꯀꯧ - kou (kow) - কৌ ꯀꯪ - kang (kung) - কং Second consonant - "ꯁ" (S) ꯁꯥ - saa (sā) ꯁꯤ - see (sī) ꯁꯨ - soo (su) ꯁꯦ - se ꯁꯩ - sei ꯁꯣ - so ꯁꯧ - sou (sow) ꯁꯪ - sang (sung) With Devanagari script Note: Meitei script "ꯁ" is equivalent to 4 Devanagari letters — छ, श, ष and स. ꯁꯥ - saa (sā) - छा, शा, षा, सा ꯁꯤ - see (sī) - छि / छी, शि / शी, षि / षी, सि / सी ꯁꯨ - soo (su) - छु / छू, शु / शू, षु / षू, सु / सू ꯁꯦ - se - छे, शे, षे, से ꯁꯩ - sei - छै, शै, षै, सै ꯁꯣ - so - छो, शो, षो, सो ꯁꯧ - sou (sow) - छौ, शौ, षौ, सौ ꯁꯪ - sang (sung) - छं, शं, षं, सं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: Meitei script "ꯁ" is equivalent to 4 Bengali-Assamese letters — ছ, শ, ষ and স. ꯁꯥ - saa (sā) - ছা, শা, ষা, সা ꯁꯤ - see (sī) - ছি / ছী, শি / শী, ষি / ষী, সি / সী ꯁꯨ - soo (su) - ছু / ছূ, শু / শূ, ষু / ষূ, সু / সূ ꯁꯦ - se - ছে, শে, ষে, সে ꯁꯩ - sei - ছৈ, শৈ, ষৈ, সৈ ꯁꯣ - so - ছো, শো, ষো, সো ꯁꯧ - sou (sow) - ছৌ, শৌ, ষৌ, সৌ ꯁꯪ - sang (sung) - ছং, শং, ষং, সং Third consonant - "ꯂ" (L) ꯂꯥ - laa (lā) ꯂꯤ - lee (lī) ꯂꯨ - loo (lu) ꯂꯦ - le ꯂꯩ - lei ꯂꯣ - lo ꯂꯧ - lou (low) ꯂꯪ - lang (lung) With Devanagari script ꯂꯥ - laa (lā) - ला ꯂꯤ - lee (lī) - लि / ली (both लि & ली are equivalent to ꯂꯤ) ꯂꯨ - loo (lu) - लु / लू (both लु & लू are equivalent to ꯂꯨ) ꯂꯦ - le - ले ꯂꯩ - lei - लै ꯂꯣ - lo - लो ꯂꯧ - lou (low) - लौ ꯂꯪ - lang (lung) - लं With Bengali-Assamese script ꯂꯥ - laa (lā) - লা ꯂꯤ - lee (lī) - লি / লী (both লি & লী are equivalent to ꯂꯤ) ꯂꯨ - loo (lu) - লু / লূ (both লু & লূ are equivalent to ꯂꯨ) ꯂꯦ - le - লে ꯂꯩ - lei - লৈ ꯂꯣ - lo - লো ꯂꯧ - lou (low) - লৌ ꯂꯪ - lang (lung) - লং Other important consonants After observing the above examples, one can practise for other consonants too. However, there are some important consonants in Meitei writing system that is equivalent to more than one letters in the respective Devanagari as well as Bengali-Assamese writing systems. For better understanding and easy learning, let's see: Consonant "ꯉ" (Ng) The sound "ng" is frequently used in Sino-Tibetan languages including Meitei. However, it's rarely used in most Indian languages (Indo-Aryan & Dravidian). By the way, let's proceed: ꯉꯥ - ngaa (ngā) ꯉꯤ - ngee (ngī) ꯉꯨ - ngoo (ngū) ꯉꯦ - nge ꯉꯩ - ngei ꯉꯣ - ngo ꯉꯧ - ngou ꯉꯪ - ngang (ngung) With Devanagari script Note: Meitei letter "ꯉ" is equivalent to 2 Devanagari letters — "ङ" and "ञ". ꯉꯥ - ngaa (ngā) - ङा, ञा ꯉꯤ - ngee (ngī) - ङि / ङी, ञि / ञी ꯉꯨ - ngoo (ngū) - ङु / ङू, ञु / ञू ꯉꯦ - nge - ङे, ञे ꯉꯩ - ngei - ङै, ञै ꯉꯣ - ngo - ङो, ञो ꯉꯧ - ngou - ङौ, ञौ ꯉꯪ - ngang (ngung) - ङं, ञं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: Meitei letter "ꯉ" is equivalent to 2 Bengali-Assamese letters — "ঙ" and "ঞ". ꯉꯥ - ngaa (ngā) - ঙা, ঞা ꯉꯤ - ngee (ngī) - ঙি / ঙী, ঞি / ঞী ꯉꯨ - ngoo (ngū) - ঙু / ঙূ, ঞু / ঞূ ꯉꯦ - nge - ঙে, ঞে ꯉꯩ - ngei - ঙৈ, ঞৈ ꯉꯣ - ngo - ঙো, ঞো ꯉꯧ - ngou - ঙৌ, ঞৌ ꯉꯪ - ngang (ngung) - ঙং, ঞং Consonant "ꯇ" (T) ꯇꯥ - taa (tā) ꯇꯤ - tee (tī) ꯇꯨ - too (tu) ꯇꯦ - te ꯇꯩ - tei ꯇꯣ - to ꯇꯧ - tou (tow) ꯇꯪ - tang (tung) With Devanagari script Note: Meitei letter "ꯇ" has 2 Devanagari equivalent letters - "ट" and "त". ꯇꯥ - taa (tā) - टा, ता ꯇꯤ - tee (tī) - टि / टी, ति / ती ꯇꯨ - too (tu) - टु / टू, तु / तू ꯇꯦ - te - टे, ते ꯇꯩ - tei - टै, तै ꯇꯣ - to - टो, तो ꯇꯧ - tou (tow) - टौ, तौ ꯇꯪ - tang (tung) - टं, तं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: Meitei letter "ꯇ" has 2 Bengali-Assamese equivalent letters - "ট" and "ত". ꯇꯥ - taa (tā) - টা, তা ꯇꯤ - tee (tī) - টি / টী, তি / তী ꯇꯨ - too (tu) - টু / টূ, তু / তূ ꯇꯦ - te - টে, তে ꯇꯩ - tei - টৈ, তৈ ꯇꯣ - to - টো, তো ꯇꯧ - tou (tow) - টৌ, তৌ ꯇꯪ - tang (tung) - টং, তং Consonant "ꯊ" (Th) ꯊꯥ - thaa (thā) ꯊꯤ - thee (thī) ꯊꯨ - thoo (thu) ꯊꯦ - the ꯊꯩ - thei ꯊꯣ - tho ꯊꯧ - thou (thow) ꯊꯪ - thang (thung) With Devanagari script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯊ" has 2 Devanagari equivalent letters - "ठ" and "थ". ꯊꯥ - thaa (thā) - ठा, था ꯊꯤ - thee (thī) - ठि / ठी, थि / थी ꯊꯨ - thoo (thu) - ठु / ठू, थु / थू ꯊꯦ - the - ठे, थे ꯊꯩ - thei - ठै, थै ꯊꯣ - tho - ठो, थो ꯊꯧ - thou (thow) - ठौ, थौ ꯊꯪ - thang (thung) - ठं, थं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯊ" has 2 Bengali-Assamese equivalent letters - "ঠ" and "থ". ꯊꯥ - thaa (thā) - ঠা, থা ꯊꯤ - thee (thī) - ঠি / ঠী, থি / থী ꯊꯨ - thoo (thu) - ঠু / ঠূ, থু / থূ ꯊꯦ - the - ঠে, থে ꯊꯩ - thei - ঠৈ, থৈ ꯊꯣ - tho - ঠো, থো ꯊꯧ - thou (thow) - ঠৌ, থৌ ꯊꯪ - thang (thung) - ঠং, থং Consonant "ꯗ" (D) ꯗꯥ - daa (dā) ꯗꯤ - dee (dī) ꯗꯨ - doo (du) ꯗꯦ - de ꯗꯩ - dei ꯗꯣ - do ꯗꯧ - dou (dow) ꯗꯪ - dang (dung) With Devanagari script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯗ" has 2 Devanagari equivalent letters - "ड" and "द". ꯗꯥ - daa (dā) - डा, दा ꯗꯤ - dee (dī) - डि / डी, दि / दी ꯗꯨ - doo (du) - डु / डू, दु / दू ꯗꯦ - de - डे, दे ꯗꯩ - dei - डै, दै ꯗꯣ - do - डो, दो ꯗꯧ - dou (dow) - डौ, दौ ꯗꯪ - dang (dung) - डं, दं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯗ" has 2 Bengali-Assamese equivalent letters - "ড" and "দ". ꯗꯥ - daa (dā) - ডা, দা ꯗꯤ - dee (dī) - ডি / ডী, দি / দী ꯗꯨ - doo (du) - ডু / ডূ, দু / দূ ꯗꯦ - de - ডে, দে ꯗꯩ - dei - ডৈ, দৈ ꯗꯣ - do - ডো, দো ꯗꯧ - dou (dow) - ডৌ, দৌ ꯗꯪ - dang (dung) - ডং, দং Consonant "ꯙ" (Dh) ꯙꯥ - dhaa (dhā) ꯙꯤ - dhee (dhī) ꯙꯨ - dhoo (dhu) ꯙꯦ - dhe ꯙꯩ - dhei ꯙꯣ - dho ꯙꯧ - dhou (dhow) ꯙꯪ - dhang (dhung) With Devanagari script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯙ" has 2 Devanagari equivalent letters - "ढ" and "ध". ꯙꯥ - dhaa (dhā) - ढा, धा ꯙꯤ - dhee (dhī) - ढि / ढी, धि / धी ꯙꯨ - dhoo (dhu) - ढु / ढू, धु / धू ꯙꯦ - dhe - ढे, धे ꯙꯩ - dhei - ढै, धै ꯙꯣ - dho - ढो, धो ꯙꯧ - dhou (dhow) - ढौ, धौ ꯙꯪ - dhang (dhung) - ढं, धं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯙ" has 2 Bengali-Assamese equivalent letters - "ঢ" and "ধ". ꯙꯥ - dhaa (dhā) - ঢা, ধা ꯙꯤ - dhee (dhī) - ঢি / ঢী, ধি / ধী ꯙꯨ - dhoo (dhu) - ঢু / ঢূ, ধু / ধূ ꯙꯦ - dhe - ঢে, ধে ꯙꯩ - dhei - ঢৈ, ধৈ ꯙꯣ - dho - ঢো, ধো ꯙꯧ - dhou (dhow) - ঢৌ, ধৌ ꯙꯪ - dhang (dhung) - ঢং, ধং Consonant "ꯅ" (N) ꯅꯥ - naa (nā) ꯅꯤ - nee (nī) ꯅꯨ - noo (nu) ꯅꯦ - ne ꯅꯩ - nei ꯅꯣ - no ꯅꯧ - nou (now) ꯅꯪ - nang (nung) With Devanagari script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯅ" has 2 Devanagari equivalent letters - "ण" and "न". ꯅꯥ - naa (nā) - णा, ना ꯅꯤ - nee (nī) - णि / णी, नि / नी ꯅꯨ - noo (nu) - णु / णू, नु / नू ꯅꯦ - ne - णे, ने ꯅꯩ - nei - णै, नै ꯅꯣ - no - णो, नो ꯅꯧ - nou (now) - णौ, नौ ꯅꯪ - nang (nung) - णं, नं With Bengali-Assamese script Note: The Meitei letter "ꯅ" has 2 Bengali-Assamese letters - "ণ" and "ন". ꯅꯥ - naa (nā) - ণা, না ꯅꯤ - nee (nī) - ণি / ণী, নি / নী ꯅꯨ - noo (nu) - ণু / ণূ, নু / নূ ꯅꯦ - ne - ণে, নে ꯅꯩ - nei - ণৈ, নৈ ꯅꯣ - no - ণো, নো ꯅꯧ - nou (now) - ণৌ, নৌ ꯅꯪ - nang (nung) - ণং, নং Diacritics application for vowels There are three vowels in Meitei writing system, ꯎ (Oo/U), ꯏ (Ee/I) and ꯑ (A). Among these 3 vowels, only ꯑ (A) accepts the application of diacritics to form additional vowels. The other two, ꯎ (Oo/U) and ꯏ (Ee/I) doesn't accept the application of diacritics. Formation of additional vowels — Application of diacritics to "ꯑ (A)" ꯑꯥ - aa (ā) ꯑꯦ - e ꯑꯩ - ei ꯑꯣ - o ꯑꯧ - ou (ow) ꯑꯪ - ang (ung) Comparison with other Indian abugida writing systems For better understanding and easy learning, let's compare the equivalents of Meitei vowels (additional vowels) with Devanagari script and Bengali-Assamese script. With Devanagari script ꯑꯥ - aa (ā) - आ ꯑꯦ - e - ए ꯑꯩ - ei - ऐ ꯑꯣ - o - ओ ꯑꯧ - ou (ow) - औ ꯑꯪ - ang (ung) - अं With Bengali-Assamese script ꯑꯥ - aa (ā) - আ ꯑꯦ - e - এ ꯑꯩ - ei - ঐ ꯑꯣ - o - ও ꯑꯧ - ou (ow) - ঔ ꯑꯪ - ang (ung) - অং