Batak Notable featuresUsed to write: Karo Batak syllabic alphabetVowel diacritics with kaToba Batak syllabic alphabetVowel diacritics with ka Dairi Batak syllabic alphabetVowel diacritics with ka Batak Simalungun syllabic alphabetVowel diacritics with ka Mandaling Batak syllabic alphabetVowel diacritics with kaNoteSample text in BatakTransliterationTranslationSample video in Toba BatakLinksMalayo-Polynesian languagesSyllabic alphabets / abugidas
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(Cakap Karo)Batak Dairi (Pakpak)BatakBatak Simalungun (Sahap Simalungun)Batak Mandailing (Saro Mandailing)Tower of Babel in SimalungThe University of Hawai'i at ManoaInformation about BatakPhrasesNumbersTower of Babelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak_scripthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak_languageshttp://www.hawaii.edu/indolang/surathttp://ulikozok.com/aksara-batak/http://transtoba2.seige.net/http://www.sumatra-indonesia.com/batak.htmhttp://nice-sharing.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/bataks-language.htmlhttp://www.hawaii.edu/indolang/suratOther languages written with the Latin alphabetQ International Keyboardmaking a donationcontributing in other waysSign up to Memrise by 16th September and get a 50% discountCopyrightSimon AgerHosted by Kualo
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Batak
The Batak script, or surat Batak, is sometimes used to write the Batak
languages, which are spoken in the north of Sumatra in Indonesia.
Traditionally the Batak script was only used by datu (priests),
and they used it to write magical texts and calendars.
Batak is thought to be a descendent of the Pallava and Old Kawi scripts,
which ultimately were derived from the Brahmi
script of ancient India. Or it might be a descendent of a hypothetical
Proto-Sumatran script, with Pallava influences.
After Europeans - first German missionaries, then the Dutch - began
visiting Batak-speaking areas from 1878 the Batak script was taught in
schools, along with the Roman alphabet, and teaching and religious material
was published in the script.
Not long after the First World War missionaries decided to stop using the
Batak script in books. Since then the script has been used mainly for
decoration purposes.
Notable features
- Type of writing system: syllabic alphabet - each consonant (aksara) has
an inherent vowel. Other vowels or the absence of vowels can be indicated
using diacritics which appear above, below or after the consonant
letter.
- Direction of writing: traditionally written from bottom to top in vertical columns
running from left to right on strips of bamboo held together with
string.
Used to write:
The Batak languages of northern Sumatra - Batak Karo
(Cakap Karo), Batak Dairi (Pakpak)
Batak, Batak Simalungun (Sahap Simalungun),
Angkola and Batak Mandailing (Saro Mandailing),
and occasionally Malay.
There are slight variations in the letters and vowel diacritics used
to write each language.
Karo Batak syllabic alphabet
Karo Batak is a Malayo-Polynesian language with about 600,000 spoken in
the central and northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Toba Batak syllabic alphabet
Dairi Batak, which is also known as Batak Toba, Batta or Hata Batak Toba is a Malayo-Polynesian
language spoken by about 2 million people in the northern part of the
Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Dairi Batak syllabic alphabet
Dairi Batak, which is also known as Dairi, Pakpak and Pakpak Dairi,
is a Malayo-Polynesian language with about 1.2 million speakers in the northern
part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Batak Simalungun syllabic alphabet
Simalungun or Batak Simalung is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by about
1.2 million people in the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Tower of Babel in Simalung
Mandaling Batak syllabic alphabet
Mandaling Batak or Batta is a Malayo-Polynesian language with about 400,000
speakers in the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Note
The fonts used on this page were created by Dr Uli Kozok
of The University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
Sample text in Batak
Transliteration
Inilah tulisan kita
dibentuk oleh tangan-tangan kita.
Alat-alta kita, sejarah kita.
Kehilangan aksara ini,
bermakna kehilangan diri kita sendir.
Translation
These are our words, shaped
By our hands, our tools,
Our history. Lose them
And we lose ourselves.
Translation and transliteration by Dr Mangantar Napitupulu. Carving and English text by Tim Brookes of endangeredalphabets.com
Sample video in Toba Batak
Information about Batak |
Phrases |
Numbers |
Tower of Babel
Links
Information about the Batak script and languages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak_script
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak_languages
http://www.hawaii.edu/indolang/surat
http://ulikozok.com/aksara-batak/
Batak transliterator
http://transtoba2.seige.net/
Batak phrases
http://www.sumatra-indonesia.com/batak.htm
http://nice-sharing.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/bataks-language.html
Batak fonts
http://www.hawaii.edu/indolang/surat
Malayo-Polynesian languages
Other languages written with the Latin alphabet
Syllabic alphabets / abugidas
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