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Using Unicode Control Characters With ISE's Font/s

Two Unicode control characters are explained here within relevant DevaNagari text. These Unicode control characters are important for rendering DevaNagari text in general and while typesetting using ISE's font/s (Akhil HE) in particular. These can be used if you want to override the default conjunct formation. I/we have included one of these (ZWJ) in the SuNāgarī (sunaagaree) keyboard (in place of '&', i.e. Shift+7).

• Zero Width Joiner (ZWJ)
• Zero Width Non-Joiner (ZWNJ)

Zero Width Joiner (ZWJ)

In Unicode ZWJ is encoded as character +U200D.

All the DevaNagari Consonants have a inherent vowel 'a'. A dead consonant in DevaNagari is a consonant without an inherent vowel. Normally a dead consonant gets absorbed in a conjunct.

In some cases; we may want to stop a dead consonant from getting absorbed in a conjunct; but do not want the dead consonant to appear as a separate consonant syllable. In such a case, the dead consonant is displayed as explicit half consonant form which generally do not has an explicit (visible) halant. Unicode standard recommends using ZWJ for such cases.

Ex.1

This example shows that normally a dead consonant gets absorbed in a conjunct. त (Ta) + ् (Halant) + त (Ta) = त्त (TTa) In this case the त + ् forms a dead consonant which gets absorbed in the conjunct त्त along-with the base consonant त. If we use ZWJ just after the dead consonant, its half form त्‍ is displayed before the base consonant त. त + ् + ZWJ + त = त्‍त (TTa)

Ex.2

Generally a 'reph' is formed for dead consonant 'Ra'. This reph is placed above the base consonant (य in following case). र (Ra) + ् (Halant) + य (Ya) = र्य (RYa) Now insert ZWJ character in the sequence to get Eyelash-Ra instead of Reph. Eyelash-Ra ( र्‍ ) is a simple dash ( - ) curved upward like an eyelash. Do not confuse it with '='; the upper line is Adhorekhaa (अधोरेखा). It is sometimes required in Marathi and is one of the half forms of र (Ra). र + ् + ZWJ + य = र्‍य (RYa with Eyelash-Ra)

ZWJ is used in our fonts to form alternate forms (conjuncts). This may not be Unicode recommendation! These alternate forms (conjuncts) are generally not preferred in Saral Nāgarī for reasons mentioned below. If some other font keep such forms as regular ones, we may want to remove these ZWJ chars. It will be frustrating if you could not use ZWJ characters in find boxes of your editors); so unless really required do not use these alternate forms! I may be wrong in using ZWJ for this use. I tried to find a control character (in Unicode) for displaying alternate form of adjacent character!

Ex.3	Normally we get the form which are preferred in Saral Nagari. ड (Da) + ् (Halant) + ड (Da) = ड्ड (Saral DDa) To get the conjuncts which are not preferred in Saral Nagari (but present in our font file,) we can use a ZWJ. ड + ् + ZWJ + ड = ड्‍ड (Conjunct DDa)

Some other conjuncts available in our font files are 'ट्‍ट', 'द्‍द', 'ट्‍ठ', 'ड्‍ढ', 'न्‍न' . These conjuncts are formed vertically. These are kept as alternate forms instead of regular forms for two reasons.

• First - To keep text display (rendering) simple ('Saral'). These conjuncts descends too much below the baseline (which is a imaginary line over which all the Latin letters sits). These descended conjuncts requires their own set of below base matras. If we start forming below-base conjuncts we will be making it difficult for a regular reader. Also we have to increase interline spacing (leading) which again is uneconomical (for printing on paper) and typographically less preferred.
• Second - These conjuncts make text less legible at @ smaller point sizes.

We have included those conjuncts (and Akhands) that are common, easily recognizable and simple to draw. We have even slightly modified form of few conjuncts (and Akhands) to make them even more simpler & legible! These modification are within the limits of typographical tolerance.

These conjuncts which we have included in 'Saral Nagari' do not descend too much below base-line and do not make text less legible at @ smaller point sizes on computer screens.

But we have kept (included) some conjuncts in our glyph-set 'Saral Nagari', in case you want any of these forms.

We have modified confusing glyphs of some conjuncts. For example the glyph for 'NNa' conjunct (न+्+न) which is formed in fonts of most foundries can be confused with Conjunct-TRa (त+्+र = त्र)

We have formed two glyphs -
न्न - It is actually a glyph and not two glyphs न्‍ and न. It is formed automatically instead of न्‍ and न as it render better with a one pixel gap between the 2 horizontal stems even at smaller sizes.
न्‍न - It is the unique form that we have designed. It is kept as alternate form.

Note: न्न्र (न+्+न+्+र) should be preferred and not न्‍न्र (न+्+ZWJ+न+्+र). Though I do not know any word that requires such syllable (न+्+न+्+र).

We have designed these two additional glyphs (न्न and न्‍न) even when the default formation न्‍‍न (using न्‍ and न) would have worked to completely address the issue (and satisfy your need. None of these glyphs is confusing and render better.

The formation न्‍‍न is produced with न+्+ZWJ+ZWJ+न. It can be produced with न+्+ZWJ+ZWNJ+न . The first ZWJ is absorbed for formation of न्‍ while the second ZWJ (or ZWNJ) prevents the formation of our alternate form न्‍न. Donot consider न्‍‍न as the third alternative as others will scoff at the code sequence.

So what? do nothing. Just let the saral form न्न render by the sequence न+्+न .

Zero Width Non-Joiner (ZWNJ)

In Unicode ZWNJ is encoded as character +U200C.

ZWNJ is used to exclude dead consonants from forming conjuncts; it generally results in displaying explicit halant. This is recommended by Unicode.

The conjuncts which are formed automatically with our font(s) are as per our concepts (& philosophy!) of Saral Nagari. If you are too choosy; ZWNJ can be used to stop formation of these regular conjuncts and render too simple text (free from conjuncts; even without Rakar and Reph!). Such text can be preferred for writing transliterated text or for indicating phonetics (marking phonemes ?!) better.

Note: ZWNJ is not required as often as ZWJ. Hence ZWNJ is not included in the SuNāgarī keyboard. ZWNJ only gives a bit(!) extra control over glyph rendering.

Ex.1	As we have seen in an example of ZWJ, the Reph is formed when we type Ra followed by Halant as follows. र (Ra) + ् (Halant) + य (Ya) = र्य Inserting ZWNJ in this sequence stops formation of Reph. र + ् + ZWNJ + य = र्‌य Simillarly - द (Da) + ् (Halant) + म (Ma) = द्म while - द + ् + ZWNJ + म = द्‍म
Ex.2	This example shows its use for writing 'Saral' (Simple) & phonetically correct looking text. कंप्यूटर or कम्प्यूटर could be written as - कम्‌प्यूटर (I like this form as it is simpler and correctly indicates phonetics). Simillarly ड्‍डि is better written as ड्‌डि.

If you find any mistake please inform me. My email ID is . I will be re-editing this text in 2025!

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  Updated: Mar 2023