I (Indic)
I is a vowel of Indic abugidas. In modern Indic scripts, I is derived from the early "Ashoka" Brahmi letter after having gone through the Gupta letter . As an Indic vowel, "I" comes in two normally distinct forms: 1) as an independent letter, and 2) as a vowel sign for modifying a base consonant. Bare consonants without a modifying vowel sign have the inherent "A" vowel.
I | |
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Example glyphs | |
Bengali-Assamese | |
Tibetan | |
Tamil | |
Thai | ิ |
Malayalam | ഇ |
Sinhala | ඉ |
Ashoka Brahmi | |
Devanagari | |
Cognates | |
Hebrew | ע |
Greek | Ο, Ω |
Latin | O |
Cyrillic | О, Ѡ, Ѿ, Ꙋ, Ю |
Properties | |
Phonemic representation | /i/ /ɪ/ |
IAST transliteration | i I |
ISCII code point | A6 (166) |
Indic letters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Consonants | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vowels | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Other marks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Punctuation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Āryabhaṭa numeration
Aryabhata used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to the Greek numerals, even after the invention of Indian numerals. The "I" sign was used to modify a consonant's value ×102, but the independent vowel letter did not have an inherent value by itself.[1]
Historic I
There are three different general early historic scripts - Brahmi and its variants, Kharoṣṭhī, and Tocharian, the so-called slanting Brahmi. I as found in standard Brahmi, was a simple geometric shape, with variations toward more flowing forms by the Gupta . Like all Brahmic scripts, Tocharian I has an accompanying vowel mark for modifying a base consonant. In Kharoṣṭhī, the only independent vowel letter is for the inherent A. All other independent vowels, including I are indicated with vowel marks added to the letter A.
Brahmi I
The Brahmi letter , I, is probably derived from the altered Aramaic Ayin , and is thus related to the modern Latin O and Greek Omicron.[2] Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi I 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.
Ashoka (3rd-1st c. BCE) | Girnar (~150 BCE) | Kushana (~150-250 CE) | Gujarat (~250 CE) | Gupta (~350 CE) |
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Tocharian I
The Tocharian letter is derived from the Brahmi . Unlike some of the consonants, Tocharian vowels do not have a Fremdzeichen form.
Ki | Khi | Gi | Ghi | Ci | Chi | Ji | Jhi | Nyi | Ṭi | Ṭhi | Ḍi | Ḍhi | Ṇi |
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Ti | Thi | Di | Dhi | Ni | Pi | Phi | Bi | Bhi | Mi | Yi | Ri | Li | Vi |
Śi | Ṣi | Si | Hi | ||||||||||
Kharoṣṭhī I
The Kharoṣṭhī letter I is indicated with the vowel mark . As an independent vowel, I is indicated by adding the vowel marks to the independent vowel letter A .
Devanagari I
I (इ) is a vowel 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 ઇ, and the Modi letter 𑘂.
Devanagari Using Languages
The Devanagari script is used to write the Hindi language, Sanskrit and the majority of Indo-Aryan languages. In most of these languages, इ is pronounced as [i]. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari vowels come in two forms: an independent vowel form for syllables that begin with a vowel sound, and a vowel sign attached to base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel.
Bengali I
I (ই) is a vowel of the Bengali abugida. It is derived from the Siddhaṃ letter , and is marked by a similar horizontal head line, but less geometric shape, than its Devanagari counterpart, इ.
Bengali Script Using Languages
The Bengali script is used to write several languages of eastern India, notably the Bengali language and Assamese. In most languages, ই is pronounced as [i]. Like all Indic scripts, Bengali vowels come in two forms: an independent vowel form for syllables that begin with a vowel sound, and a vowel sign attached to base consonant to override the inherent /ɔ/ vowel.
Gujarati I
I (ઇ) is a vowel of the Gujarati abugida. It is derived from the Devanagari I , and ultimately the Brahmi letter .
Gujarati-using Languages
The Gujarati script is used to write the Gujarati and Kutchi languages. In both languages, ઇ is pronounced as [i]. Like all Indic scripts, Gujarati vowels come in two forms: an independent vowel form for syllables that begin with a vowel sound, and a vowel sign attached to base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel.
