Script (Unicode)

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Armenian script

In Unicode, a script is a collection of letters and other written signs used to represent textual information in one or more writing systems.[1] Some scripts support one and only one writing system and language, for example, Armenian. Other scripts support many different writing systems; for example, the Latin script supports English, French, German, Italian, Vietnamese, Latin itself, and several other languages. Some languages make use of multiple alternate writing systems, thus also use several scripts. In Turkish, the Arabic script was used before the 20th century, but transitioned to Latin in the early part of the 20th century. For a list of languages supported by each script see the list of languages by writing system. More or less complementary to scripts are symbols and Unicode control characters.

The unified diacritical characters and unified punctuation characters frequently have the "common" or "inherited" script property. However, the individual scripts often have their own punctuation and diacritics. So many scripts include not only letters, but also diacritic and other marks, punctuation, numerals and even their own idiosyncratic symbols and space characters.

Unicode 8.0 includes over 80 modern scripts plus over 40 ancient (out of use a thousand years or more) and historic (out of use several hundred years) scripts.[2][3] More scripts are in the process for encoding or have been tentatively allocated for encoding in roadmaps.[4]

Definition and classification

When multiple languages make use of the same script, there are frequently some differences: particularly in diacritics and other marks. For example, Swedish and English both use the Latin script. However, Swedish includes the character ‘å’ (sometimes called a "Swedish O") while English has no such character. Nor does English make use of the diacritic combining circle above for any character. In general the languages sharing the same scripts share many of the same characters. Despite these peripheral differences in the Swedish and English writing systems they are said to use the same Latin script. So the Unicode abstraction of scripts is a basic organizing technique. The differences between different alphabets or writing systems remain and are supported through Unicode’s flexible scripts, combining marks and collation algorithms.

Script versus writing system

"Writing system" is sometimes treated as a synonym for script. However it also can be used as the specific concrete writing system supported by a script. For example the Vietnamese writing system is supported by the Latin script. A writing system may also cover more than one script, for example the Japanese writing system makes use of the Han, Hiragana and Katakana scripts.

Most writing systems can be broadly divided into several categories: logographic, syllabic, alphabetic (or segmental), abugida, abjad and featural; however, all features of any of these may be found in any given writing system in varying proportions, often making it difficult to purely categorize a system. The term complex system is sometimes used to describe those where the admixture makes classification problematic.

Unicode supports all of these types of writing systems through its numerous scripts. Unicode also adds further properties to characters to help differentiate the various characters and the ways they behave within Unicode text processing algorithms.

Special script property values

In addition to explicit or specific script properties Unicode uses three special values:[5]

  • Common: Unicode can assign a character in the UCS to a single script only. However, many characters — those that are not part of a formal natural language writing system or are unified across many writing systems may be used in more than one script. For example, currency signs, symbols, numerals and punctuation marks. In these cases Unicode defines them as belonging to the "common" script (ISO 15924 code "Zyyy").
  • Inherited: Many diacritics and non-spacing combining characters may be applied to characters from more than one script. In these cases Unicode assigns them to the "inherited" script (ISO 15924 code Zinh), which means that they have the same script class as the base character with which they combine, and so in different contexts they may be treated as belonging to different scripts. For example, U+0308  ̈  COMBINING DIAERESIS may combine with either U+0065 e LATIN SMALL LETTER E to create a Latin "ë", or with U+0435 е CYRILLIC SMALL LETTER IE for the Cyrillic "ё". In the former case it inherits the Latin script of the base character whereas in the latter case it inherits the Cyrillic script of the base character.
  • Unknown: The value of "unknown" script (ISO 15924 code Zzzz) is given to unassigned, private use, noncharacter, and surrogate code points.

Character categories within scripts

Unicode provides a general category property for each character. So in addition to belonging to a script every character also has a general category. Typically scripts include letter characters including: uppercase letters, lowercase letter and modifier letters. Some characters are considered titlecase letters for a few precomposed ligatures such as Dz (U+01F2). Such titlecase ligatures are all in the Latin and Greek scripts and are all compatibility characters and therefore Unicode discourages their use by authors. It is unlikely that new titlecase letters will be added in the future.

Most writing systems do not differentiate between uppercase and lowercase letters. For those scripts all letters are categorized as "other letter" or "modifier letter". Ideographs such as Unihan ideographs are also categorized as "other letters". A few scripts do differentiate between uppercase and lowercase however: Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Armenian, Georgian, and Deseret. Even for these scripts there are some letters that are neither uppercase nor lowercase.

