Meitei script

File:Yumbanlol (Yumpanlol) - a 6th century Classical Meitei language copper manuscript text - in Meetei script - works on sensuality & relationship between husbands & wives and how to run a household in Ancient Kangleipak civilisation state.jpg copper plate inscriptions, written in Meetei script.]]

Regarding epigraphic records, Meitei script appears in the Yumbanlol (Yumpanlol), composed in the 6th century C.E. It was a group of copper plate inscriptions about an ancient Meitei language literary work.{{Cite web |others=Manuscript Treasures of India, Ministry of Culture, Government of India |title=National Mission of Manuscripts : 88 Vijñānanidhi: m a n |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/34231921/manuscript-treasures-of-india-national-mission-for-manuscripts/88 |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=National Mission of Manuscripts |page=88, 89 |language=en}}{{Cite web |others=Ministry of Culture, Government of India |title=Vijnananidhi |url=https://www.namami.gov.in/flipbook/images/vijnananidhi-page-088.jpg |website=namami.gov.in |page=88, 89}}

The Old Manipuri script also appears on coins issued during the reigns of Meitei Kings, Ura Konthouba (c. 568-653 CE) and Ayangba (c. 821-910 CE). These coins are presently preserved in the Mutua Museum in Imphal.{{Cite book |last=Datta |first=Amaresh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ObFCT5_taSgC&q=Manipur%208th%20century%20copper%20plate%20inscription%20Manipur&pg=PA142 |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature |date=1987 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=978-81-260-1803-1 |pages=142 |language=en}}

The origin of the official script of Manipur is derived from religious book Wakoklon Puya.{{Cite journal |last=Ray |first=Sohini |date=2009 |title=Writing the Body: Cosmology, Orthography, and Fragments of Modernity in Northeastern India |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25488260 |journal=Anthropological Quarterly |volume=82 |issue=1 |pages=129–154|doi=10.1353/anq.0.0047 |jstor=25488260 |quote=The philosophy of the letters is found in a religious manuscript named "Wakoklon Hilel Thilel Salai Amilon Pukok Puya" |issn=0003-5491}} But, there has been some controversy regarding the origin of the Meitei script. The Meitei script is a Brahmic abugida. According to Singh (1962), an archaic form of the script had developed by the 11th century, and it was in use until the early 18th century, when it was replaced by the Bengali script.K.B. Singh, The Meiteis of Manipur (1989 [1962]), [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y0yED5k62TsC&pg=PA157 p. 157]. By contrast, Tomba (1993) claims that the script is a development of {{Circa|1930}}, with all supposedly older documents being deliberate forgeries.Frans Welman, Out of Isolation – Exploring a Forgotten World (2011), [https://books.google.com/books?id=iOV8aaGZERQC&pg=PA468 468f.], citing O.Tomba, The Need to rewrite Manipuri History, Imphal, 1993. According to K.S. Singh and Mahoharan (1993), as per the modifications of the phonemic distributions of Meitei language, the script belongs to the Tibetan group of scripts.

The earliest stone inscription, found in the village of Khoibu, Manipur, is also believed to date to time of Ura Konthouba. This inscription is presently kept in the Manipur State Museum, Imphal.

Another early copper plate Meitei inscription dates to the 8th century CE, inscribed during the reign of King Khongtekcha ({{Circa|721 AD}}). It was discovered by scholar Yumjao from Phayeng in 1935. It is one of the earliest known examples of Meitei literature.{{Cite book |last=Devi |first=Yumlembam Gopi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxqeDwAAQBAJ&q=8th%20century%20copper%20plate%20inscription%20manipur&pg=PA25 |title=Glimpses of Manipuri Culture |date=16 June 2019 |publisher= LP|isbn=978-0-359-72919-7 |pages=25 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Paniker |first=K. Ayyappa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KYLpvaKJIMEC&q=8th%20century%20copper%20plate%20inscription%20manipur&pg=PA325 |title=Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections (Assamese-Dogri) |date=1997 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=978-81-260-0365-5 |pages=325 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sipra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bQQNCU-QWBAC&q=8th%20century%20copper%20plate%20inscription%20manipur&pg=PA28 |title=Tribes and Castes of Manipur: Description and Select Bibliography |date=1992 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-310-0 |pages=28 |language=en}}

A stone inscription found{{year needed|date=April 2019}} at Khoibu in Tengnoupal district, of current Manipur state, contains royal edicts of king Senbi Kiyamba (d. 1508), representing the earliest portion of the Chietharol Kumbaba or Royal Chronicle of Manipur. It is one of the primary texts in the Meitei script.{{cite web| first=Michael| last=Everson| title=Preliminary Proposal for Encoding the Meithei Mayek Script in the BMP of the UCS| website=Unicode| date=20 September 2006| url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2006/06308-n3158-meithei.pdf}}{{Better source needed|date=May 2021}}

File:ANDRO INSCRIBED STONE.jpg stone inscription in Meitei script about a royal decree of a Meitei king found in the sacred site of God Panam Ningthou in Andro, Imphal East, Manipur.]]

