Ya (Indic)

The Brahmi letter , Ya, is probably derived from the Aramaic Yodh , and is thus related to the modern Latin I and J and Greek Iota.[2] Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Ya 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.

Brahmi Ya historic forms

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

The Tocharian letter is derived from the Brahmi , but does not have an alternate Fremdzeichen form.

Tocharian Ya with vowel marks

Ya	Yā	Yi	Yī	Yu	Yū	Yr	Yr̄	Ye	Yai	Yo	Yau	Yä

The Kharoṣṭhī letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Yodh , and is thus related to I, J and Iota, in addition to the Brahmi Ya.[2]

In all languages, य is pronounced as [jə] or [j] when appropriate. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:

Half form of Ya.

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, usually by dropping a character's vertical stem, sometimes referred to as a "half form". 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.[4]

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) + य (ya) gives us the ligature rya: ^note

• Eyelash र্ (r) + य (ya) gives us the ligature rya:

• य্ (y) + न (na) gives us the ligature yna:

• य্ (y) + rakar र (ra) gives us the ligature yra:

• छ্ (cʰ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature cʰya:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ḍʱya:

• ड্ (ḍ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ḍya:

• द্ (d) + द্ (d) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ddya:

• द্ (d) + व্ (v) + य (ya) gives us the ligature dvya:

• द্ (d) + य (ya) gives us the ligature dya:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ŋya:

• ष্ (ṣ) + ठ্ (ṭʰ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ṣṭʰya:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ṭʰya:

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.

• ग্ (g) + न্ (n) + य (ya) gives us the ligature gnya:

• ग্ (g) + र্ (r) + य (ya) gives us the ligature grya:

• ह্ (h) + य (ya) gives us the ligature hya:

• ज্ (j) + ज্ (j) + य (ya) gives us the ligature jjya:

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

• त্ (t) + र্ (r) + य (ya) gives us the ligature trya:

• ट্ (ṭ) + य (ya) gives us the ligature ṭya:

• य্ (y) + च (ca) gives us the ligature yca:

• य্ (y) + ड (ḍa) gives us the ligature yḍa:

• य্ (y) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature yja:

• य্ (y) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature yjña:

• य্ (y) + ल (la) gives us the ligature yla:

• य্ (y) + ङ (ŋa) gives us the ligature yŋa:

• य্ (y) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature yña:

য is used as a basic consonant character in all of the major Bengali script orthographies, including Bengali and Assamese.

Bengali য exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts, with a tendency towards stacked ligatures.[5]

Bengali Ya-phala

The letter য has a special form when used as the last letter of a conjunct called "Ya phala" (or "Jo pholo"). This reduced form of য is appended to the right of the preceding letter or conjunct, with vowel signs falling outside of the ya-phala as in most conjuncts.[6] The use of a reduced Ya-phala is similar to the Ra-phala and Va-phala forms, which attach to the bottom of a letter or conjunct. Unlike these other reduced consonant forms, ya-phala can be appended to the independent A vowel character. In representing Bengali text on computer systems, the Zero-width joiner is used to suppress formation of ya-phala in certain contexts, as Hasant + Ya is realized as ya-phala by default.

• ভ্ (bʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature bʰya:

• ব্ (b) + য (ya) gives us the ligature bya:

• চ্ (c) + য (ya) gives us the ligature cya:

• ঢ্ (ḍʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ḍʱya:

• ড্ (ḍ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ḍya:

• ধ্ (dʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature dʱya:

• দ্ (d) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature drya, with ra phala in addition to ya phala:

• দ্ (d) + য (ya) gives us the ligature dya:

• গ্ (g) + ধ্ (dʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature gdʱya:

• ঘ্ (ɡʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ɡʱya:

• গ্ (g) + ন্ (n) + য (ya) gives us the ligature gnya:

• গ্ (g) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature grya, with ra phala in addition to ya phala:

• গ্ (g) + য (ya) gives us the ligature gya:

• জ্ (j) + য (ya) gives us the ligature jya:

• খ্ (kʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature kʰya:

• ক্ (k) + শ্ (ʃ) + ম্ (m) + য (ya) gives us the ligature kʃmya:

• ক্ (k) + শ্ (ʃ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature kʃya:

• ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives us the ligature kya:

• ল্ (l) + ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives us the ligature lkya:

• ল্ (l) + য (ya) gives us the ligature lya:

