History of the Gujarati Language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in the state of Gujarat, India, and by Gujarati communities around the world. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is recognized as a classical language due to its rich literary history.
The history of Gujarati can be traced back to the 12th century when it began to emerge as a distinct language from its predecessor, Old Gujarati, which itself evolved from Sanskrit and Prakrit. The development of Gujarati was influenced by regional dialects and the changing political and social environments in the Gujarat region. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the region saw the rise of important dynasties, including the Solankis and the Vaghelas, which helped shape the language.
One of the most significant early contributions to Gujarati literature came from the Bhakti movement. Saints like Narsinh Mehta and Mirabai wrote devotional poetry in Gujarati, which had a lasting impact on the language. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the language began to flourish under the influence of the ruling Gujarat Sultanate, with poets like Zaverchand Meghani and poets of the Sufi tradition making notable contributions.
The modern form of Gujarati began to take shape in the 19th century during British colonial rule. The period saw a significant rise in prose literature, journalism, and education in Gujarati. Key figures like Mahatma Gandhi, who used Gujarati extensively in his writings and speeches, played a critical role in popularizing the language.
Today, Gujarati is a vibrant language used in literature, cinema, music, and business. It has a thriving diaspora, especially in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and continues to grow as a language of culture and communication.
Gujarati Alphabets
The Gujarati alphabet is a variant of the Devanagari script and is used to write the Gujarati language, which is spoken predominantly in the Indian state of Gujarat. It consists of 11 vowels (સ્વર / Swar) and 34 consonants (વ્યંજન / Vyanjan), as well as additional symbols used in the script.
Vowels (સ્વર / Swar):
The Gujarati vowels are similar to those in Devanagari but have different forms when written. These vowels can combine with consonants to form different sounds.
| Gujarati | Pronunciation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| અ | a | a |
| આ | aa | aa |
| ઇ | i | i |
| ઈ | ii | ii |
| ઉ | u | u |
| ઊ | uu | uu |
| ઋ | ru | ru |
| ૠ | rū | rū |
| એ | e | e |
| ઐ | ai | ai |
| ઓ | o | o |
| ઔ | au | au |
| ઍ | ə | ə |
| ઑ | ʌ | ʌ |
| ક (Terminal) | 'ka' | 'ka' |
Consonants (વ્યંજન / Vyanjan):
Gujarati consonants are also derived from the Devanagari script and are used in a similar manner to form syllables and words. Some of these consonants have aspirated forms (those that are produced with an additional breath).
| Gujarati | Pronunciation | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| ક | ka | ka |
| ખ | kha | kha |
| ગ | ga | ga |
| ઘ | gha | gha |
| ઙ | nga | nga |
| ચ | cha | cha |
| છ | chha | chha |
| જ | ja | ja |
| ઝ | jha | jha |
| ઞ | nya | nya |
| ટ | ṭa | ṭa |
| ઠ | ṭha | ṭha |
| ડ | ḍa | ḍa |
| ઢ | ḍha | ḍha |
| ણ | ṇa | ṇa |
| ત | ta | ta |
| થ | tha | tha |
| દ | da | da |
| ધ | dha | dha |
| ન | na | na |
| પ | pa | pa |
| ફ | pha | pha |
| બ | ba | ba |
| ભ | bha | bha |
| મ | ma | ma |
| ય | ya | ya |
| ર | ra | ra |
| લ | la | la |
| વ | va | va |
| શ | sha | sha |
| ષ | ṣha | ṣha |
| સ | sa | sa |
| હ | ha | ha |
| ળ | ḷa | ḷa |
| ક્ષ | kṣa | kṣa |
| દ્ર | dra | dra |
| ఞ | ja | new-m or new text |
Note on Pronunciation:
- Gujarati vowels and consonants are generally pronounced similarly to their Sanskrit counterparts but with slight regional variations.
- Many consonants in Gujarati have both voiceless and voiced forms (like ka/ga, ta/da).
- Gujarati doesn't use a diacritic (horizontal line above the characters) like Devanagari does.
Other Characters and Symbols:
- Chandrabindu (ં): Indicates nasalization, especially for vowels.
- Anusvara (ं): Similar to the chandrabindu but used for different nasal sounds in words.
- Visarga (ः): A symbol used to indicate a breathy sound, similar to the "h" sound.
- Avagraha (ઽ): Used for a Sanskrit "long sibilant" sound or a pause in speech.
Gujarati Numbers (અંકો):
Here are the Gujarati numbers:
| Number | Gujarati | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ૦ | shunya |
| 1 | ૧ | ek |
| 2 | ૨ | be |
| 3 | ૩ | trey |
| 4 | ૪ | chaar |
| 5 | ૫ | paanch |
| 6 | ૬ | chha |
| 7 | ૭ | saat |
| 8 | ૮ | aath |
| 9 | ૯ | nau |
| 10 | ૧૦ | das |
Writing System:
- Gujarati script is written from left to right.
- It does not use diacritics like the Devanagari script, which is why each letter stands alone.
- Word formation: Gujarati is an abugida system, meaning consonants are typically written with an implicit vowel sound (a), and additional vowel marks are used to modify the inherent vowel sound.
Summary:
- The Gujarati alphabet consists of 34 consonants and 11 vowels.
- Numbers are written in their own specific symbols.
- The script is right to left and doesn't have horizontal connecting lines above each character like Devanagari.
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