Editing Newar language (section)

==Writing systems==
[[File:Pratap inscription.jpg|thumb|200px|Detail of King Pratap Malla's inscription at Kathmandu Durbar Square of 1654&nbsp;AD written in Nepal Lipi.]]
[[File:Ranjana prayer wheels.jpg|thumb|200px|Prayer wheels with the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" in Ranjana script at Swayambhu, Kathmandu.]]
{{Main|Nepal alphabets}}
Nepal Bhasa is currently written in Nepal Lipi, Ranjana Lipi and Devanagari script. The script originally used, ''Nepal Lipi'' or "Nepalese script", fell into disuse at the beginning of the 20th century when writing in the language and the script was banned, which resulted in emergence of Devanagari script.{{Sfn|Tuladhar|2000|p=14}} However, in past decades attempts are being made for revival.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bajracharya |first1=Srizu |title=After being largely replaced by Devanagari, Nepal Bhasa scripts are making a comeback |url=https://kathmandupost.com/art-culture/2019/07/28/after-being-largely-replaced-by-devanagari-nepal-bhasa-scripts-are-making-a-comeback |access-date=16 December 2021 |agency=The Kathmandu Post |archive-date=16 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216134306/https://kathmandupost.com/art-culture/2019/07/28/after-being-largely-replaced-by-devanagari-nepal-bhasa-scripts-are-making-a-comeback |url-status=live }}</ref>

Nepal Lipi, also known as ''Nepal Akha'',<ref>[[Siegfried Lienhard|Lienhard, Siegfried]] (1992). ''Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns.'' New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. {{ISBN|81-208-0963-7}}. Page 2.</ref> emerged in the 10th century. Over the centuries, a number of variants of Nepali Lipi have appeared.

Nepal has been written in a variety of [[abugida]] scripts:
*[[Brahmi script]]
*[[Gupta script]]
*[[Kutila|Kutila script]]
*[[Prachalit script]]
*[[Ranjana script]]
*[[Bhujimol|Bhujinmol script]]
*Kunmol script
*Kwenmol script
*[[Litumol script]]
*Hinmol script
*[[Golmol script]]
*Pachumol script
*Devanagari script

Devanagari is the most widely used script at present, as it is common in Nepal and India. [[Ranjana script]] was the most widely used script to write Classical Nepalese in ancient times. It is experiencing a revival due to the recent rise of cultural awareness. The [[Prachalit script]] is also in use. All used to write Nepal but Devanagari are descended from a script called the [[Nepal script]].{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

===Ranjana alphabet===
Classical Nepalese materials written in Ranjana can be found in present-day Nepal, East Asia, and Central Asia.

====Consonants====
Special consonant in Nepal omitted.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| [[File:Ranjana k.svg|24px]] k क|| [[File:Ranjana kh.svg|24px]] kʰ ख|| [[File:Ranjana g.svg|24px]] g ग|| [[File:Ranjana gh.svg|24px]] gʱ घ|| [[File:Ranjana ng.svg|24px]] ŋ ङ
|-
| [[File:Ranjana c.svg|24px]] t͡ɕ च|| [[File:Ranjana ch.svg|24px]] t͡ɕʰ छ|| [[File:Ranjana j.svg|24px]] d͡ʑ ज|| [[File:Ranjana jh.svg|24px]] d͡ʑʱ झ|| [[File:Ranjana ny.svg|24px]] ɲ ञ
|-
| [[File:Ranjana tt.svg|24px]] ʈ ट|| [[File:Ranjana tth.svg|24px]] ʈʰ ठ|| [[File:Ranjana dd.svg|24px]] ɖ ड|| [[File:Ranjana ddh.svg|24px]] ɖʱ ढ|| [[File:Ranjana nn.svg|24px]] ɳ ण
|-
| [[File:Ranjana t.svg|24px]] t त|| [[File:Ranjana th.svg|24px]] tʰ थ|| [[File:Ranjana d.svg|24px]] d द|| [[File:Ranjana dh.svg|24px]] dʱ ध|| [[File:Ranjana n.svg|24px]] n न
|-
| [[File:Ranjana p.svg|24px]] p प|| [[File:Ranjana ph.svg|24px]] pʰ फ|| [[File:Ranjana b.svg|24px]] b ब|| [[File:Ranjana bh.svg|24px]] bʱ भ|| [[File:Ranjana m.svg|24px]] m म
|-
| [[File:Ranjana y.svg|24px]] y य|| [[File:Ranjana r.svg|24px]] r र|| [[File:Ranjana l.svg|24px]] l ल|| [[File:Ranjana v.svg|24px]] w व|| style="background:#dddddd;"|
|-
| [[File:Ranjana sh.svg|24px]] ɕ श|| [[File:Ranjana ss.svg|24px]] ʂ ष|| [[File:Ranjana s.svg|24px]] s̪ स|| [[File:Ranjana h.svg|24px]] h ह|| style="background:#dddddd;"|
|}