• ম্ (m) + য (ya) gives us the ligature mya:

• ন্ (n) + ধ্ (dʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ndʱya:

• ন্ (n) + দ্ (d) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ndya:

• ঙ্ (ŋ) + ঘ্ (ɡʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ŋɡʱya:

• ঙ্ (ŋ) + গ্ (g) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ŋgya:

• ঙ্ (ŋ) + ক্ (k) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ŋkya:

• ণ্ (ṇ) + ড্ (ḍ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṇḍya:

• ণ্ (ṇ) + ঠ্ (ṭʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṇṭʰya:

• ণ্ (ṇ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṇya:

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ntrya, with ra phala in addition to ya phala:

• ন্ (n) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ntya:

• ন্ (n) + য (ya) gives us the ligature nya:

• প্ (p) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature prya, with ra phala in addition to ya phala

• প্ (p) + য (ya) gives us the ligature pya:

• র্ (r) + ব্ (b) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rbya, with the repha prefix in addition to ya phala:

• র্ (r) + চ্ (c) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rcya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + ঢ্ (ḍʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rḍʱya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + ঘ্ (ɡʱ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rɡʱya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + গ্ (g) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rɡya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + হ্ (h) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rhya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + জ্ (j) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rjya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + খ্ (kʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rkʰya, with repha and ya phala:

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

• র্ (r) + ম্ (m) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rmya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + ণ্ (ṇ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rṇya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + শ্ (ʃ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rʃya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + ষ্ (ṣ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rṣya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + থ্ (tʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rtʰya, with repha and ya phala:

• র্ (r) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rtya, with repha and ya phala:

• শ্ (ʃ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ʃya:

• ষ্ (ṣ) + ঠ্ (ṭʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṣṭʰya:

• ষ্ (ṣ) + ট্ (ṭ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṣṭya:

• ষ্ (ṣ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṣya:

• স্ (s) + থ্ (tʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature stʰya:

• স্ (s) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature stya:

• স্ (s) + য (ya) gives us the ligature sya:

• থ্ (tʰ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature tʰya:

• ত্ (t) + ম্ (m) + য (ya) gives us the ligature tmya:

• ত্ (t) + র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature trya, with the ra phala and ya phala suffixes

• ট্ (ṭ) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ṭya:

• ত্ (t) + ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature ttya:

• ত্ (t) + য (ya) gives us the ligature tya:

• য্ (y) + য (ya) gives us the ligature yya:

Ya-phala is almost universal, and its suppression generally only happens in order to express a repha on য instead.

• র্ (r) + য (ya) gives us the ligature rya, with the repha prefix:

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

Ya	Yā	Yi	Yī	Yu	Yū	Yr	Yl	Yr̄	Yl̄	Yĕ	Ye	Yai	Yŏ	Yo	Yau	Y
Gujarati Ya syllables, with vowel marks in red.

Half form of Ya.

Gujarati ય exhibits conjunct ligatures, much like its parent Devanagari Script. Most Gujarati conjuncts can only be formed by reducing the letter shape to fit tightly to the following letter, usually by dropping a character's vertical stem, sometimes referred to as 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.

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.

• ર્ (r) + ય (ya) gives us the ligature RYa:

• ય્ (y) + ર (ra) gives us the ligature YRa:

• ય્ (y) + ન (na) gives us the ligature YNa:

Malayalam letter Chillu Y

As is common in Indic scripts, Malayalam joins letters together to form conjunct consonant clusters. There are several ways in which conjuncts are formed in Malayalam texts: using a post-base form of a trailing consonant placed under the initial consonant of a conjunct, a combined ligature of two or more 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.

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

• യ് (y) + ത (ta) gives us the ligature yta:

• യ് (y) + യ (ya) gives us the ligature yya:

Odia independent and subjoined letter Ya.

Ya (ୟ) is the second "Y" consonant of the Odia abugida. Unlike its relative, it retains the palatal approximant pronunciation "y". It is descended from the Brahmi and Siddhaṃ letter , the same as ଯ. Like other Odia consonants, ୟ has an inherent "a" vowel, and takes one of several modifying vowel signs to represent syllables with another vowel or no vowel at all.

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 subjoined form of is unique in appearing to the right of the preceding letters, rather than below. This postfixed form of Ya is called "Ya Phala". 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.

• ଧ୍ (dʱ) + ୟ (ya) gives us the ligature dʱya: