Ta (Indic)

Ta is the sixteenth consonant of Indic abugidas. In modern Indic scripts, ja is derived from the early "Ashoka" Brahmi letter after having gone through the Gupta letter .

← Nna		Ta			Tha →
Devanagari	Ashoka Brahmi		Tibetan	Bengali		Tamil
0924	1101A		0F4F	/ 09A4 / 09CE		0BA4
Gurmukhi	Thai		Baybayin	Malayalam		Sinhala
ਤ 0A24	ต/ ด 0E15 / 0E14		ᜆ 1706	ത 0D24		ත 0DAD
Ancient scripts Ashoka Brahmi Kushana Brahmi Gupta Brahmi Tocharian 1101A 𑀚 1101A 1101A / -- Kharoṣṭhī Siddhaṃ Sharada Grantha 𐨗 10A17 1159D 𑆘 11198 𑌜 1131C
Bangla and Tibetan scripts Ashoka Brahmi Gupta Brahmi Tibetan Bengali 1101A 1101A 0F4F / 09A4 / 09CE 'Phags-pa Oriya Limbu Lepcha Marchen ꡆ/ ꡒ A846 / A852 ତ 0B24 190B ᰊ 1C0A 𑱺 11C7A Siddhaṃ Pracalit Tirhuta Zanabazar Square 1159D 𑐟 1141F 𑒖 11496 𑨙 11A19 Note: Korean Hangul is an alphabet, not an Indic abugida, but appears to ultimately have some derivation from 'Phags-pa.
Sharada-based scripts Sharada Ashoka Brahmi Gupta Brahmi Takri Dogra 𑆘 11198 1101A 1101A 𑚙 11699 𑠙 11819 Gurmukhi Khudawadi Mahajani Khojki Multani ਤ 0A24 𑋂/ 𑋃 112C2 / 112C3 𑅛 1115B 𑈐/ 𑈑 11210 / 11211 𑊖 11296
Nagaris and other Gupta-based scripts Ashoka Brahmi Gupta Brahmi Devanagari 1101A 1101A 0924 Gujarati Kaithi Syloti Nagari Modi ત 0AA4 𑂔 11094 ꠎ A80E 𑘕 11615 Nandinagari Gunjala Gondi Soyombo Bhaiksuki 𑦽 119BD 𑩫 11A6B 𑵳 11D73 𑰝 11C1D
Kawi scripts Grantha Baybayin Tagbanwa Hanunó'o Buhid 𑌜 1131C ᜆ 1706 ᝦ 1766 ᜦ 1726 ᝆ 1746 Balinese Javanese Batak Lontara Rejang ᬢ 1B22 ꦠ A9A0 - -- ᨈ 1A08 ꤳ A933 Ashoka Brahmi Sundanese Makasar Chakma 1101A ᮒ 1B92 𑻦 11EE6 𑻦 11EE6
Tai and Khmer scripts Ashoka Brahmi Grantha Khmer Lao 1101A 𑌜 1131C ត 178F ຕ 0E95 Thai Tai Tham Tai Viet Tai Le New Tai Lü ต/ ด 0E15 / 0E14 ᠲ 1832 ꪔ AA94 ᥖ 1956 ᦑ 1991
Other Grantha-based scripts Ashoka Brahmi Grantha Ahom Dives Akuru 1101A 𑌜 1131C 𑜄 11704 𑤛 1191B Malayalam Saurashtra Cham Burmese Kayah Li ത 0D24 ꢡ A8A1 ꨓ AA13 တ 1010 - --
Other Brahmic scripts Ashoka Brahmi Masaram Gondi Meetei Mayek 1101A 𑴛 11D1B ꯖ ABD6 Tamil Kannada Sinhala Telugu 0BA4 ත 0DAD త 0C24 ತ 0CA4
Phonemic representation:				/t/
IAST transliteration:				ta Ta
ISCII code point:				BA (186)

Aryabhata used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to the Greek numerals, even after the invention of Indian numerals. The values of the different forms of त are:[1]

• त [t̪ə] = 16 (१६)
• ति [t̪ɪ] = 1,600 (१ ६००)
• तु [t̪ʊ] = 160,000 (१ ६० ०००)
• तृ [t̪ri] = 16,000,000 (१ ६० ०० ०००)
• तॢ [t̪lə] = 1,600,000,000 (१ ६० ०० ०० ०००)
• ते [t̪e] = 16×10¹⁰ (१६×१०^१०)
• तै [t̪ɛː] = 16×10¹² (१६×१०^१२)
• तो [t̪oː] = 16×10¹⁴ (१६×१०^१४
• तौ [t̪ɔː] = 16×10¹⁶ (१६×१०^१६)

Historic Ta

There are three different general early historic scripts - Brahmi and its variants, Kharoṣṭhī, and Tocharian, the so-called slanting Brahmi. Ta as found in standard Brahmi, was a simple geometric shape, with variations toward more flowing forms by the Gupta . The Tocharian Ta had an alterante Fremdzeichen form, . The third form of ta, in Kharoshthi () was probably derived from Aramaic separately from the Brahmi letter.

