Ja (Indic)

The Brahmi letter , Ja, is probably derived from the Aramaic Zayin , and is thus related to the modern Latin Z and Greek Zeta. Several identifiable styles of writing the Brahmi Ja 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 Ja 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 Ja with vowel marks

Ja	Jā	Ji	Jī	Ju	Jū	Jr	Jr̄	Je	Jai	Jo	Jau	Jä

The Kharoṣṭhī letter is generally accepted as being derived from the Aramaic Zayin , and is thus related to Z and Zeta, in addition to the Brahmi Ja.

Jja (ॼ) is the character ज with an underbar to represent the voiced palatal implosive [ʄ] that occurs in Sindhi. This underbar is distinct from the Devanagari stress sign anudātta. The underbar is fused to the stem of the letter while the anudātta is a stress accent applied to the entire syllable. This underbar used for Sindhi implosives does not exist as a separate character in Unicode. When the ु or ू vowel sign is applied to jja (ॼ), the ु and ू vowel signs are drawn beneath jja. When the उ ( ु) vowel sign or ऊ ( ू) vowel sign is applied to ja with an anudātta (ज॒), the उ ( ु) vowel sign or ऊ ( ू) vowel sign is first placed under ja (ज) and then the anudātta is placed underneath the उ ( ु) vowel sign or ऊ ( ू) vowel sign.[3]

An example of a Sindhi word that uses jja (ॼ) is ॼाण (ڄاڻَ), which is of the feminine grammatical gender and means information or knowledge.[4]

Za (ज़) is the character ज with a single dot underneath. It is used in Devanagari transcriptions of Urdu, English, and other languages to denote the voiced alveolar sibilant [z]. Za (ज़) should not be confused with ža (झ़), which is the character jha (झ) combined with a nuqta, and is used to transcribe the voiced post-alveolar fricative [ʒ] from Urdu (ژ) and English. Za (ज़) should also not be confused zha (ॹ), which is used in Devanagari transcriptions of the Avestan letter zhe (𐬲) to denote the voiced post-alveolar fricative [ʒ].

Zha (ॹ) is the character ज with three dots underneath. It is used in Devanagari transcriptions of the Avestan letter zhe (𐬲) to denote the voiced patalal fricative [ʒ]. An example of its usage is in Kavasji Edulji Kanga's Avesta, yazna 41.3 to write ईॹीम्.[5] Zha (ॹ) should not be confused with za (ज़), which is used to denote the voiced alveolar sibilant [z] from Urdu, English, and other languages. Zha (ॹ) should also not be confused with ža (झ़), which is the character jha (झ) combined with a nuqta, and is used to transcribe the voiced post-alveolar fricative [ʒ] from Urdu (ژ) and English.

In many languages, ज is pronounced as [d͡ʒə] or [d͡ʒ] when appropriate. In Marathi, ज is sometimes pronounced as [d͡zə] or [d͡z] in addition to [d͡ʒə] or [d͡ʒ]. Like all Indic scripts, Devanagari uses vowel marks attached to the base consonant to override the inherent /ə/ vowel:

Half form of Ja.

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.[6]

Jja half form

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. The conjunct jja also has a unique half form that differs from the regular conjunct.

• र্ (r) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature rja:

• ज্ (j) + र (ra) gives us the ligature jra:

• ज্ (j) + न (na) gives us the ligature jna:

• ज্ (j) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature jja:

• ज্ (j) + ज্ (j) + व (va) gives us the ligature jjva:

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

Jña half form

One of the most common true ligatures in Devanagari is the conjunct jña ज्ञ. 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. ज्ञ্‍

• ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature jña:

• र্ (r) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature rjña:

• भ্ (bʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature bʰjña:

• ब্ (b) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature bjña:

• छ্ (cʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature cʰjña:

• च্ (c) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature cjña:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ḍʱjña:

• ड্ (ḍ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ḍjña:

• द্ (d) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature djña:

• घ্ (ɡʱ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ɡʱjña:

• ग্ (g) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature gjña:

• ह্ (h) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature hjña:

• ज্ (j) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature jjña:

• झ্ (jʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature jʰjña:

• ख্ (kʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature kʰjña:

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

• ल্ (l) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ljña:

• म্ (m) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature mjña:

• न্ (n) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature njña:

• ञ্ (ñ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ñjña:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ŋjña:

• फ্ (pʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature pʰjña:

• प্ (p) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature pjña:

• श্ (ʃ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ʃjña:

• स্ (s) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature sjña:

• ष্ (ṣ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ṣjña:

• थ্ (tʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature tʰjña:

• त্ (t) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature tjña:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ṭʰjña:

• ट্ (ṭ) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature ṭjña:

• व্ (v) + ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature vjña:

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

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.