Telugu I
I (ఇ) is a vowel of the Telugu abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter . It is closely related to the Kannada letter ಇ. Like in other Indic scripts, Telugu vowels have two forms: and independent letter for word and syllable-initial vowel sounds, and a vowel sign for changing the inherent "a" of Telugu consonant letters. Vowel signs in Telugu can interact with a base consonant in one of three ways: 1) the vowel sign touches or sits adjacent to the base consonant without modifying the shape of either 2) the vowel sign sits directly above the consonant, replacing its v-shaped headline, 3) the vowel sign and consonant interact, forming a ligature.
Malayalam I
I (ഇ) is a vowel of the Malayalam abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , via the Grantha letter i. Like in other Indic scripts, Malayalam vowels have two forms: an independent letter for word and syllable-initial vowel sounds, and a vowel sign for changing the inherent "a" of consonant letters. Vowel signs in Malayalam usually sit adjacent to its base consonant - below, to the left, right, or both left and right, but are always pronounced after the consonant sound.
Odia I
I (ଇ) is a vowel of the Odia abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , via the Siddhaṃ letter i. Like in other Indic scripts, Odia vowels have two forms: an independent letter for word and syllable-initial vowel sounds, and a vowel sign for changing the inherent "a" of consonant letters. Vowel signs in Odia usually sit adjacent to its base consonant - below, to the left, right, or both left and right, but are always pronounced after the consonant sound. No base consonants are altered in form when adding a vowel sign, and there are no consonant+vowel ligatures in Odia. Unlike other vowels, ଇ has an alternate subjoined matra form used on letters with an open top - ଖ (Kha), ଥ (Tha) and ଧ (Dha).
Kaithi I
I (𑂅) is a vowel of the Kaithi abugida. It ultimately arose from the Brahmi letter , via the Siddhaṃ letter I. Like in other Indic scripts, Kaithi vowels have two forms: an independent letter for word and syllable-initial vowel sounds, and a vowel sign for changing the inherent "a" of consonant letters. Vowel signs in Kaithi usually sit adjacent to its base consonant - below, to the left, right, or both left and right, but are always pronounced after the consonant sound. No base consonants are altered in form when adding a vowel sign, and there are no consonant+vowel ligatures in Kaithi.
Comparison of I
The various Indic scripts are generally related to each other through adaptation and borrowing, and as such the glyphs for cognate letters, including I, are related as well.
Comparison of I in different scripts |
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Notes
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Character encodings of I
Most Indic scripts are encoded in the Unicode Standard, and as such the letter I in those scripts can be represented in plain text with unique codepoint. I from several modern-use scripts can also be found in legacy encodings, such as ISCII.
Preview | ఇ | ଇ | ಇ | ഇ | ઇ | ਇ | ||||||||||||
