Editing Limbu script (section)

== Structure ==
The Limbu script is an [[abugida]], which means that a basic letter represents both a consonant and an inherent, or default, vowel. In [[Limbu language|Limbu]], the inherent vowel is {{IPA|/ɔ/}}, as in [[Bengali–Assamese script|Bengali–Assamese]] and [[Odia script]]s. To start a syllable with a vowel, the appropriate vowel diacritic is added to the vowel-carrier
{{Script|Limbu|ᤀ}}. A vowel-carrier with no diacritic represents the sound {{IPA|/ɔ/}}.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Consonants
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤁ|iso=ko|ipa=/kɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤂ|iso=kho|ipa=/kʰɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤃ|iso=go|ipa=/ɡɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤄ|iso=gho|ipa=/ɡʱɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤅ|iso=ngo|ipa=/ŋɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤆ|iso=co|ipa=/t͡ɕɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤇ|iso=cho|ipa=/t͡ɕʰɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤈ|iso=jo|ipa=/d͡ʑɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤉ|iso=jho|ipa=/d͡ʑʱɔ/|note={{noteTag|name=obs|group=consonants}}}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤊ|iso=nyo|ipa=/ɲɔ/|note={{noteTag|name=obs|group=consonants}}}}
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤋ|iso=to|ipa=/tɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤌ|iso=tho|ipa=/tʰɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤍ|iso=do|ipa=/dɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤎ|iso=dho|ipa=/dʱɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤏ|iso=no|ipa=/nɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤐ|iso=po|ipa=/pɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤑ|iso=pho|ipa=/pʰɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤒ|iso=bo|ipa=/bɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤓ|iso=bho|ipa=/bʱɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤔ|iso=mo|ipa=/mɔ/}}
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤕ|iso=yo|ipa=/jɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤖ|iso=ro|ipa=/rɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤗ|iso=lo|ipa=/lɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤘ|iso=wo|ipa=/wɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤙ|iso=sho|ipa=/ʃɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤚ|iso=sso|ipa=/ʂɔ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤛ|iso=so|ipa=/sɔ/|note={{noteTag|name=obs|group=consonants|The letters {{Script|Limbu|ᤊ}}, {{Script|Limbu|ᤚ}} and {{Script|Limbu|ᤉ}} are not used in modern Limbu.}}}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch=ᤜ|iso=ho|ipa=/ɦɔ/}}
|
|
|}
{{noteFoot|group=consonants}}
{| class="wikitable" 
|+ Dependent vowel signs
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤠ|iso=a|ipa=/a/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤡ|iso=i|ipa=/i/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤢ|iso=u|ipa=/u/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤣ|iso=ee|ipa=/e/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤤ|iso=ai|ipa=/ai/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤥ|iso=oo|ipa=/o/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤦ|iso=au|ipa=/au/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤧ|iso=e|ipa=/ɛ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ch= ᤨ|iso=o|ipa=/ɔ/|note={{noteTag|name=rudundant|group=vowels}}}}
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤠ|ch=ᤁᤠ|ipa=/ka/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤡ|ch=ᤁᤡ|ipa=/ki/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤢ|ch=ᤁᤢ|ipa=/ku/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤣ|ch=ᤁᤣ|ipa=/ke/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤤ|ch=ᤁᤤ|ipa=/kai/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤥ|ch=ᤁᤥ|ipa=/ko/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤦ|ch=ᤁᤦ|ipa=/kau/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤧ|ch=ᤁᤧ|ipa=/kɛ/}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|tops=z + ᤨ|ch=ᤁᤨ|ipa=/kɔ/|note={{noteTag|name=rudundant|group=vowels|
The diacritic {{Script|Limbu| ᤨ}} represents the vowel {{IPA|/ɔ/}}, which is the same as a consonant's inherent {{IPA|/ɔ/}} vowel. So, {{Script|Limbu|ᤁᤨ}} and {{Script|Limbu|ᤁ}} represent the same syllable, {{IPA|/kɔ/}}.
Some writers avoid this diacritic entirely, considering it redundant. }}}}
|}
{{noteFoot|group=vowels}}
Initial consonant clusters are written with small marks following the main consonant:
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Subjoined consonants and examples with {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|ᤁ}}}}.
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|iso=y|ipa=/j/|ch=ᤩ}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|iso=r|ipa=/r/|ch=ᤪ}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|iso=w|ipa=/w/|ch=ᤫ}}
|-
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ipa=/kjɔ/|tops=ᤁ + ᤩ|ch=ᤁᤩ}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ipa=/krɔ/|tops=ᤁ + ᤪ|ch=ᤁᤪ}}
|{{letter|s=Limbu|l=lif|color=gold|ipa=/kwɔ/|tops=ᤁ + ᤫ|ch=ᤁᤫ}}
|}

Final consonants after short vowels are written with another set of marks, except for some final consonants occurring only in loanwords. They follow the marks for consonant clusters, if any.
{| class="wikitable" 
|+ Final consonants and examples with {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|ᤁ}}}}.
|-
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-k|ipa=/k/|ch=ᤰ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-ng |ipa=/ŋ/|ch= ᤱ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-t |ipa=/t/|ch= ᤳ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-n |ipa=/n/|ch= ᤴ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-p |ipa=/p/|ch= ᤵ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-m |ipa=/m/|ch= ᤶ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-r|ipa=/r/|ch= ᤷ}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|iso=-l|ipa=/l/|ch= ᤸ}}
|-
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤰ|ipa=/kɔk/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤱ|ipa=/kɔŋ/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤳ|ipa=/kɔt/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤴ|ipa=/kɔn/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤵ|ipa=/kɔp/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤶ|ipa=/kɔm/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤷ|ipa=/kɔr/}}
|{{letter|l=lif|s=Limbu|color=gold|ch=ᤁᤸ|ipa=/kɔl/}}
|}

Long vowels without a following final consonant are written with a diacritic called ''kemphreng'' {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|᤺}}}}, for example, {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|ᤁ᤺}}}}, {{IPA|/kɔː/}}.

There are two methods for writing long vowels with syllable-final consonants:
# With a ''kemphreng'' diacritic and the final consonant, such as {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|ᤁ᤺ᤰ}}}}, {{IPA|/kɔːk/}}.
# By replacing the final consonant with the corresponding full consonant and adding an underscore-like diacritic mark {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu| ᤻}}}}.  This indicates that the consonant has no following vowel and that the preceding vowel is lengthened,  example, {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|ᤁᤁ᤻}}}}, {{IPA|/kɔːk/}}. The same diacritic may be used to mark final consonants in loanwords that do not have final forms in Limbu, regardless of the length of the vowel.
The first method is widely used in [[Sikkim]]; the second method is advocated by certain writers in [[Nepal]].<ref name="L202055" />

[[Glottalization]] is marked by a sign called ''[[Avagraha|mukphreng]]'' {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|᤹ {{nbsp}}}}}}, for example,  {{angbr|{{Script|Limbu|ᤁ᤹{{nbsp}}}}}}, {{IPA|/kɔʔ/}}.