{| class="wikitable" align="center"
|-
| [[File:Ranjana ksh.svg|24px]] kʂ क्ष|| [[File:Ranjana tr.svg|24px]] t̪r त्र|| [[File:Ranjana jny.svg|24px]] d͡ʑɲ ज्ञ
|}

====Vowels====
{{Multiple image|width=270
|image1=Kakaa.JPG|caption1=Vowel diacritics applied to {{IPA|[kə]}}
|image2=Gagaa.JPG|caption2=Vowel diacritics applied to {{IPA|[ɡə]}} 
|image3=Babaa.JPG|caption3=Vowel diacritics applied to {{IPA|[bə]}}}}

There are 3 series of vowel diacritics – the {{IPA|[kə]}}-like system, the {{IPA|[ɡə]}}-like system, and the {{IPA|[bə]}}-like system.
* Use the {{IPA|[kə]}}-like system when applying to {{IPA|[kə]}}, {{IPA|[d͡ʑə]}}, {{IPA|[mʱə]}}, {{IPA|[hʲə]}}, {{IPA|[kʂə]}}, and {{IPA|[d͡ʑɲə]}}
* Use the {{IPA|[ɡə]}}-like system when applying to {{IPA|[ɡə]}}, {{IPA|[kʰə]}}, {{IPA|[ɲə]}}, {{IPA|[ʈʰə]}}, {{IPA|[ɳə]}}, {{IPA|[tʰə]}}, {{IPA|[dʱə]}}, and {{IPA|[ɕə]}}
* Use the {{IPA|[bə]}}-like system when applying to {{IPA|[bə]}}, {{IPA|[ɡʱə]}}, {{IPA|[ŋə]}}, {{IPA|[t͡ɕə]}}, {{IPA|[t͡ɕʰə]}}, {{IPA|[d͡ʑʱə]}}, {{IPA|[ʈə]}}, {{IPA|[ɖə]}}, {{IPA|[ɖʱə]}}, {{IPA|[tə]}}, {{IPA|[də]}}, {{IPA|[nə]}}, {{IPA|[nʱə]}}, {{IPA|[pə]}}, {{IPA|[pʰə]}}, {{IPA|[bə]}}, {{IPA|[bʱə]}}, {{IPA|[mə]}}, {{IPA|[jə]}}, {{IPA|[rə]}}, {{IPA|[hʳə]}}, {{IPA|[lə]}}, {{IPA|[lʱə]}}, {{IPA|[wə]}}, {{IPA|[wʱə]}}, {{IPA|[ʂə]}}, {{IPA|[sə]}}, {{IPA|[hə]}}, {{IPA|[trə]}}

Note that many of the consonants mentioned above (e.g. {{IPA|[bʱə]}}, {{IPA|[ɖʱə]}}, {{IPA|[ɡʱə]}}, etc.) occur only in loan words and mantras.

====Consonant-free vowels====

====Numerals====
{{Main|Newar numerals}}
*The numerals used in Ranjana script are as follows (from 0 to 9):
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| [[File:Ranjana 0.svg|24px]] 0 || [[File:Ranjana 1.svg|24px]] 1 || [[File:Ranjana 2.svg|24px]] 2 ||[[File:Ranjana 3.svg|24px]] 3 || [[File:Ranjana 4.svg|24px]] 4 || [[File:Ranjana 5.svg|24px]] 5 ||[[File:Ranjana 6.svg|24px]] 6 || [[File:Ranjana 7.svg|24px]] 7 || [[File:Ranjana 8.svg|24px]] 8 || [[File:Ranjana 9.svg|24px]] 9
|}

===Devanagari orthography===
Modern Newar is written generally with the Devanagari script, although formerly it was written in the Ranjana and other scripts. The letters of the Nagari alphabet are traditionally listed in the order [[vowel]]s (monophthongs and [[diphthong]]s), [[anusvara]] and [[visarga]], [[stop consonant|stops]] ([[plosive]]s and [[Nasal stop|nasal]]s) (starting in the back of the mouth and moving forward), and finally the [[Liquid consonants|liquid]]s and [[fricative]]s, written in [[IAST]] as follows (see the tables below for details):

:a ā i ī u ū ṛ ṝ ḷ ḹ; e ai o au
:ṃ ḥ
:k kh g gh ṅ; c ch j jh ñ; ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ; t th d dh n; p ph b bh m
:y r l v; ś ṣ s h

Kathmandu Newar does not use ñ for the palatal nasal but instead writes this sound with the ligature {{angle bracket|ny}} as for example in the word ''nyā'' 'five'. Orthographic vowel length (i vs ī and u vs ū) represents a difference of vowel length while the vowels with no orthographic length (a and ā) is indicated with the visarga (e.g. ''khāḥ'' ('''IPA: {{IPA|/kʰaː/}}''') 'is').

