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Since no one has asked, here is a thread on writing words from Indian languages in English (transliteration).
The idea is the get the pronunciation correct. When you write Rama do you mean Raama, Raamaa, or Ramaa? Is swachh correct or svacch (why do we have this "w" fetish?)?
The idea is the get the pronunciation correct. When you write Rama do you mean Raama, Raamaa, or Ramaa? Is swachh correct or svacch (why do we have this "w" fetish?)?
There's no single standard for transliteration.
A simple one is ITRANS. It does not use accented letters which are difficult to type (even with a keyboard app).
ट्विट्टर becomes TviTTar and संस्कृतम् becomes sa.nskRRitam.
A similar (and much older) scheme is Harvard-Kyoto.
A simple one is ITRANS. It does not use accented letters which are difficult to type (even with a keyboard app).
ट्विट्टर becomes TviTTar and संस्कृतम् becomes sa.nskRRitam.
A similar (and much older) scheme is Harvard-Kyoto.
While they are easy to write, I find them less readable. Also, the use of upper case letters to denote a different sound causes confusion, especially when used with English words.
Sa.nskRRitam, for example, would be the unintended शंस्कृतम्.
It's still widely used, though.
Sa.nskRRitam, for example, would be the unintended शंस्कृतम्.
It's still widely used, though.
The Hunterian system is apparently "the national system for romanization in India". It would be aṭṭar bullśiṭ if true.
In its original form it doesn't distinguish some similar sounds such as त and ट, and so has been modified over time.
स्वच्छ, for example, becomes svachchh.
In its original form it doesn't distinguish some similar sounds such as त and ट, and so has been modified over time.
स्वच्छ, for example, becomes svachchh.
IAST is an old standard too, very widely used, and unlike ITRANS and Hunterian, uses accented letters, which means no confusion when using upper/lower case letters.
The Hindi vowels, for example, would be:
a ā i ī u ū ṛ e ai o au aṃ aḥ.
रामः would be Rāmaḥ (or rāmaḥ).
The Hindi vowels, for example, would be:
a ā i ī u ū ṛ e ai o au aṃ aḥ.
रामः would be Rāmaḥ (or rāmaḥ).
The consonants would be (as in Hindi):
k kh g gh ṅ
c ch j jh ñ
ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ
t th d dh n
p ph b bh m
y r l v
s ś ṣ h
कृष्ण becomes Kṛṣṇa, and स्वच्छ is svacch.
One problem: since we have a habit of using ch for च, words like calō (चलो) and cōḻā (சோழா) seem strange.
k kh g gh ṅ
c ch j jh ñ
ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ
t th d dh n
p ph b bh m
y r l v
s ś ṣ h
कृष्ण becomes Kṛṣṇa, and स्वच्छ is svacch.
One problem: since we have a habit of using ch for च, words like calō (चलो) and cōḻā (சோழா) seem strange.
The relatively latest one is ISO 15919.
It's very similar to IAST but is more comprehensive in representing all Indian languages (IAST started out for Saṁskṛt but was extended later to other languages).
It differs in representations for ऋ (r̥), अं (ṁ) and some short vowels.
It's very similar to IAST but is more comprehensive in representing all Indian languages (IAST started out for Saṁskṛt but was extended later to other languages).
It differs in representations for ऋ (r̥), अं (ṁ) and some short vowels.
In Tamiḻ there's a short 'e' (எ, like 'e' in pen) and long 'e' (ஏ, like 'a' in pane).
IAST doesn't differentiate the two but ISO 15919 does, representing them as e and ē respectively.
In Hindi, Gujarati etc. e or ē doesn't matter (that's why 'pet' becomes 'pate' for Gujjus).
IAST doesn't differentiate the two but ISO 15919 does, representing them as e and ē respectively.
In Hindi, Gujarati etc. e or ē doesn't matter (that's why 'pet' becomes 'pate' for Gujjus).
Similarly, there's a short 'o' (பொட்டு/poṭṭu) and a long 'o' (போட்டு/pōṭṭu).
The two short vowel sounds seem unique to languages in the South, and are sometimes represented in Hindi as ऎ and ऒ.
In that sense, ISO 15919 is a superset of IAST, although IAST is more popular.
The two short vowel sounds seem unique to languages in the South, and are sometimes represented in Hindi as ऎ and ऒ.
In that sense, ISO 15919 is a superset of IAST, although IAST is more popular.
Finally, a word on actually writing in these schemes. If you are using a physical keyboard, tough luck. Use character maps or save the accented letters in a file for reuse.
There are many online transliteration tools available to output text in IAST, ISO 15919 and other schemes.
There are many online transliteration tools available to output text in IAST, ISO 15919 and other schemes.
If you are using a smartphone, the standard keyboard apps don't support all IAST/ISO 15919 diacritics. The common ones such as ā, ī, and ū should be available, though.
I use the IPA keyboard app which pretty much outputs any letter/diacritic combination. It's cumbersome, though.
I use the IPA keyboard app which pretty much outputs any letter/diacritic combination. It's cumbersome, though.
An easier way is to use one of those "task shortcuts" app where you can map a sequence of characters to a single character. You can map, say, "sss" to automatically give you "ś".
I use an app called Texpand which does this quite well (limited to 10 mappings in the free version).
I use an app called Texpand which does this quite well (limited to 10 mappings in the free version).
If you know a better keyboard app, or a better method, to input in IAST, ISO 15919, or a similar scheme, do share and let the world know.
In any case, it would be better if we all start using a proper transliteration so that we can avoid wrong and confusing pronunciation.
In any case, it would be better if we all start using a proper transliteration so that we can avoid wrong and confusing pronunciation.
The biggest issue I had with Amar Chitra Katha was that I had no clue how to pronounce the names.
I still mentally pronounce Jabala as Jabalā instead of Jābāla, and we have the common confusion between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇā, Rāma and Ramā, etc.
Happy trānsliṭarēṭiṅg. Finiś./
I still mentally pronounce Jabala as Jabalā instead of Jābāla, and we have the common confusion between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇā, Rāma and Ramā, etc.
Happy trānsliṭarēṭiṅg. Finiś./
If you use a laptop/desktop or an equivalent from the fruit company, here are two good sites.
Provides online keyboards, including one for just diacritics.
https://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/sanskrit_latin.htm
Transliterates from one language to another (including ISO 15919).
http://kolichala.com/indic2indic/
Provides online keyboards, including one for just diacritics.
https://www.lexilogos.com/keyboard/sanskrit_latin.htm
Transliterates from one language to another (including ISO 15919).
http://kolichala.com/indic2indic/
