TheLai Tay script(Vietnamese:Chữ Thái Lai Tay), is a writing system used by theTai Yo peopleofQuỳ Châu District,to write theTai Yo language.
| Lai Tay script | |
|---|---|
 The word "Tai Yo" written in the Lai Tay script | |
| Script type | |
Time period | 16th century[1]– present |
| Direction | Top-to-bottom, right-to-left |
| Languages | Tai Yo |
| Related scripts | |
Parent systems | |
Sister systems | Sukhotai,Khom Thai |
| ISO 15924 | |
| ISO 15924 | Tayo(380),Tai Yo |
Names
editThe Lai Tay script means "the script of the Tai". It is also known by various other names such as theYo Lai Tayscript,[2]Nge An script,Tai Yo script,Thai Lai Tay script,Quy Chau script.[3]
Origin
editThe scholar Ferlus classifies the Lai Tay script as a part of the Khmer family of writing systems, which the scholar divides into two groups: the central scripts consisting of the ancientSukhothaiandFakkhamscripts, which developed into the modernThaiandLaoscripts, and the peripheral scripts of the Tai peoples ofVietnam,which include theTai Dam, Tai Don, Tai Daeng,Lai Tay andLai Pao scripts.[3]Ferlus suggests that theTai peoplesall adopted the same first model of writing borrowed from the Khmers, by simple contact during exchanges, without proper learning. Subsequently, the Tai migrated and occupied a large part of Southeast Asia. The peripheral scripts still retain many characteristics of the primitive Khmer-borrowed script, such as pre-Angkorian sound values of certain letters, a lack of Alpha betical order and a lack of numerals.[3]The scripts used by the Tai peoples of Vietnam arrived there as early as the 16th century.[1]
Characteristics
editThe Lai Tay script has 29 consonants, of which 8 can occur in the syllable final position. The script has 13 vowel signs, which are placed below the consonant for most vowels, or to the right of the consonant for a few other vowels.[3][2]Unlike other Tai writing systems, the Lai Tay script has remained a trueabugida,and consonants written without a vowel sign are pronounced with the inherent vowel <o>, [ɔ].[2]The script contains 9 ligatures for vowel and final consonant combinations.[2]
The script is written vertically from top to bottom and horizontally from right to left on the model ofChinese writing.This innovation, which is unique in southeast Asia, is very well explained by the influence of Chinese writing; Tai scholars found it more convenient, when translating between Tai and Chinese, to adopt the same writing direction for both scripts. The outline of the Lai Tay script is very different from the neighboring scripts and the old type which served as a model for the verticalized type is no longer known.[3]
The Lai Tay script does not contain any tone markers. The script is mostly written without any punctuation marks, but they might be found in some manuscripts, where they are the same as traditionalChinese punctuationmarks. The script does not contain any numerals, and numbers were traditionally spelled out.[2]
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Text in the Lai Tay script -
Excerpt from a Lai Tay manuscript -
Manuscript written in the Lai Tay script
Usage
editThe Lai Tay script is now out of common use, but there are enough manuscripts to allow linguistic study. Some very old Tai Yo scholars can still read the manuscripts.[3]Manuscripts are preserved in both private and in personal collections. The script is now being taught and studied by the Tai Yo community, with the support of the local government and teachers.[2]
Unicode
editThe script has been proposed to be encoded by Unicode.[2]
References
edit- ^abMukdawijitra, Yukti."LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES OF ETHNIC ORTHOGRAPHY IN A MULTILINGUAL STATE: THE CASE OF ETHNIC THÁI ORTHOGRAPHIES IN VIETNAM"(PDF):95.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^abcdefgNguyen, Viet Khoi; Sam, Cong Danh; van de Kasteelen, Frank (13 July 2022)."Preliminary Proposal to encode the Yo Lai Tay Script"(PDF).Retrieved1 September2022.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^abcdefFerlus, Michel (Sep 1999)."Sur l'ancienneté des écritures thai d'origine indo-khmère".
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