Ka (Indic)

Aryabhata used Devanāgarī letters for numbers, very similar to the Greek numerals, even after the invention of Indian numerals. The values of the different forms of क are:[1]

• क [kə] = 1 (१)
• कि [kɪ] = 100 (१००)
• कु [kʊ] = 10,000 (१० ०००)
• कृ [kri] = 1,000,000 (१० ०० ०००)
• कॢ [klə] = 1×10⁸ (१०^८)
• के [ke] = 1×10¹⁰ (१०^१०)
• कै [kɛː] = 1×10¹² (१०^१२)
• को [koː] = 1×10¹⁴ (१०^१४)
• कौ [kɔː] = 1×10¹⁶ (१०^१६)

The Brahmi letter , ka, is probably derived from the Aramaic Kaph, and is thus related to the modern Latin K and Greek Kappa. Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Ka can be found, most associated with a specific set of inscriptions from an artifact or diverse records from an historic period.[2] 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.

Brahmi Ka historic forms

Ashoka (3rd-1st c. BCE)	Girnar (~150 BCE)	Kushana (~150-250 CE)	Gujarat (~250 CE)	Gupta (~350 CE)

Ashoka Brahmi Ka with vowel marks

K	Ka	Kā	Ki	Kī	Ku	Kū	Kr	Kr̄	Kl	Kl̄	Ke	Kai	Ko	Kau

The Tocharian letteris derived from the Brahmi , and has an alternate Fremdzeichen formused in conjuncts and as an alternate representation of Kä.

Tocharian Ka with vowel marks

Ka	Kā	Ki	Kī	Ku	Kū	Kr	Kr̄	Ke	Kai	Ko	Kau	Kä	Fremdzeichen

The Kharoshthi letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Kaph, and is thus related to K and Kappa, in addition to the Brahmi ka.

In all languages, क is pronounced as [kə] or [k] when appropriate.

• नकली = nakali [nəkəliː] "fake"

In this example, क implements its inherent vowel, the schwa.

• बकवास = bakvās [bəkʋaːs] "nonsense"

In this example, क deletes the inherent schwa for correct pronunciation. Certain words that have been borrowed from Persian and Arabic implement the nukta to more properly approximate the original word. It is then transliterated as a q.

• क़दम = qadam [qəd̪əm] "footstep"

Like other Devnagari consonants, the inherent vowel of क can be altered by the addition of vowel marks, called "matras". In addition, several other diacritics can be used to alter the base consonant or append sounds to the syllable.

Half form of Ka.

Devanagari exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts. In modern Devanagari texts, most conjuncts are formed by reducing the letter shape to fit tightly to the following letter, sometimes referred to as a "half form". Most Devanagari letters drop a character's vertical stem to create a half form, but due to its large tail to the right of the stem, the common half form of क has its tail reduced to attach to the following letter. Some conjunct clusters are always represented by a true ligature, instead of a shape that can be broken into constituent independent letters. Vertically stacked conjuncts are ubiquitous in older texts, while only a few are still used routinely in modern Devanagari texts. The use of ligatures and vertical conjuncts may vary across languages using the Devanagari script, with Marathi in particular preferring the use of half forms where texts in other languages would show ligatures and vertical stacks.[3]

True ligatures are quite rare in Indic scripts. The most common ligated conjuncts in Devanagari are in the form of a slight mutation to fit in context or as a consistent variant form appended to the adjacent characters. Those variants include Na and the Repha and Rakar forms of Ra. Nepali and Marathi texts use the "eyelash" Ra half form for an initial "R" instead of repha.

• Repha र্ (r) + क (ka) gives the ligature rka: ^note

• Eyelash र্ (r) + क (ka) gives the ligature rka:

• क্ (k) + rakar र (ra) gives the ligature kra:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + क্ (k) + rakar र (ra) gives the ligature ŋkra:

• क্ (k) + न (na) gives the ligature kna:

• क্ (k) + त (ta) gives the ligature kta:

• क্ (k) + त্ (t) + rakar र (ra) gives the ligature ktra:

• क্ (k) + त্ (t) + व (va) gives the ligature ktva:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + क্ (k) + त (ta) gives the ligature ŋkta:

Kṣa half form

One of the most common true ligatures in Devanagari is the conjunct kṣa क्ष. This ligature is a required form for most Devanagari languages, and the conjunct even has its own half form that freely joins other letters in horizontal conjuncts.

• क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature kṣa:

• Repha र্ (r) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature rkṣa:

• Eyelash र্ (r) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature rkṣa:

• छ্ (cʰ) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature cʰkṣa:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature ḍʱkṣa:

• ड্ (ḍ) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature ḍkṣa:

• द্ (d) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature dkṣa:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature ŋkṣa:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + क্ (k) + ष্ (ṣ) + य (ya) gives the ligature ŋkṣya:

• ट্ (ṭ) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature ṭkṣa:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + क্ (k) + ष (ṣa) gives the ligature ṭʰkṣa:

Vertically stacked ligatures are the most common conjunct forms found in Devanagari text. Although the constituent characters may need to be stretched and moved slightly in order to stack neatly, stacked conjuncts can be broken down into recognizable base letters, or a letter and an otherwise standard ligature.

