Articles

History, structure and origin of the autochtonal scripts for Munda languages

Vostok/Oriens '2018, №3

DOI: 10.31857/S086919080000050-2

 
The article deals with four original scripts for Munda languages invented in the twentieth century by the native speakers of Munda languages. These are the Ol Chiki invented by Raghunath Murmu for Santali language, the Sorang Sompeng invented by Mangei Gomango for Sora, the Warang Chiti invented by Lako Bodra for Ho, and the Bani Hisir invented by Rohidas Singh for Mundari. The invention of three of them is connected wtih religious traditions of Munda tribes, and two inventors—Gomango and Bodra—were also religious reformators. These scripts are of two types. The Ol Chiki and Bani Hisir are alphabets, whereas the two others are intermediate between alphabet and abugida. The author analyzes the structures of the lists of their characters. She makes some suggestions about the origin of these characters. In some cases the author proposes alternative versions of the origins of the Warang Chiti script that was widely examined by H.J. Pinnow. Some characters of the Sorang Sompeng may be compared with the Roman and some Indian scripts. The Bani Hisir looks as if it is influenced by the Ol Chiki and partly by the Warang Chiti character system.

Keywords: Munda languages, original scripts, Ol Ciki, Warang Chiti, Sorang Sompeng, Bani Hisir

Pages: С. 119–132