File:Meithei manuscript, a Indian language.jpg

In 1980, a modernized version of the writing system was approved by Manipuri law for use in educational institutions.{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/epPageExtractor.asp?src=MeiteiMayek.Approved_Meitei_Mayek%20_Govt_Gazzette_1980.html..|title=Approved Meitei Mayek Govt Gazette 1980|website=e-pao.net|access-date=2019-07-31}}{{cite journal|last1=Devi|first1=S.|date=May 2013|title=Is Manipuri an Endangered Language?|url=http://www.languageinindia.com/may2013/rebikameitheiendangeredfinal.pdf|journal=Language in India|volume=13|issue=5|pages=520–533}} The modernised version of the Meitei script was encoded in Unicode in 2009.

in 2022, a joint meeting consensus of the Meetei Erol Eyek Loinasillol Apunba Lup, the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union and the Editors' Guild, Manipur agreed that Meitei language newspapers would switch from the Bengali script to the Meitei script from 15 January 2023.{{Cite web |title=Meetei Mayek in newspapers |url=https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2022/1/29/IMPHAL-Jan-28-A-resolution-has-been-taken-to-use-Meetei-Mayek-in-place-of-Bengali-script-in-all-n.html |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=www.thesangaiexpress.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Meetei Mayek in newspapers: 29th jan22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines |url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=16..290122.jan22 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=e-pao.net}}{{Cite web |title=Meetei Mayek to Replace Bengali Script in Manipuri Newspapers from 2023 |url=https://www.pratidintime.com/top-stories/meetei-mayek-to-replace-bengali-script-in-all-newspapers-in-manipur-from-jan-2023 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Pratidin Time |date=30 January 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite news |work=HYNews |title=All Bengali script Manipuri Dailies in Manipur to Print in Meitei Eyek (Script) from 15th January 2023 |url=http://hynews.in/article/state/all-bengali-dailies-in-manipur-to-print-in-meitei-eyek-script-from-15th-january-2023/http%3A%2F%2Fhynews.in%2Farticle%2Fstate%2Fall-bengali-dailies-in-manipur-to-print-in-meitei-eyek-script-from-15th-january-2023%2F1399 |access-date=2022-08-03 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=State dailies to cease Bengali script Manipuri papers from Jan, 2023: 29th jan22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines |url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=44..290122.jan22 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=e-pao.net}}

One of the unique features of this script is the use of body parts in naming the letters.{{cite web |title=A comparative study of Meetei Mayek |url=http://www.typoday.in/2011/papers/Neelakash_Meetei-Mayek.pdf |publisher=typoday |access-date=13 May 2019}} Every letter is named after a human body part in the Meitei language. For example, the first letter "kok" means "head"; the second letter "sam" means "hair"; the third letter "lai" means "forehead", and so on.{{Cite web |title=Atlas of Endangered Alphabets: Indigenous and minority writing systems, and the people who are trying to save them. |date=29 November 2018 |url=https://www.endangeredalphabets.net/alphabets/meitei-mayek/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |language=en-US |quote=The Meitei Mayek script has a unique built-in learning device: the use of body parts in naming the letters. Every letter is named after a human body part in the Manipuri. The first letter, "kok" means "head," for example; the second letter, "sam" means "hair"; the third letter "lai" means "forehead."}} This association appears in the book Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya, which details how each script originated received its nomenclature and which is widely considered to be the source of the Meitei script.{{Cite journal|last=Ray|first=Sohini|date=2009|title=Writing the Body: Cosmology, Orthography, and Fragments of Modernity in Northeastern India|journal=Anthropological Quarterly|volume=82|issue=1|pages=129–154|doi=10.1353/anq.0.0047 |jstor=25488260 |s2cid=140755509 |issn=0003-5491}} Some letters have a second form (lonsom) that is used at the end of a word and are used to indicate stop consonants.