• भ্ (bʰ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature bʰja:

• ब্ (b) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature bja:

• छ্ (cʰ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature cʰja:

• च্ (c) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature cja:

• ढ্ (ḍʱ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ḍʱja:

• ड্ (ḍ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ḍja:

• ध্ (dʱ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature dʱja:

• द্ (d) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature dja:

• घ্ (ɡʱ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ɡʱja:

• ग্ (g) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature gja:

• ह্ (h) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature hja:

• ज্ (j) + च (ca) gives us the ligature jca:

• ज্ (j) + ड (ḍa) gives us the ligature jḍa:

• झ্ (jʰ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature jʰja:

• ज্ (j) + ल (la) gives us the ligature jla:

• ज্ (j) + ङ (ŋa) gives us the ligature jŋa:

• ज্ (j) + ञ (ña) gives us the ligature jña:

• ज্ (j) + श (ʃa) gives us the ligature jʃa:

• ख্ (kʰ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature kʰja:

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

• ल্ (l) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature lja:

• ळ্ (ḷ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ḷja:

• म্ (m) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature mja:

• ङ্ (ŋ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ŋja:

• न্ (n) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature nja:

• ञ্ (ñ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ñja:

• फ্ (pʰ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature pʰja:

• प্ (p) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature pja:

• श্ (ʃ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ʃja:

• स্ (s) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature sja:

• ष্ (ṣ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ṣja:

• त্ (t) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature tja:

• ठ্ (ṭʰ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ṭʰja:

• ट্ (ṭ) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature ṭja:

• व্ (v) + ज (ja) gives us the ligature vja:

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

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

Bengali জ exhibits conjunct ligatures, as is common in Indic scripts, with a tendency towards stacked ligatures.[7]

• ব্ (b) + জ (ja) gives us the ligature bja:

• জ্ (j) + জ (ja) gives us the ligature jja:

• জ্ (j) + ঝ (jʰa) gives us the ligature jjʰa:

• জ্ (j) + জ্ (j) + ব (va) gives us the ligature jjva, with the va phala suffix:

• জ্ (j) + ঞ (ña) gives us the ligature jña:

• জ্ (j) + র (ra) gives us the ligature jra, with the ra phala suffix:

• জ্ (j) + ব (va) gives us the ligature jva, with the va phala suffix:

• জ্ (j) + য (ya) gives us the ligature jya, with the ya phala suffix:

• ঞ (ñ) + জ (ja) gives us the ligature ñja:

• র্ (r) + জ (ja) gives us the ligature rja, with the repha prefix:

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

Za (જ઼) is the character ja (જ) with a single dot underneath. It corresponds to the Devanagari character Za (ज़). It is also used in Gujarati transcriptions of Avestan (𐬰),[8][9][10] Urdu (ژ), English, and other languages to denote the voiced alveolar sibilant [z].

Zha (ૹ) is the character ja (જ) with three dots underneath. It is used in Gujarati transcriptions of the Avestan letter zhe (𐬲) to denote the voiced patalal fricative [ʒ] and is analogous to the Devanagari character zha (ॹ).[8][9] Zha (ૹ) was added to the Unicode Standard as a single character ljust like the Devanagari character zha (ॹ) with Unicode 8.0 on 17 June 2015.[10][11] An example of a word in the Gujarati script the uses zha (ૹ) is ચીૹ્દી.[12]

A dot added below Jajja (ਜ਼) denotes that it has to be pronounced as the voiced alveolar fricative /z/.

In IPA, cho chang is pronounced as [tɕʰ] at the beginning of a syllable and are pronounced as [t̚] at the end of a syllable. The previous letter of the alphabet, cho ching (ฉ), is also named cho, however, it falls under the middle class of Thai consonants. In the acrophony of the Thai script, chang (ช้าง) means ‘elephant’. Kho khai corresponds to the Sanskrit character ‘ज’.

In IPA, so so is pronounced as [s] at the beginning of a syllable and are pronounced as [t̚] at the end of a syllable. In the acrophony of the Thai script, so (โซ่) means ‘chain’. Old Thai had the voiced retroflex affricate sound /dʐ/. When the Thai script was developed, cho ching was slightly modified to create distinct letter for /dʐ/, which is now known as so so. During the Old Thai period, this sound merged into the aspirated stop /tɕʰ/. This is similar to how ज is sometimes pronounced as [d͡z] in addition to [d͡ʒ] in Marathi. However, Marathi uses the same letter for both sounds while Thai split the corresponding two sounds into the separate letters cho chang and so so. In modern Thai, the voicing of /dʐ/ became lost and thus is now pronounced as [s] at the beginning of a syllable.