The Tai Alphabet in India: An Alphabetic and Orthographic Modification for Pali-Tai Transcription

Abstract

The Tai group in India has their own languages and alphabets. After being influenced by foreign languages, the Tai characters needed to be improved to serve the purpose of usage. Therefore, Buddhist literature of the Tai group was transcribed into Pali words.

The Sajjhaya Foundation had written down the Tipitaka by using the Tai Ahom, Tai Phake, and Tai Khamti alphabets in order to inherit Buddhism among the Tai group. The Tipitaka had been recorded by means of the Tai Ahom, Tai Phake, and Tai Khamti orthographies. Furthermore, the Tai letters and orthographies were developed for the purpose of Pali writing.

The alphabetic and orthographic reformation was adding some letters in the third Pali consonant column, the fourth Pali consonant column, and the cerebral consonant row or “t.a” group in order that there were enough consonant sounds as in Pali. Moreover, there was an orthographic adjustment using the symbol "Mai Pad" to correct the pronunciation of the final consonant and consonant cluster sounds. In reading, this orthography might lead to confusion, hence the researcher has modified the consonant clusters into the subscripts for greater clarity.