File:AMA Symbol of Meetei Sanamahism.jpg) in the symbol of Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion)]]

In the traditional Meitei religion of Sanamahism Meitei letters and numerals are believed to be the creations of the supreme God.{{Cite web |title=Discovery of Kangleipak 11 |url=http://e-pao.net/epPageExtractor.asp?src=MeiteiMayek.Discovery_of_Kangleipak_11.html.. |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=e-pao.net}}{{Cite web |title=Discovery of Kangleipak 12 |url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.History_of_Manipur.Discovery_of_Kangleipak.Discovery_of_Kangleipak_12 |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=e-pao.net}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯖ|ipa=/d͡ʒ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯖꯤꯜ}}|jil|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯆ}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯓ|ipa=/d͡ʒʱ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯓꯝ}}|jham|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯁ}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫣ|ipa=/ɲ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫣ}}|nya|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫤ|ipa=/ʈ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫤ}}|tta|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫥ|ipa=/ʈʰ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫥ}}|ttha|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫦ|ipa=/ɖ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫦ}}|dda|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫧ|ipa=/ɖʱ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫧ}}|ddha|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫨ|ipa=/ɳ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫨ}}|nna|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯗ|ipa=/d/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯗꯤꯜ}}|dil|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯇ}}

|-

|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯙ|ipa=/dʱ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯙꯧ}}|dhou|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯊ}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯕ|ipa=/b/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯕꯥ}}|bā|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯄ}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯚ|ipa=/bʱ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯚꯝ}}|bham|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯐ}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꯔ|ipa=/ɾ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯔꯥꯏ}}|rai|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|ꯂ}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫩ|ipa=/ɕ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫩ}}|sha|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

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|{{Letter|s=Mtei|ch=ꫪ|ipa=/ʂ/}}

|{{langx|mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꫪ}}|ssa|label=none}}

|{{Script|Mtei|}}

|}

In Meitei Mayek, vowels are not listed separately before the consonants, unlike in most Brahmic scripts. Instead, they appear within the main sequence of the script, making it structurally different from scripts like Devanagari.

Independent vowels are used only when a word starts with a vowel, just like in most Indic scripts. Otherwise, vowels appear as diacritics attached to consonants.

Meitei Mayek has seven independent vowel letters, including {{angbr|ꯑ}}, which is used as a default vowel carrier, similar to {{angbr|अ}} in Devanagari:

Examples:

• ꯑꯣꯏ (oina) – ‘like’
• ꯑꯦꯛꯁꯥ (eiksha) – ‘eye’
• ꯑꯨꯄꯥꯜ (upal) – ‘high, above’

Since Meitei Mayek preserves independent vowels, it functions similarly to Brahmic scripts in terms of structure, even though the vowel ordering differs from most Indic alphabets.

Possibly, ꯎ {{IPA|/uː/}} can be used as an alternative to ꯑꯨ (ū). Examples:

• ꯎꯌ (uŋ) meaning "sound" or "noise."
• ꯎꯕ (ub) meaning "to give."

===Vowel diacritics===

Syllables are written by adding vowel diacritics (cheitap eeyek) to consonants.

Meetei Mayek (Meitei script) was added to the Unicode Standard in October, 2009 with the release of version 5.2.

The Unicode block for the Meitei script is U+ABC0 – U+ABFF.

Characters for historical orthographies are part of the Meetei Mayek Extensions block at U+AAE0 – U+AAFF.

{{Unicode chart Meetei Mayek}}

{{Unicode chart Meetei Mayek Extensions}}

{{Main|Meitei input methods}}

File:A Typical Meitei Keyboard.jpg

Meitei Mayek keyboards and other input methods are available at or supported by:

• Gboard
• Apple iOS 13
• Linux
• Macintosh operating systems
• Microsoft SwiftKey
• Windows

• The Living God: Medicine and The Ancient Meetei Civilization, 2015 documentary film

{{Portal|Arts|Asia|Languages|India|Writing}}

• Meitei inscriptions
• List of Meitei-language newspapers
• Meetei Mayek (Unicode block)
• Meetei Mayek Extensions (Unicode block)
• Wikipedia:Meitei script display help
• Bengali–Assamese script
• Bengali alphabet
• Mayek (disambiguation)

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• Chelliah, Shobhana L. (1997). A grammar of Meithei. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. {{ISBN|0-19-564331-3}}.
• Chelliah, Shobhana L. (2002). Early Meithei manuscripts. In C. I. Beckwith (Ed.), Medieval Tibeto-Burman languages: PIATS 2000: Tibetan studies: Proceedings of the ninth seminar of the International Association of Tibetan Studies, Leiden 2000 (pp. 59–71). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.
• Chelliah, Shobhana L. (2002). A glossary of 39 basic words in archaic and modern Meithei. In C. I. Beckwith (Ed.), Medieval Tibeto-Burman languages: PIATS 2000: Tibetan studies: Proceedings of the ninth seminar of the International Association of Tibetan Studies, Leiden 2000 (pp. 189–190). Leiden, Netherlands: Brill.

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/manipuri.htm Omniglot, a guide to written language]
• [https://www.dlpi.mn.gov.in/en/downloads/ MANIPURI FONTS] at Directorate of Language Planning and Implementation

{{list of writing systems}}

Category:Meitei language

Category:Brahmic scripts