• ब্ (b) + क (ka) gives the ligature bka:

• छ্ (cʰ) + क (ka) gives the ligature cʰka:

• च্ (c) + क (ka) gives the ligature cka:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ḍʱka:

• ड্ (ḍ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ḍka:

• द্ (d) + क (ka) gives the ligature dka:

• ह্ (h) + क (ka) gives the ligature hka:

• क্ (k) + ब (ba) gives the ligature kba:

• क্ (k) + च (ca) gives the ligature kca:

• क্ (k) + ड (ḍa) gives the ligature kḍa:

• ख্ (kʰ) + क (ka) gives the ligature kʰka:

• क্ (k) + ज (ja) gives the ligature kja:

• क্ (k) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives the ligature kjña:

• क্ (k) + क (ka) gives the ligature kka:

• क্ (k) + ल (la) gives the ligature kla:

• क্ (k) + ङ (ŋa) gives the ligature kŋa:

• क্ (k) + ञ (ña) gives the ligature kña:

• क্ (k) + व (va) gives the ligature kva:

• ळ্ (ḷ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ḷka:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ŋka:

• फ্ (pʰ) + क (ka) gives the ligature pʰka:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ṭʰka:

• ट্ (ṭ) + क (ka) gives the ligature ṭka:

• व্ (v) + क (ka) gives the ligature vka:

ক is used as a basic consonant character in all of the major Bengali script orthographies, including Bengali and Assamese. It is also used with a nukta, ক়, for foreign borrowings of /q/.

Bengali ক exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts, with a tendency towards stacked ligatures.[4]

The most important conjunct of ক is the irregular kṣa ligature ক্ + ষ [ṣ] = ক্ষ. This conjunct not only has a special form in all Bengali alphabets, it even functions as an independent letter in the Assamese orthography. This ক্ষ conjunct forms regular conjuncts with other letters, keeping its distinct form:

• ক্ষ (kṣ) + ম (ma) gives the ligature kṣma:

• ক্ষ (kṣ) + ম্ (m) + য (ya) gives the ligature kṣmya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ক্ষ (kṣ) + ন (na) gives the ligature kṣna:

• ক্ষ (kṣ) + ব (va) gives the ligature kṣva, with the va phala suffix:

• ক্ষ (kṣ) + য (ya) gives the ligature kṣya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ক্ (k) + র (ra) gives the ligature kra, with a variant ligature instead of a ra phala suffix:

• ঙ (ng) + ক্ (k) + র (ra) gives the conjunct ngkra, with a variant of the kra ligature:

• স্ (s) + ক্ (k) + র (ra) gives the conjunct skra, with the kra ligature:

• ষ্ (ṣ) + ক্ (k) + র (ra) gives the conjunct ṣkra, with the kra ligature:

• ক্ (k) + ক (ka) gives the ligature kka:

• ক্ (k) + ল (la) gives the ligature kla:

• ক্ (k) + ম (ma) gives the ligature kma:

• ক্ (k) + স (sa) gives the ligature ksa:

• ক্ (k) + ত (ta) gives the ligature kta:

• ক্ (k) + ত্ (t) + র (ra) gives the ligature ktra, with the ra phala suffix:

• ক্ (k) + ট (ṭa) gives the ligature kṭa:

• ক্ (k) + ট্ (ṭ) + র (ra) gives the ligature kṭra, with the ra phala suffix:

• ক্ (k) + ব (va) gives the ligature kva, with the va phala suffix:

• ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives the ligature kya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ল্ (l) + ক (ka) gives the ligature lka:

• ল্ (l) + ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives the ligature lkya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ঙ (ng) + ক (ka) gives the ligature ngka:

• ঙ (ng) + ক্ (k) + শ (ʃa) gives the ligature ngkʃa:

• ঙ (ng) + ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives the ligature ngkya, with the ya phala suffix:

• র্ (r) + ক (ka) gives the ligature rka, with the repha prefix:

• র্ (r) + ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives the ligature rkya, with the repha prefix and ya phala suffix:

• স্ (s) + ক (ka) gives the ligature ska:

• ষ্ (ṣ) + ক (ka) gives the ligature ṣka:

• ত্ (t) + ক (ka) gives the ligature tka:

The Gujarati script is used to write the Gujarati and Kutchi languages. In both languages, ક is pronounced as [kə] or [k] when appropriate. Like all Indic scripts, Gujarati uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:

Ka	Kā	Ki	Kī	Ku	Kū	Kr	Kl	Kr̄	Kl̄	Kĕ	Ke	Kai	Kŏ	Ko	Kau	K
Gujarati Ka syllables, with vowel marks in red.

