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Writing Systems Technical Resources

Tikamuli

'Sunuwar' in Tikamuli script

Script details

See all script details: code, region, status and more
Code Qa19
Script type abugida
Region Indic
Status Current
Direction LTR
Baseline bottom
Case no
White space unspecified
Complex behaviors diacritics, complex positioning
OpenType code unspecified
ISO 15924 Numeric Code / Key none

Explanation of script details

Script description

Tikamuli is one of two scripts used specifically for writing the Sunuwar language spoken in Nepal and Sikkim.

Read the full description…Tikamuli is used primarily in Nepal, and Sunuwar (or Jenticha) is used primarily in Sikkim. In both places, Sunuwar can also be written in the Devanagari script.

Tikamuli is named after its inventor, Tikaram Mulicha. It is not genetically related to any other scripts, although some letters appear to have been based on the shapes of Limbu and Lepcha letters.

The script is an abugida; every consonant contains an inherent vowel, which can be modified by appending vowel diacritics to the consonant or silenced by adding a virama below the consonant. There is also one independent vowel letter which represents /ə/. Word-initial vowels are written with this letter and a vowel diacritic if appropriate.

Vowel length marks are also used. Any written consonant can carry up to one vowel diacritic and one vowel length mark.

Tikamuli uses script-specific digits from 0-9, and Latin punctuation.

This script is not currently recognized by the ISO 15924 standard, but is included in ScriptSource for research purposes. If you have any information on this script, please add the information to this site. Your contributions can be a great help in refining and expanding the ISO 15924 standard. The Script Encoding Initiative is working to support the inclusion of this script in the standard, and contributions here will support their efforts.

Languages that use this script

There are no known languages that use this script.

Unicode status

The Tikamuli script is not yet in Unicode. The script has a tentative allocation at U+16C80..U+16CBF in the Roadmap to the SMP for the Unicode Standard.

Resources