Lesson 5

The characters /a/, /ha/ and /ka/: ᯀ and ᯂ

Today we will be learning two new characters: ᯀ /a/ and ᯂ, which represents both /ha/ and /ka/.

Aksara ᯀ (a)

The phoneme [a] is inherent in every consonantal character. But when you want to write a word (or a syllable) with initial [a], then you have to use ᯀ.

In Mandailing, Simalungun, and Toba the value of ᯀ is always /a/, for example in the word asa: ᯁᯘ or in the word siala ᯘᯪᯀᯞ or hais ᯂᯀᯘᯪ᯲

However, in Karo and Pakpak, the value of ᯀ can be either [a] or [ha], for example in anak ᯀᯉᯂ᯳ (child) or in meherga ᯔᯧᯀᯒᯧ᯳ᯞ (expensive). Note that the sign for [ə] goes behind the /ra/ not the /ha/ – more about that later.

Characters ᯂ, ᯄ, ᯃ (ha/ka)

The shape of this character is either ᯂ or ᯄ – but it can also lay somewhere in between. The shape ᯄ is more common in Mandailing whereas Toba, Karo, and Pakpak use ᯂ. In Simalungun, as usual, the strokes are unconnected which results in ᯃ – notice that the two lower strokes also turned horizontal resembling a dash.

In Mandailing, Simalungun, and Toba the value of ᯂ and ᯄ is /ha/ in syllable initial position, for example in the word hata ‘word’ ᯂᯗ, or in aha ‘what’ ᯀᯂ.

It only becomes /ka/ in word- or syllable-final position: ᯄᯞᯄ᯲ (halak – man, human being), ᯞᯂ᯲ᯞᯂ᯲ (laklak – tree bark paper).

In Karo and Pakpak the value of this character is ᯂ /ka/, never /ha/: ᯂᯞᯂ᯳ (kalak – man, human being), ᯂᯗ (kata – word).

That the value of the characters ᯂ and ᯄ is /ha/ in Mandailing, Simalungun, and Toba (“Southern Group”), but /ka/ in Karo and Pakpak (“Northern Group”) makes sense. Mandailing, Simalungun and Toba do not have syllable initial [k]. Karo [k] at the beginning of a word or a syllable always becomes [h] in the southern group of Batak languages as can be seen in the following table.

Flashcards

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