Indian Palaeography c18.s3.15

c18.s3.15

Out of the remaining four Aramaic letters, *'ayin* and *ṭeth* have been discarded by Bühler. He derives *kha* from *qoph* and *śa* from *kheth*. Here *kha* is an aspirate, but it is derived separately from the Aramaic, though the other aspirates are formed by the addition of an extra stroke to the unaspirated consonants. The only exception is *tha*, which on no account can be derived from *ta*, but, on the other hand, is connected with the cerebral consonants. It seems that *tha* and the cerebral consonants (except the nasal) are to be derived from *ṭeth*. The original nasal letters are *ma* and *na*. From *na* is formed *ṇa* by extending the head forwards. Bühler says that *ña* consists of 'two *na* joined together'. But this does not appear to be so. This relation is not maintained through all the inscriptions. *Ña* appears to be formed from either *ja* or *jha*, as is perfectly clear from its later form. This same relation exists in Brāhmī.¹ The nasal *ṅa*, seen in the conjuncts *ṅka* and *ṅga* only in the Sanskrit words, appears to be influenced by the Brāhmī form.