This file contains Label Generation Rules (LGR) for the Gurmukhi script as would be appropriate for the Root zone. For more details on this proposal see "Proposal for a Gurmukhi Script Root Zone Label Generation Ruleset (LGR) [Proposal]". The format of this file follows [RFC 7940].
According to Section 5, "Repertoire" in [Proposal], the Gurmukhi script LGR contains 56 unique code-points.
The repertoire is based on [MSR], which is a subset of Unicode 6.3 [Unicode 6.3].
Each code-point has associated Glyph, Character Name, Indic Syllabic Category and Reference.
The Gurmukhi and Devanagari scripts are closely related to each other and there are many code points in both scripts which can be confused with code points in the other script. Five sequences of Devanagari code points are defined as variants of single Gurmmukhi code points. Additional cross-script variant analysis identified a smaller set of code points from the Bengali script. Where these can cause confusion even to a careful observer, they have been defined as variants. No in-script variants are defined for Gurmhukhi. See Section 6, "Variants", in [Proposal].
Variant Disposition: All variants are of type “blocked”, making labels that differ only by these variants mutually exclusive: whichever label containing either of these variants is chosen earlier would be delegated, while the other one label should be blocked.
Gurmukhi is an alphasyllabary and the heart of the writing system is the Akshar. It is the unit which is instinctively recognized by users of the script. The writing system of Gurmukhi could be summed up as composed of Consonants, Implicit Vowel Killer: Halant, Vowels, Bindi, Tippi, Addak, Nukta and Visarga.
Consonants: Gurmukhi consonants contain an implicit schwa /ə/. But these consonants are also used to represent consonant sounds where /ə/ vowel is not incorporated with them without any modification. More details in Section "3.3.1 The Consonants" of the [Proposal].
Virama : Unlike the Halant in other Neo-Brahmi scripts, U+094D ( ् ) GURMUKHI SIGN VIRAMA is not used in general to strip a consonant letter’s implicit vowel. The Virama is only used to create a conjunct where the letter U+0A39 HA, U+0A30 RA or U+0A35 VA is the second element in a conjunct. More details in Section 3.3.2, "The Implicit Vowel Killer: Virama" of the [Proposal].
Vowels: Punjabi has ten vowels (ਅ /ə/, ਆ /a/, ਇ /I/, ਈ /i/, ਉ /U/, ਊ /u/, ਏ /e/, ਐ /ɛ/, ਓ /o/ and ਔ /ͻ/). Out of these, three (ਅ /ə/, ਇ /I/, and ਉ /U/) are short vowels and seven (ਆ /a/, ਈ /i/, ਊ /u/, ਏ /e/, ਐ /ɛ/, ਓ /o/, and ਔ /ͻ/) are long vowels. More details in Section 3.3.3 "Vowels" of the [Proposal].
Bindi: Bindi represents a homo-organic nasal. Bindi is used with all long vowels (ਆ, ਈ, ਊ, ਏ, ਐ, ਓ, ਔ ) and the short vowel (ਉ) and with the matras of long vowels ( ਾ, ੀ, ੇ, ੈ, ੋ, ੌ ) except the matra ( ੂ). More details in Section 3.3.4.1, "The Bindi" of the [Proposal].
Tippi : Tippi is used to nasalize short vowels /ə/ and /I/ at all places, as well as /U/ and /u/ after a consonant. That means, Tippi comes after consonants without a vowel sign (representing the mātrā of /ə/ "mukta") and after the mātrā of /I/ ( ਿ ) following vowel carriers and consonants, such as ਸੰ and ਸਿੰ. The mātrās of /U/ ( ੁ,) and /u/ ( ੂ ) following a consonant also take Tippi. In addition, Tippi is used in gemination for nasal consonants ਙ, ਞ, ਨ and ਮ. More details in Section 3.3.4.2 "The Tippi" of the [Proposal]
Addak : Addak is used to mark the gemination of the following consonant. In Punjabi, addak usually can follow mukta, aunkar ( ੁ ) and sihari ( ਿ ), and the vowel signs of the short vowels /ə/, /u/ and /i/. It geminates the consonant which follows it; therefore it cannot occur at the end of a label. More details in "3.3.4.3 The Addak" of the [Proposal].
Nukta : Termed as pairin bindi in Punjabi, nukta is used with the following consonants: ਸ, ਖ, ਗ, ਜ, ਫ and ਲ to represent the phonemes of words of Sanskrit and Perso-Arabic sources. More details in Section "3.3.4.4 Nukta" of the [Proposal]
The LGR includes the set of required default WLE rules and actions applicable to the Root Zone and defined in [MSR]. They are marked with ⍟.
These rules have been drafted to ensure that the prospective Gurmukhi label conforms to akshar formation norms as desired in Gurmukhi script. These norms are exclusively presented as context rules.
Following symbols are used in the WLE rules:
C → Consonant
M → Matra
V → Vowel
B → Bindi
D → Tippi
A → Addak
H → Virama
N → Nukta
M1 → { ਿ(U+0A3F), ੁ(U+0A41) } (Short matras)
M2 → M - M1 (Long matras)
V1 → { ਅ (U+0A05), ਇ (U+0A07), ਉ (U+0A09)} (Short Vowels)
V2 → V - V1 (Long Vowel)
C1 → {ਖ (U+0A16), ਗ (U+0A17), ਜ (U+0A1C), ਫ (U+0A2B), ਲ (U+0A32), ਸ (U+0A38)}
C2 → { ਰ (U+0A30), ਵ (U+0A35), ਹ (U+0A39)}
C3 → C – {ਙ(U+0A19), ਞ(U+0A1E), ਣ(U+0A23), ਹ(U+0A39), ੜ(U+0A5C)}
The rules are:
More details in Section "7 Whole Label Evaluation Rules (WLE)" of the [Proposal]
Under the Neo-Brahmi Generation Panel, there are many different scripts belonging to separate Unicode blocks. Each of these scripts has been assigned a separate LGR; however Neo-Brahmi GP ensured that the fundamental philosophy behind building those LGRs are all in sync with all other Brahmi derived scripts. This is the Gurmukhi LGR, which caters to Punjabi language written using the Gurmukhi script. Punjabi (EGIDS 2) is the only language which is currently using the Gurmukhi script.
Following references are cited in this document: