Batak Script
Batak Script
Batak script
Surat Batak
Type
Abugida
Languages
Batak languages
Time period
c. 1300present
Parent systems Origins of Brahmi script unclear. On Aramaic origin hypothesis: Proto-Sinaitic alphabet
Phoenician alphabet
Aramaic alphabet
Brhm
Detailed descent of Batak script from Brahmi unclear. Hypotheses of Kawi origin or direct descent through Pallava:
Pallava
Old Kawi
Surat Batak
Sister systems
Direct family relationships unclear. Sister scripts on hypothesis of common Kawi origin: Balinese
Baybayin
Kulitan
Buhid
Hanun'o
Javanese
Lontara
Old Sundanese
Rencong
Rejang
Tagbanwa
ISO 15924
Batk, 365
Direction
Left-to-right
Unicode alias
Batak
The Batak script, natively known as surat Batak, surat na sampulu sia (the nineteen letters), or si-sia-sia, is an
abugida used to write the Austronesian Batak languages spoken by several million people on the Indonesian island of
Sumatra. The script may derived from the Kawi and Pallava script, ultimately derived from the Brahmi script of
India, or from the hypothetical Proto-Sumatran script influenced by Pallava.
History
In most Batak communities, only the priests, or datu were able to use the Batak script, and used it mainly for magical
texts and calendars. After the arrival of Europeans in the Batak lands, first German missionaries and, from 1878
onwards, the Dutch, the Batak script was, alongside the Roman script, taught in the schools, and teaching and
religious materials were printed in the Batak script. Soon after the first World War the missionaries decided to
discontinue printing books in the Batak script.Wikipedia:Citation needed The script soon fell out of use and is now
only used for ornamental purposes.
Batak script
Origin
The Batak script was probably derived from Pallava and Old Kawi alphabets, which ultimately were derived from
the Brahmi alphabet, the root of almost all the Indic and Southeast Asian abugidas.
Structure
Batak is written from up to down within one line, and left to right for lines. Like most abugidas, each consonant has
an inherent vowel of /a/, unless there is a diacritic (in Toba Batak called pangolat) to indicate the lack of a vowel.
Other vowels, final , and final velar fricative [x] are indicated by diacritics, which appear above, below, or after the
letter. For example, ba is written ba (one letter); bi is written ba.i (i follows the consonant); bang is written ba ( is
above the consonant); and bing is ba.i. Final consonants are written with the pangolat (here represented by "#"):
bam is ba.ma.#. However, bim is written ba.ma.i.#: the first diacritic belongs to the first consonant, and the second
belongs to the second consonant, but both are written at the end of the entire syllable. Unlike most Brahmi-based
scripts, Batak does not form consonant conjuncts.
Letters
Letters are called sia. Each consonant has an inherent vowel of /a/. The script varies by region and language. The
major variants are between Karo, Mandailing, Pakpak/Dairi, Simalungun/Timur, and Toba:
Sia (Letters)
IPA
a ha ka ba pa na wa ga da da ra ma ta
Transcription a ha ka ba pa na wa ga
Karo
ja
sa ja a la a
da ra ma ta
ta nda mba i
Mandailing
Pakpak
Toba
Simalungun
Alternate forms:
^1
(used in Mandailing) ^2
^3
^4
^5
^6
Diacritics
Diacritics are used to change the pronunciation of a letter. They can change the vowel from the inherent /a/, mark a
final [velar nasal] //, mark a final velar fricative /x/, or indicate a final consonant with no vowel:
Batak script
Latin
Trans.
Batak Diacritics
Karo Mand. Pakp. Sima. Toba
-a
Latin
Trans.
ka
-e
ke
-i
ki
-o
ko
-ou
kou
-u
ku
-ng
kang
-h
kah
Ligatures with U
The diacritic for U used by Mandailing, Pakpak, Simalungun, and Toba can form ligatures with its base letter:
Batak Script
Description
a + -u = u
a + -u = u (Simalungun)
ha + -u = hu (Mandailing)
ha + -u = hu (Simalungun)
ha + -u = hu
ka + -u = ku (Mandailing)
ba + -u = bu
pa + -u = pu (Mandailing)
pa + -u = pu (Pakpak, Toba)
pa + -u = pu (Simalungun)
na + -u = nu
na + -u = nu (Mandailing)
Batak script
4
+
wa + -u = wu (Mandailing, Toba)
wa + -u = wu (Pakpak, Toba)
wa + -u = wu (Simalungun)
ga + -u = gu
ga + -u = gu (Simalungun)
ja + -u = ju
Batak Script
Description
da + -u = du
ra + -u = ru
ra + -u = ru (Simalungun)
ma + -u = mu
ma + -u = mu (Simalungun)
ta + -u = tu
ta + -u = tu
sa + -u = su (Pakpak)
sa + -u = su (Mandailing)
sa + -u = su (Mandailing)
sa + -u = su (Simalungun)
ya + -u = yu
ya + -u = yu (Simalungun)
nga + -u = ngu
la + -u = lu
la + -u = lu (Simalungun)
nya + -u = nyu
ca + -u = cu (Mandailing)
Batak script
Tompi
In Mandailing, the diacritic tompi can be used to change the sound of some letters:
ha
+ tompi =
ka
sa
+ tompi =
ca
) and H (
pong,
) are usually written above spacing vowel diacritics instead of above the
peh, and
pih.