Brahmi Ta

The Brahmi letter , Ta, is probably derived from the Aramaic Taw , and is thus related to the modern Latin T and Greek Tau.[2] Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Ta can be found, most associated with a specific set of inscriptions from an artifact or diverse records from an historic period.[3] As the earliest and most geometric style of Brahmi, the letters found on the Edicts of Ashoka and other records from around that time are normally the reference form for Brahmi letters, with vowel marks not attested until later forms of Brahmi back-formed to match the geometric writing style.

Brahmi Ta historic forms

Ashoka (3rd-1st c. BCE)	Girnar (~150 BCE)	Kushana (~150-250 CE)	Gujarat (~250 CE)	Gupta (~350 CE)

Tocharian Ta

The Tocharian letter is derived from the Brahmi , and has an alternate Fremdzeichen form used in conjuncts and as an alternate representation of Tä.

Tocharian Ta with vowel marks

Ta	Tā	Ti	Tī	Tu	Tū	Tr	Tr̄	Te	Tai	To	Tau	Tä	Fremdzeichen

Kharoṣṭhī Ta

The Kharoṣṭhī letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Taw , and is thus related to T and Tau, in addition to the Brahmi Ta.[2]

Devanagari Ta

Ta (त) is a consonant of the Devanagari abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , after having gone through the Gupta letter . Letters that derive from it are the Gujarati letter ત, and the Modi letter 𑘝.

Devanagari-using Languages

In all languages, त is pronounced as [tə] or [t] when appropriate. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:

Devanagari त with vowel marks

Ta	Tā	Ti	Tī	Tu	Tū	Tr	Tr̄	Tl	Tl̄	Te	Tai	To	Tau	T
त	ता	ति	ती	तु	तू	तृ	तॄ	तॢ	तॣ	ते	तै	तो	तौ	त्

Conjuncts with त

Half form of Ta.

Devanagari exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts. In modern Devanagari texts, most conjuncts are formed by reducing the letter shape to fit tightly to the following letter, usually by dropping a character's vertical stem, sometimes referred to as a "half form". Some conjunct clusters are always represented by a true ligature, instead of a shape that can be broken into constituent independent letters. Vertically stacked conjuncts are ubiquitous in older texts, while only a few are still used routinely in modern Devanagari texts. The use of ligatures and vertical conjuncts may vary across languages using the Devanagari script, with Marathi in particular preferring the use of half forms where texts in other languages would show ligatures and vertical stacks.[4]

Ligature conjuncts of त

True ligatures are quite rare in Indic scripts. The most common ligated conjuncts in Devanagari are in the form of a slight mutation to fit in context or as a consistent variant form appended to the adjacent characters. Those variants include Na and the Repha and Rakar forms of Ra. Nepali and Marathi texts use the "eyelash" Ra half form for an initial "R" instead of repha.

• र্ (r) + त (ta) gives us the ligature rta:

• त্ (t) + र (ra) gives us the ligature tra:

• र্ (r) + त্ (t) + र (ra) gives us the ligature rtra:

• त্ (t) + र্ (r) + य (ya) gives us the ligature trya:

• क্ (k) + त (ta) gives us the ligature kta:

• क্ (k) + त্ (t) + र (ra) gives us the ligature ktra:

• क্ (k) + त্ (t) + व (va) gives us the ligature ktva:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + क্ (k) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ŋkta:

• त্ (t) + त (ta) gives us the ligature tta:

• र্ (r) + त্ (t) + त (ta) gives us the ligature rtta:

• त্ (t) + त্ (t) + र (ra) gives us the ligature ttra:

• र্ (r) + त্ (t) + त্ (t) + र (ra) gives us the ligature rttra:

• त্ (t) + त্ (t) + न (na) gives us the ligature ttna:

• त্ (t) + त্ (t) + व (va) gives us the ligature ttva:

• प্ (p) + त (ta) gives us the ligature pta:

• प্ (p) + त্ (t) + र (ra) gives us the ligature ptra:

• ष্ (ṣ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ṣta:

Stacked conjuncts of त

Vertically stacked ligatures are the most common conjunct forms found in Devanagari text. Although the constituent characters may need to be stretched and moved slightly in order to stack neatly, stacked conjuncts can be broken down into recognizable base letters, or a letter and an otherwise standard ligature.

• छ্ (cʰ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature cʰta:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ḍʱta:

• ड্ (ḍ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ḍta:

• द্ (d) + त (ta) gives us the ligature dta:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ŋta:

• त্ (t) + ब (ba) gives us the ligature tba:

• त্ (t) + च (ca) gives us the ligature tca:

• त্ (t) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature tja:

• त্ (t) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature tjña:

• त্ (t) + ल (la) gives us the ligature tla:

• त্ (t) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature tña:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ṭʰta:

• ट্ (ṭ) + त (ta) gives us the ligature ṭta:

• त্ (t) + न (na) gives us the ligature tna:

• त্ (t) + व (va) gives us the ligature tva:

Bengali Ta

The Bengali script ত is derived from the Siddhaṃ , and is marked by a similar horizontal head line, but less geometric shape, than its Devanagari counterpart, त. The inherent vowel of Bengali consonant letters is /ɔ/, so the bare letter ত will sometimes be transliterated as "to" instead of "ta". Adding okar, the "o" vowel mark, gives a reading of /t̪o/.

Like all Indic consonants, ত can be modified by marks to indicate another (or no) vowel than its inherent "a".

Bengali ত with vowel marks

ta	tā	ti	tī	tu	tū	tr	tr̄	te	tai	to	tau	t
ত	তা	তি	তী	তু	তূ	তৃ	তৄ	তে	তৈ	তো	তৌ	ত্

ত in Bengali-using languages

ত is used as a basic consonant character in all of the major Bengali script orthographies, including Bengali and Assamese.

Conjuncts with ত

Bengali ত exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts, with a tendency towards stacked ligatures.[5]

Khanda Ta

Khanda Ta

Some ostensible conjuncts with an initial ত are realized visually with a character called Khanda Ta "Broken Ta". This "broken" form of ত is used to represent the bare consonant without an inherent "A" vowel, and does not normally take vowel marks. It resembles the normal letter ত, but reversed, without a head line, and a reduced tail.

• ৎ (khanda ta) + ক (ka) gives us the conjunct tka:

Other ত Conjuncts

Other conjuncts take the form of a ligature when ত is the initial head consonant, or usually as a stacked conjunct when ত is non-head. As is normal, as a later element in a stacked conjunct, ত loses its head line when conjoining, and has a reduced tail when followed by Ra-phala.

• ক্ (k) + ত (ta) gives us the ligature kta:

• ক্ (k) + ত্ (t) + র (ra) gives us the ligature ktra, with the ra phala suffix:

• ন্ (n) + ত (ta) gives us the ligature nta:

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + র (ra) gives us the ligature ntra, with the ra phala suffix:

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ntrya, with the ra phala and ya phala suffixes

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ntva, with the va phala suffix:

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ntya, with the ya phala suffix:

• প্ (p) + ত (ta) gives us the ligature pta:

• র্ (r) + ত (ta) gives us the ligature rta, with the repha prefix:

• র্ (r) + ত্ (t) + র (ra) gives us the ligature rtra, with the repha prefix and ra phala suffix:

• র্ (r) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rtya, with the repha prefix and ya phala suffix:

• স্ (s) + ত (ta) gives us the ligature sta:

• স্ (s) + ত্ (t) + র (ra) gives us the ligature stra, with the ra phala suffix:

• স্ (s) + ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature stva, with the va phala suffix:

• স্ (s) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature stya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ত্ (t) + ম (ma) gives us the ligature tma:

• ত্ (t) + ম্ (m) + য (ya) gives us the ligature tmya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ত্ (t) + ন (na) gives us the ligature tna:

• ত্ (t) + র (ra) gives us the ligature tra, with the ra phala suffix:

• ত্ (t) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature trya, with the ra phala and ya phala suffixes

• ত্ (t) + স (sa) gives us the ligature tsa:

• ত্ (t) + ত (ta) gives us the ligature tta:

• ত্ (t) + থ (tʰa) gives us the ligature ttʰa:

• ত্ (t) + ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature ttva, with the va phala suffix:

• ত্ (t) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ttya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ত্ (t) + ব (va) gives us the ligature tva, with the va phala suffix:

• ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature tya, with the ya phala suffix:

Javanese Ta

Main article: Ta (Javanese)

References

1. Ifrah, Georges (2000). The Universal History of Numbers. From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 447–450. ISBN 0-471-39340-1.
2. Bühler, Georg. "On the Origin of the Indian Brahmi Alphabet". archive.org. Karl J. Trübner. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
3. Evolutionary chart, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 7, 1838
4. Pall, Peeter. "Microsoft Word - kblhi2" (PDF). Eesti Keele Instituudi kohanimeandmed. Eesti Keele Instituudi kohanimeandmed. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
5. "The Bengali Alphabet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-28.