Gujarati ક exhibits conjunct ligatures, much like its parent Devanagari Script. While most Gujarati conjuncts can only be formed by reducing the letter shape to create a "half form" that fits tightly to following letter, Ka does not have a half form. A few conjunct clusters can be represented by a true ligature, instead of a shape that can be broken into constituent independent letters, and vertically stacked conjuncts can also be found in Gujarati, although much less commonly than in Devanagari. Lacking a half form, Ka will normally use an explicit virama when forming conjuncts without a true ligature. True ligatures are quite rare in Indic scripts. The most common ligated conjuncts in Gujarati are in the form of a slight mutation to fit in context or as a consistent variant form appended to the adjacent characters. Those variants include Na and the Repha and Rakar forms of Ra.

• ક્ (k) + ર (ra) gives the ligature KRa:

• ર્ (r) + ક (ka) gives the ligature RKa:

• ઙ્ (ŋ) + ક (ka) gives the ligature ṄKa:

• ક્ (k) + ષ (ʂa) gives the ligature KṢa:

• ર્ (r) + ક (ka) ષ (ʂa) gives the ligature RKṢa:

• ઙ્ (ŋ) + ક (ka) ષ (ʂa) gives the ligature ṄKṢa:

Malayalam letter Chillu K

As is common in Indic scripts, Malayalam joins letters together to form conjunct consonant clusters. There are several means of forming conjuncts in Malayalam: using a subjoined form of a trailing consonant placed under the initial consonant of a conjunct, a combined ligature of the two consonants joined together, a conjoining form that appears as a combining mark on the rest of the conjunct, the use of an explicit candrakkala mark to suppress the inherent "a" vowel, or a special consonant form called a "chillu" letter, representing a bare consonant without the inherent "a" vowel. Texts written with the modern reformed Malayalam orthography, put̪iya lipi, may favor more regular conjunct forms than older texts in paḻaya lipi, due to changes undertaken in the 1970s by the Government of Kerala.

• ല് (l) + ക (ka) gives the ligature lka:

• യ് (y) + ക (ka) gives the ligature yka:

• ങ് (ŋ) + ക (ka) gives the ligature ŋka:

• ക് (k) + ക (ka) gives the ligature kka:

• ഴ് (lll) + ക (ka) gives the ligature lllka:

• ക് (k) + ട (ṭa) gives the ligature kṭa:

• ക് (k) + ണ (ṇa) gives the ligature kṇa:

• ക് (k) + ത (ta) gives the ligature kta:

• ക് (k) + ന (na) gives the ligature kna:

• ക് (k) + മ (ma) gives the ligature kma:

• ക് (k) + ര (ra) gives the ligature kra:

• ക് (k) + സ (sa) gives the ligature ksa:

• ക് (k) + ഷ (ṣa) gives the ligature kṣa:

• ക് (k) + ഷ് (ṣ) + ണ (ṇa) gives the ligature kṣṇa:

• ക് (k) + ഷ് (ṣ) + മ (ma) gives the ligature kṣma:

• ക് (k) + ഷ് (ṣ) + ല (la) gives the ligature kṣla:

As is common in Indic scripts, Odia joins letters together to form conjunct consonant clusters. The most common conjunct formation is achieved by using a small subjoined form of trailing consonants. Most consonants' subjoined forms are identical to the full form, just reduced in size, although a few drop the curved headline or have a subjoined form not directly related to the full form of the consonant. The second type of conjunct formation is through pure ligatures, where the constituent consonants are written together in a single graphic form. This ligature may be recognizable as being a combination of two characters or it can have a conjunct ligature unrelated to its constituent characters.

• ଙ୍ (ŋ) + କ (ka) gives the ligature ŋka:

• ତ୍ (t) + କ (ka) gives the ligature tka:

• ର୍ (r) + କ (ka) gives the ligature rka:

• କ୍ (k) + ର (ra) gives the ligature kra:

Odia independent and subjoined KSsa.

Although ostensibly a conjunct of Ka and Ssa, Odia କ୍ଷ (Kṣa) is largely treated as an independent letter pronounced /kʰjɔ/. Unlike other Odia conjuncts, କ୍ଷ can be found as an independent letter subjoined to another letter or conjunct.

• ତ୍ (t) + କ୍ (ka) + ଷ (ṣa) gives the ligature tkṣa:

As is common in Indic scripts, Kaithi joins letters together to form conjunct consonant clusters. The most common conjunct formation is achieved by using a half form of preceding consonants, although several consonants use an explicit virama. Most half forms are derived from the full form by removing the vertical stem. As is common in most Indic scripts, conjucts of ra are indicated with a repha or rakar mark attached to the rest of the consonant cluster. In addition, there are a few vertical conjuncts that can be found in Kaithi writing, but true ligatures are not used in the modern Kaithi script.

• 𑂍୍ (k) + 𑂩 (ra) gives the ligature kra:

• 𑂩୍ (r) + 𑂍 (ka) gives the ligature rka:

• 𑂍୍ (k) + 𑂍 (ka) gives the ligature kka: