Roman Rekhta (Ry'ömyn Rêxtyh / रोमन रेख़्ता / رومن ریختہ)

Roman Rekhta is an adaptation of Roman script to write Hindi languages. It was developed by Mohammad Shakeb Baig, when he felt the need of common Romanization for Hindi, Urdu and other Hindi languages. The term Rekhta in the name refers to a medieval name of the Hindi-Urdu language, which means 'mixed language'.

Notable features

Type of writing system: alphabet.
Direction: left to right in horizontal lines.
Used to write: Hindi languages, especially Hindi, Urdu, and Bhojpuri.
This Romanization is based on orthography of multiple languages, which are natively written in Latin script.
The Romanization is phonetic.

Roman Rekhta alphabet

Pronunciation

Consonants

Roman Rekhta pronunciation - consonants

Notes

ć could be pronounced as [ʧ], [cɕ], [ʨ] or [c].
ɣ is pronounced as [ɣ] in Urdu, but sometimes as [g] in Hindi.
h is pronounced as [h] or [ɦ].
The pronunciation of n depends upon the following letter as shown below:

Pronunciation of the letter n

Notes

Example: bynd = [bənd], köncî = [kʊɲʤiː], ḍynḍa = [ɖəɳɖaː], pynkha = [pəŋkʰaː].

q is pronounced as [q] in Urdu, but sometimes as [k] in Hindi.
r could be pronounced as [ɾ] or [r].
rr is pronounced as [rː].
ṛn could be pronounced as [n], [ɳ] or [ɽ̃].
ś could be pronounced as [ʃ] or [ɕ].
v could be pronounced as [v], [ʋ] or [w].
x is pronounced as [x] in Urdu, but sometimes as [kʰ] in Hindi.

Roman Rekhta Vowels

Notes

a could be pronounced as [aː] or [ɑː].
e could be pronounced as [ɛː], [æː], or from [əɪ] to [ɑɪ].
In word final position, i is pronounced as [i], otherwise [ɪ].
In word final position, ö is pronounced as [u], otherwise [ʊ].
In combination -yhy-, y is pronounced as [ɛ], otherwise it is pronounced as [ə].
If a word ends at yh, then it could be pronounced as [əɦ], [ə] or [a].
yö could be pronounced as [ɔː], or from [əu] to [ɑu].

Sample text in Hindi

Sybhî mynöśjõ ko györyv yör ydhikarõ kê mö'amlê mę̂ cynmcat svytyntryta yör symanta prapt he. Önhę̂ böddhi yör yntyratma kî dên prapt he, yör pyryspyr önhę̂ bhaî-ćarê kê bhav sê byrtav kyrna ćahijê.

Original text

सभी मनुष्यों को गौरव और अधिकारों के मामले में जन्मजात स्वतंत्रता और समानता प्राप्त है। उन्हें बुद्धि और अंतरात्मा की देन प्राप्त है, और परस्पर उन्हें भाईचारे के भाव से बर्ताव करना चाहिये।

Sample text in Urdu

Tymam insan azad yör höquq-o-'izzyt kê i'tibar sê byrabyr peda höê hẽ. Önhę̂ 'yql yör zymîr vydî'yt höî he. isliê önhę̂ êk dusrê kê sath bhaî-ćarê ka söluk kyrna ćahijê.

Original text

تمام انسان آزاد اور حقوق و عزت کے اعتبار سے برابر پیدا ہۓ ہیں۔ اُنھیں عقل اور ضمیر ودیعت ہئ ہے، اسلیے اُنھیں ایک دوسرے کے ساتھ بھائی چارے کا سلوک کرنا چاہیے۔

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

More information about Roman Rekhta (PDF)

Adapated scripts by Mohammad Shakeb Baig
Arabic Greek, Greek Arabic, Latin Arabic, Roman Rekhta

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