This file contains a set of Label Generation Rules (LGR) for the Telugu script for the Root Zone. For more details on this LGR and additional background on the script, see “Proposal for a Telugu Script Root Zone Label Generation Ruleset (LGR)” [Proposal-Telugu]. This file is one of a set of LGR files that together form an integrated LGR for the DNS Root Zone [RZ-LGR-6]. The format of this file follows [RFC 7940].
According to Section 5, “Repertoire” in [Proposal-Telugu], the Telugu LGR contains 63 single code points. This LGR primarily caters to the Telugu language written using the Telugu script. Several other languages with [EGIDS] level above 4 were also considered in the analysis.
The repertoire is contained in [MSR-6], which is a subset of [Unicode 16.0.0].
As part of the Root Zone, this LGR includes neither decimal digits nor the HYPHEN-MINUS.
Repertoire Listing: Each code point or range is tagged with the script or scripts with which the code point is used and one or more other character categories. For each repertoire element, one or more references document sufficient justification for inclusion in the repertoire; see the “References” below. Comments provide alternate names for some code points.
Code points outside the Telugu script repertoire that are listed in this file are targets for out-of-repertoire variants and are identified by a reflexive (identity) variant of type “out-of-repertoire-var”. They do not form part of the repertoire.
According to Section 6, “Variants”, in [Proposal-Telugu], this LGR defines cross-script variants based on being “Confusing due to deviation from normally perceived character formations by larger linguistic community”. These cases are not of mere visual similarity; they can cause confusion even to a careful observer and hence have been defined as variants. There are no in-script variants defined for Telugu.
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 any other equivalent labels should be blocked. There is no preference among these labels.
This LGR does not define allocatable variants.
The specification of variants in the Root Zone LGR follows the guidelines in [RFC 8228].
The Telugu orthography superficially resembles a series of circles and semi-circles. Most consonants carry a tick mark called ‘talakattu’. The writing system is classified as abugida type or alphasyllabary. The alphabet consists of vowels, consonants and modifiers. Each of these vowels and consonants has one or more secondary allographs.
Consonants: The Telugu consonants contain an implicit vowel /a/. More details in Section 3.5.4, “The Consonants” in [Proposal-Telugu].
Vowels and dependent vowel signs: There are fourteen vowel characters in the common inventory of which one is rarely used: U+0C0C. It and the two obsolete vowels, U+0C60 and U+0C61, are excluded from this LGR. Each vowel, except U+0C05 has a dependent vowel sign, modifying the vowel of the consonant they follow. These signs may have different appearance depending on the size and shape of the consonant that functions as an anchor. More details in Section 3.5.1, “The vowels and vowel modifiers” in [Proposal-Telugu].
Anusvara or sunna: The Anusvara or sunna represents a homorganic nasal before the corresponding consonant and as a substitute to transcribe word final /mu/. Essentially, it substitutes a cluster of a Nasal Consonant+Halant before a consonant. More details in Section 3.5.2, “The Anusvara or sunna” in [Proposal-Telugu].
Visarga: Visarga denotes the glottal check.
Halant: A special sign is needed whenever the implicit vowel in the preceding consonant is stripped off. This symbol is known as the Halant. (Any vowel sign will also override the implicit vowel). More details in Section 3.5.1, “The vowels and vowel modifiers” in [Proposal-Telugu].
The LGR includes the set of required default WLE rules and actions applicable to the Root Zone and defined in [MSR-6]. They are marked with ⍟. The default prohibition on leading combining marks is equivalent to ensuring that a label only starts with a consonant or vowel. The actions compute a label disposition based on WLE rules or variant mapping types.
These rules have been formulated so that they can be adopted for LGR specification.
The following symbols are used in the WLE rules:
C → Consonant
M → Matra (Dependent vowel signs)
V → Vowel
B → Anusvara (Bindu)
X → Visarga
H → Halant / Virama
The rules are:
More details in Section 7, “Whole Label Evaluation Rules (WLE)” in [Proposal-Telugu]. The numbering of the rules given here, follows that document.
The Root Zone LGR for the Telugu Script was developed by the Neo-Brahmi Generation Panel (NBGP), the members of which have experience in linguistics and computational linguistics in a wide variety of languages written with Neo-Brahmi scripts. Under the Neo-Brahmi Generation Panel, there are nine scripts belonging to separate Unicode blocks. Each of these scripts has been assigned a separate LGR, with the Neo-Brahmi GP ensuring that the fundamental philosophy behind building each LGR is in sync with all other Brahmi-derived scripts. For further details on methodology and contributors, see Sections 4 and 8 in [Proposal-Telugu], as well as [RZ-LGR-6-Overview].
The following general references are cited in this document:
For references consulted, particularly in designing the repertoire for the Telugu script for the Root Zone, please see details in the Table of References below. Reference [0] refers to the Unicode Standard version in which the corresponding code points were initially encoded. References [102] and above correspond to sources given in [Proposal-Telugu] justifying the inclusion of the corresponding code points. Entries in the table may have multiple source reference values.
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