The Newa script is an abugida or syllabic alphabet used mainly to write Newar (Nepāl Bhāṣā), a Sino-Tibetan language spoken mainly in Nepal. It is also used to write Sanskrit, Pali, Nepali, Hindi, Bengali and Maithili. It developed from the Brahmi script of ancient India. The name prac(h)alit means 'popular'. Other names for this script include Pracalit, Prachalit Nepal, Nepalakshar, Newah Akhah and Pachumol.
The Newa script was quite widely used in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal until 1769. Since then its use has declined. There are two varities of Newa: flat-headed and curve-headed, and it is closely related to Devanagari.
In Newar various classfiers are attached to numbers depending on what is being counted. The numbers above have the classifier for objects (gu). Other classifiers include: mha for living beings, nhu for days and kha for time [more information].
Download an alphabet chart for Newa (Excel)
How to write and pronounce the Newa script:
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)
Details provided by Biswajit Mandal (biswajitmandal[dot]bm90[at]gmail[dot]com)
Information about the Newa script
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pracalit_script
https://scriptsource.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=entry_detail&uid=hn24jnzrqe
https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2009/09325-n3692-nepal-scripts.pdf
http://std.dkuug.dk/JTC1/SC2/WG2/docs/n4038.pdf
Ahom, Aima, Arleng, Badagu, Badlit, Basahan, Balinese, Balti-A, Balti-B, Batak, Baybayin, Bengali, Bhaiksuki, Bhujimol, Bilang-bilang, Bima, Blackfoot, Brahmi, Buhid, Burmese, Carrier, Chakma, Cham, Cree, Dehong Dai, Devanagari, Dham Lipi, Dhankari / Sirmauri, Ditema, Dives Akuru, Dogra, Ethiopic, Evēla Akuru, Fox, Fraser, Gond, Goykanadi, Grantha, Gujarati, Gunjala Gondi, Gupta, Gurmukhi, Halbi Lipi, Hanifi, Hanuno'o, Hočąk, Ibalnan, Incung, Inuktitut, Jaunsari Takri, Javanese, Kaithi, Kadamba, Kamarupi, Kannada, Kawi, Kharosthi, Khema, Khe Prih, Khmer, Khojki, Khudabadi, Kirat Rai, Kōchi, Komering, Kulitan, Kurukh Banna, Lampung, Lanna, Lao, Lepcha, Limbu, Lontara/Makasar, Lota Ende, Magar Akkha, Mahajani, Malayalam, Meitei (Modern), Manpuri (Old), Marchen, Meetei Yelhou Mayek, Meroïtic, Masarm Gondi, Modi, Mon, Mongolian Horizontal Square Script, Multani, Nandinagari, Newa, New Tai Lue, Ojibwe, Odia, Ogan, Pahawh Hmong, Pallava, Phags-pa, Purva Licchavi, Qiang / Rma, Ranjana, Rejang (Kaganga), Sasak, Savara, Satera Jontal, Shan, Sharda, Siddham, Sinhala, Sorang Sompeng, Sourashtra, Soyombo, Sukhothai, Sundanese, Syloti Nagri, Tagbanwa, Takri, Tamil, Tanchangya (Ka-Pat), Tani, Thaana, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tigalari, Tikamuli, Tocharian, Tolong Siki, Vatteluttu, Warang Citi
Page last modified: 16.03.23
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