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Unicode name | DEVANAGARI LETTER I | BENGALI LETTER I | TAMIL LETTER I | TELUGU LETTER I | ORIYA LETTER I | KANNADA LETTER I | MALAYALAM LETTER I | GUJARATI LETTER I | GURMUKHI LETTER I | |||||||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 2311 | U+0907 | 2439 | U+0987 | 2951 | U+0B87 | 3079 | U+0C07 | 2823 | U+0B07 | 3207 | U+0C87 | 3335 | U+0D07 | 2695 | U+0A87 | 2567 | U+0A07 |
UTF-8 | 224 164 135 | E0 A4 87 | 224 166 135 | E0 A6 87 | 224 174 135 | E0 AE 87 | 224 176 135 | E0 B0 87 | 224 172 135 | E0 AC 87 | 224 178 135 | E0 B2 87 | 224 180 135 | E0 B4 87 | 224 170 135 | E0 AA 87 | 224 168 135 | E0 A8 87 |
Numeric character reference | इ | इ | ই | ই | இ | இ | ఇ | ఇ | ଇ | ଇ | ಇ | ಇ | ഇ | ഇ | ઇ | ઇ | ਇ | ਇ |
ISCII | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 | 166 | A6 |
Preview | Ashoka Kushana Gupta | 𑌇 | ||||
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Unicode name | BRAHMI LETTER I | SIDDHAM LETTER I | GRANTHA LETTER I | |||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 69639 | U+11007 | 71042 | U+11582 | 70407 | U+11307 |
UTF-8 | 240 145 128 135 | F0 91 80 87 | 240 145 150 130 | F0 91 96 82 | 240 145 140 135 | F0 91 8C 87 |
UTF-16 | 55300 56327 | D804 DC07 | 55301 56706 | D805 DD82 | 55300 57095 | D804 DF07 |
Numeric character reference | 𑀇 | 𑀇 | 𑖂 | 𑖂 | 𑌇 | 𑌇 |
Preview | ꡞ | 𑐂 | 𑰂 | 𑆅 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | PHAGS-PA LETTER I | NEWA LETTER I | BHAIKSUKI LETTER I | SHARADA LETTER I | ||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 43102 | U+A85E | 70658 | U+11402 | 72706 | U+11C02 | 70021 | U+11185 |
UTF-8 | 234 161 158 | EA A1 9E | 240 145 144 130 | F0 91 90 82 | 240 145 176 130 | F0 91 B0 82 | 240 145 134 133 | F0 91 86 85 |
UTF-16 | 43102 | A85E | 55301 56322 | D805 DC02 | 55303 56322 | D807 DC02 | 55300 56709 | D804 DD85 |
Numeric character reference | ꡞ | ꡞ | 𑐂 | 𑐂 | 𑰂 | 𑰂 | 𑆅 | 𑆅 |
Preview | ဣ | ᩍ | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | MYANMAR LETTER I | TAI THAM LETTER I | ||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 4131 | U+1023 | 6733 | U+1A4D |
UTF-8 | 225 128 163 | E1 80 A3 | 225 169 141 | E1 A9 8D |
Numeric character reference | ဣ | ဣ | ᩍ | ᩍ |
Preview | ឥ | ิ | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | KHMER INDEPENDENT VOWEL QI | THAI CHARACTER SARA I | ||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 6053 | U+17A5 | 3636 | U+0E34 |
UTF-8 | 225 158 165 | E1 9E A5 | 224 184 180 | E0 B8 B4 |
Numeric character reference | ឥ | ឥ | ิ | ิ |
Preview | ඉ | ꤤ | 𑄄 | ᥤ | 𑤂 | ꢄ | ꨁ | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | SINHALA LETTER IYANNA | KAYAH LI LETTER I | CHAKMA LETTER I | TAI LE LETTER I | DIVES AKURU LETTER I | SAURASHTRA LETTER I | CHAM LETTER I | |||||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 3465 | U+0D89 | 43300 | U+A924 | 69892 | U+11104 | 6500 | U+1964 | 71938 | U+11902 | 43140 | U+A884 | 43521 | U+AA01 |
UTF-8 | 224 182 137 | E0 B6 89 | 234 164 164 | EA A4 A4 | 240 145 132 132 | F0 91 84 84 | 225 165 164 | E1 A5 A4 | 240 145 164 130 | F0 91 A4 82 | 234 162 132 | EA A2 84 | 234 168 129 | EA A8 81 |
UTF-16 | 3465 | 0D89 | 43300 | A924 | 55300 56580 | D804 DD04 | 6500 | 1964 | 55302 56578 | D806 DD02 | 43140 | A884 | 43521 | AA01 |
Numeric character reference | ඉ | ඉ | ꤤ | ꤤ | 𑄄 | 𑄄 | ᥤ | ᥤ | 𑤂 | 𑤂 | ꢄ | ꢄ | ꨁ | ꨁ |
Preview | 𑘂 | 𑦢 | ꠁ | 𑵢 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | MODI LETTER I | NANDINAGARI LETTER I | SYLOTI NAGRI LETTER I | GUNJALA GONDI LETTER I | KAITHI LETTER I | |||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 71170 | U+11602 | 72098 | U+119A2 | 43009 | U+A801 | 73058 | U+11D62 | 69765 | U+11085 |
UTF-8 | 240 145 152 130 | F0 91 98 82 | 240 145 166 162 | F0 91 A6 A2 | 234 160 129 | EA A0 81 | 240 145 181 162 | F0 91 B5 A2 | 240 145 130 133 | F0 91 82 85 |
UTF-16 | 55301 56834 | D805 DE02 | 55302 56738 | D806 DDA2 | 43009 | A801 | 55303 56674 | D807 DD62 | 55300 56453 | D804 DC85 |
Numeric character reference | 𑘂 | 𑘂 | 𑦢 | 𑦢 | ꠁ | ꠁ | 𑵢 | 𑵢 | 𑂅 | 𑂅 |
Preview | 𑒃 | |
---|---|---|
Unicode name | TIRHUTA LETTER I | |
Encodings | decimal | hex |
Unicode | 70787 | U+11483 |
UTF-8 | 240 145 146 131 | F0 91 92 83 |
UTF-16 | 55301 56451 | D805 DC83 |
Numeric character reference | 𑒃 | 𑒃 |
Preview | 𑚂 | 𑠂 | 𑈂 | 𑊲 | 𑅑 | 𑊁 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | TAKRI LETTER I | DOGRA LETTER I | KHOJKI LETTER I | KHUDAWADI LETTER I | MAHAJANI LETTER I | MULTANI LETTER I | ||||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 71298 | U+11682 | 71682 | U+11802 | 70146 | U+11202 | 70322 | U+112B2 | 69969 | U+11151 | 70273 | U+11281 |
UTF-8 | 240 145 154 130 | F0 91 9A 82 | 240 145 160 130 | F0 91 A0 82 | 240 145 136 130 | F0 91 88 82 | 240 145 138 178 | F0 91 8A B2 | 240 145 133 145 | F0 91 85 91 | 240 145 138 129 | F0 91 8A 81 |
UTF-16 | 55301 56962 | D805 DE82 | 55302 56322 | D806 DC02 | 55300 56834 | D804 DE02 | 55300 57010 | D804 DEB2 | 55300 56657 | D804 DD51 | 55300 56961 | D804 DE81 |
Numeric character reference | 𑚂 | 𑚂 | 𑠂 | 𑠂 | 𑈂 | 𑈂 | 𑊲 | 𑊲 | 𑅑 | 𑅑 | 𑊁 | 𑊁 |
Preview | ᬇ | ᯤ | ꦆ | ᮄ | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | BALINESE LETTER IKARA | BATAK LETTER I | JAVANESE LETTER I | SUNDANESE LETTER I | ||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 6919 | U+1B07 | 7140 | U+1BE4 | 43398 | U+A986 | 7044 | U+1B84 |
UTF-8 | 225 172 135 | E1 AC 87 | 225 175 164 | E1 AF A4 | 234 166 134 | EA A6 86 | 225 174 132 | E1 AE 84 |
Numeric character reference | ᬇ | ᬇ | ᯤ | ᯤ | ꦆ | ꦆ | ᮄ | ᮄ |
Preview | ᜁ | ᝡ | ᝁ | ᜡ | 𑴂 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | TAGALOG LETTER I | TAGBANWA LETTER I | BUHID LETTER I | HANUNOO LETTER I | MASARAM GONDI LETTER I | |||||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 5889 | U+1701 | 5985 | U+1761 | 5953 | U+1741 | 5921 | U+1721 | 72962 | U+11D02 |
UTF-8 | 225 156 129 | E1 9C 81 | 225 157 161 | E1 9D A1 | 225 157 129 | E1 9D 81 | 225 156 161 | E1 9C A1 | 240 145 180 130 | F0 91 B4 82 |
UTF-16 | 5889 | 1701 | 5985 | 1761 | 5953 | 1741 | 5921 | 1721 | 55303 56578 | D807 DD02 |
Numeric character reference | ᜁ | ᜁ | ᝡ | ᝡ | ᝁ | ᝁ | ᜡ | ᜡ | 𑴂 | 𑴂 |
References
- 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.
- Bühler, Georg (1898). "On the Origin of the Indian Brahmi Alphabet". archive.org. Karl J. Trübner. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- Evolutionary chart, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 7, 1838