====Vowels====
The vowels, called ''mā ākha'' (माआखः), meaning "mother letters", used in Newar are:

{|border="2" class="wikitable" align="center" width="550"
|-
!Orthography||अ ||अः || आ||आः || इ || ई || उ ||  ऊ ||ऋ ||ॠ|| ऌ|| ॡ||   ए||    ऐ ||  ओ ||   औ || अँ||  अं ||  अय्  ||  आय्  ||  एय्
|- align = center
|Roman||a||a:|| aa||aa: || i ||ii|| u || uu  || ri|| rii ||  lri|| lrii ||  e ||  ai || o || au || an || aN||ay||aay||ey
|-align="center"

|}

Even though ऋ, ॠ, ऌ, ॡ are present in Newar, they are rarely used. Instead, some experts suggest including अय् (ay) and आय् (aay) in the list of vowels.<ref>''Nepal Bhasa Wyaakarana'' (page 2) by Tuyubahadur Maharjan, published by Nepal Bhasa Academy</ref>

====Consonants====
The consonants, called ''bā ākha'' (बाआखः), meaning "father letters", used in Newar are:

{|class="wikitable" align="center" width="250"
|-
!|क  || ख   || ग  ||  घ  ||   ङ  ||  ङ्ह
|-align="center"
| {{IPA|/kə/}} || {{IPA|/kʰə/}} || {{IPA|/gə/}} || {{IPA|/gʱə/}} ||{{IPA|/ŋə/}} ||{{IPA|/ŋʱə/}}
|-
!|च  ||  छ ||  ज  ||  झ  ||   ञ || ञ्ह
|-align="center"
| {{IPA|/t͡ɕə/}} || {{IPA|/t͡ɕʰə/}} || {{IPA|/d͡ʑə/}} || {{IPA|/d͡ʑʱə/}} || {{IPA|/ɲə/}} || {{IPA|/ɲʱə/}}
|-
!|ट ||   ठ ||   ड ||   ढ ||   ण || ण्ह
|-align="center" 
| {{IPA|/ʈə/}}|| {{IPA|/ʈʰə/}}|| {{IPA|/ɖə/}}|| {{IPA|/ɖʱə/}}|| {{IPA|/ɳə/}} || {{IPA|/ɳʱə/}}
|-
!|त ||   थ  ||  द ||  ध ||  न || न्ह
|-align="center" 
| {{IPA|/tə/}}|| {{IPA|/tʰə/}}|| {{IPA|/də/}}|| {{IPA|/dʱə/}}||  {{IPA|/nə/}} ||  {{IPA|/nʱə/}}
|-
!|प ||   फ ||   ब ||  भ  ||    म ||  म्ह
|-align="center"
| {{IPA|/pə/}} || {{IPA|/pʰə/}} || {{IPA|/bə/}} || {{IPA|/bʱə/}} ||   {{IPA|/mə/}} || {{IPA|/mʱə/}}
|-
!|य ||ह्य ||   र ||ह्र ||    ल  ||ल्ह ||  व || व्ह 
|-align="center"
|{{IPA|/jə/}}|| {{IPA|/hjə/}} || {{IPA|/rə/}} || {{IPA|/hrə/}} ||   {{IPA|/lə/}} || {{IPA|/lʱə/}} ||  {{IPA|/wə/}}  || {{IPA|/wʱə/}}
|-
!|     श  || ष ||   स  || ह   ||
|-align="center"
|{{IPA|/ɕə/}} || {{IPA|/ʂə/}}||  {{IPA|/sə/}}||  {{IPA|/hə/}}||
|-
! क्ष || त्र ||   ज्ञ ||
|-align="center"
|  {{IPA|/kʂə/}} ||  {{IPA|/t̪rə/}} || {{IPA|/d͡ʑɲə/}} ||
|-
|}

ङ्ह, ञ्ह, ण्ह, न्ह, म्ह, ह्य, ह्र, ल्ह and व्ह are sometimes included in the list of consonants as they have a specific identity in Nepal.

The use of ङ and ञ was very common in the old form of language. However, in the new form, especially in writing, the use of these characters has diminished. The use of ण, त, थ, द, ध, न, श, ष, क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ is limited by the new grammar books to the loan words only.

====Complex/compound consonants====
Besides the consonants mentioned above, combined consonants called ''chinā ākha'' (चिना आखः) are used.

====Numerals====
{{Main|Newari numerals}}
*The same numerals in Devanagari are:
{|class="wikitable" align=center
|-
|+ '''In Devanāgarī'''
|- style="font-size:14pt;"
| ० || १ || २ || ३ || ४
| ५ || ६ || ७ || ८ || ९
|-
| 0 || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4
| 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9
|-
|}

===Romanization===
'''Nepala Bhasa Roman Transliteration (NBRT)''' was introduced in 2021, with some modifications to [[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration]].<ref name="nbrt">{{cite book |last1=Kapali |first1=Rukshana |title=Nepala Bhasa Roman Transliteration (NBRT)|date=13 December 2021 |isbn=978-9937-1-1040-2|url=https://archive.org/details/978-9937-1-1040-2/ |access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>