+ vowel +
pa
+
ta
+
+
ta
+
+
ta
pa
pa
pa
pangolat
pangolat
tep
tep
=
pangolat
tip
=
pangolat
+
pa
tap
+
pa
=
=
+
u
pangolat
+
ta
syllable
+
ta
pa
+
ta
+
e
+ pangolat =
top
=
pangolat
tup
Batak script
Name
Function
Bindu panarboras (rice-shaped bindu) Variant of bindu na metek, serves same function
Bindu pangolat
Trailing punctuation
Unicode
Batak script was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2010 with the release of version 6.0.
Block
Main article: Batak (Unicode block)
The Unicode block for Batak is U+1BC0 ... U+1BFF. Grey areas in the chart below indicate non-assigned code
points:
Batak[1]
Unicode.org chart [1] (PDF)
U+1BCx
U+1BDx
U+1BEx
U+1BFx
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 6.3
Batak script
Rendering
Unicode fonts for Batak must handle several requirements to properly render text:
Rendering Requirements
Examples
Latin Trans.
ke
ke (Mand.)
ping
reng
Ligatures with U
hu (Mand.)
hu (Sima.)
gu
lu
tip
Image
Unicode Text
Gallery
Bamboo inscribed
with Simalungun
Batak script (National
Museum of Ethnology
in Leiden,
Netherlands)
Batak script
Resources
[1] http:/ / www. unicode. org/ charts/ PDF/ U1BC0. pdf
Sources
Kozok (http://www.ulikozok.com), Uli (January 2009). Surat Batak: Sejarah Perkembangan Tulisan Batak :
Berikut Pedoman Menulis Aksara Batak Dan Cap Si Singamangaraja XII (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Gramedia.
ISBN979-9101-53-0.
Everson, Michael; Kozok (http://www.ulikozok.com), Uli (7 October 2008), N3320R: Proposal for encoding
the Batak script in the UCS (http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/docs/n3320.pdf)
Kozok (http://www.ulikozok.com), Uli. [[Category:All articles with dead external links (http://www.hawaii.
edu/indolang/surat/kursus.html)]Wikipedia:Link rot "Kursus Kilat Aksara Batak (Quick Course in Batak
Script)"] (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 April 2011.
External links
Entry on Batak (http://www.omniglot.com/writing/batak.htm) at Omniglot.com A guide to writing systems
(http://www.omniglot.com/writing/)
Transtoba2 (http://transtoba2.seige.net) Roman to Toba Batak script transliteration software by Uli Kozok
and Leander Seige (GNU GPL)
Uli Kozok's Batak Script website (http://ulikozok.com/aksara-batak/batak-font/) with free Batak fonts.
http://unicode-table.com/en/sections/batak/
10
11
File:Batak syllable ping.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_ping.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable pong.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_pong.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable peh.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_peh.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable pih.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_pih.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable tap.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_tap.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable tep-2.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_tep-2.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable tep-1.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_tep-1.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable tip.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_tip.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable top.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_top.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable tup.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_tup.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak bindu na metek-1.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_bindu_na_metek-1.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak bindu na metek-2.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_bindu_na_metek-2.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak bindu pinarboras.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_bindu_pinarboras.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak bindu judul.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_bindu_judul.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Batak bindu pangolat.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_bindu_pangolat.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:
Drmccreedy
File:Batak syllable reng.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Batak_syllable_reng.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Drmccreedy
File:Paper_Museum_in_Atlanta_010.JPG Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Paper_Museum_in_Atlanta_010.JPG License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Contributors: User:Piotrus
File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Bamboe_tabaks-_en_wichelkoker_met_Bataks_schrift_TMnr_512-4.jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Bamboe_tabaks-_en_wichelkoker_met_Bataks_schrift_TMnr_512-4.jpg License: unknown Contributors:
Alteaven
File:Bamboo with Batak script.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bamboo_with_Batak_script.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0
Contributors: Martijn
File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Wichelboekje_van_palmblad_TMnr_5991-6.jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Wichelboekje_van_palmblad_TMnr_5991-6.jpg License: unknown Contributors: Alteaven
File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Wichelboek_met_formules_recepten_en_voorschriften_die_worden_toegepast_door_de_priester-genezer_TMnr_1581-1.jpg Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Wichelboek_met_formules_recepten_en_voorschriften_die_worden_toegepast_door_de_priester-genezer_TMnr_1581-1.jpg
License: unknown Contributors: Alteaven
File:Book_of_Wizards_Batak_Indonesia.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Book_of_Wizards_Batak_Indonesia.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Tribe
Toba Batak, Sumatra, Indonesia
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
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