Scripts can also contain any other general category character such as marks (diacritic and otherwise), numbers (numerals), punctuation, separators (word separators such as spaces), symbols and non-graphical format characters. These are included in a particular script when they are unique to that script. Other such characters are generally unified and included in the punctuation or diacritic blocks. However, the bulk of characters in any script (other than the common and inherited scripts) are letters.

Table of scripts in Unicode

Unicode defines over a hundred script names (called "Alias" or "Property value alias"), based on the ISO 15924 list. Unicode uses the "Common" script name for ISO 15924's Zyyy (code for undetermined script), "Inherited" for ISO 15924's Zinh (code for inherited script), and "Unknown" for ISO 15924's Zzzz (code for uncoded script). Not used are, among others, the ISO 15924 script codes: Zsym (Symbols) and Zmth (Mathematical notation). These are considered not to be scripts in Unicode sense.

ISO 15924 script codes[a][b] and Unicode[c][d]
ISO 15924 Script in Unicode[e]
Code No. Name Alias[f] Direc­tion Ver­sion Char­acters Remark
Adlm 166 Adlam R-to-L Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[6][7]
Afak 439 Afaka L-to-R Not in Unicode, proposal under review by the Unicode Technical Committee[6]
Aghb 239 Caucasian Albanian Caucasian Albanian L-to-R 7.0 53 Ancient/historic
Ahom 338 Ahom, Tai Ahom Ahom L-to-R 8.0 57 Ancient/historic
Arab 160 Arabic Arabic R-to-L 1.0 1,257
Aran 161 Arabic (Nastaliq variant) R-to-L Typographic variant of Arabic
Armi 124 Imperial Aramaic Imperial Aramaic R-to-L 5.2 31 Ancient/historic
Armn 230 Armenian Armenian L-to-R 1.0 93
Avst 134 Avestan Avestan R-to-L 5.2 61 Ancient/historic
Bali 360 Balinese Balinese L-to-R 5.0 121
Bamu 435 Bamum Bamum L-to-R 5.2 657
Bass 259 Bassa Vah Bassa Vah L-to-R 7.0 36 Ancient/historic
Batk 365 Batak Batak L-to-R 6.0 56
Beng 325 Bengali Bengali L-to-R 1.0 93
Bhks 334 Bhaiksuki L-to-R Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[6]
Blis 550 Blissymbols L-to-R Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Bopo 285 Bopomofo Bopomofo L-to-R 1.0 70
Brah 300 Brahmi Brahmi L-to-R 6.0 109 Ancient/historic
Brai 570 Braille Braille L-to-R 3.0 256
Bugi 367 Buginese Buginese L-to-R 4.1 30
Buhd 372 Buhid Buhid L-to-R 3.2 20
Cakm 349 Chakma Chakma L-to-R 6.1 67
Cans 440 Unified Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics Canadian Aboriginal L-to-R 3.0 710
Cari 201 Carian Carian L-to-R 5.1 49 Ancient/historic
Cham 358 Cham Cham L-to-R 5.1 83
Cher 445 Cherokee Cherokee L-to-R 3.0 172
Cirt 291 Cirth L-to-R Not in Unicode
Copt 204 Coptic Coptic L-to-R 1.0 137 Ancient/historic, Disunified from Greek in 4.1
Cprt 403 Cypriot Cypriot R-to-L 4.0 55 Ancient/historic
Cyrl 220 Cyrillic Cyrillic L-to-R 1.0 434
Cyrs 221 Cyrillic (Old Church Slavonic variant) L-to-R Not in Unicode
Deva 315 Devanagari (Nagari) Devanagari L-to-R 1.0 154
Dsrt 250 Deseret (Mormon) Deseret L-to-R 3.1 80
Dupl 755 Duployan shorthand, Duployan stenography Duployan L-to-R 7.0 143
Egyd 070 Egyptian demotic R-to-L Not in Unicode
Egyh 060 Egyptian hieratic R-to-L Not in Unicode
Egyp 050 Egyptian hieroglyphs Egyptian Hieroglyphs L-to-R 5.2 1,071 Ancient/historic
Elba 226 Elbasan Elbasan L-to-R 7.0 40 Ancient/historic
Ethi 430 Ethiopic (Geʻez) Ethiopic L-to-R 3.0 495
Geok 241 Khutsuri (Asomtavruli and Nuskhuri) Georgian L-to-R Unicode groups Geok and Geor together as "Georgian"
Geor 240 Georgian (Mkhedruli) Georgian L-to-R 1.0 127 For Unicode, see also Geok
Glag 225 Glagolitic Glagolitic L-to-R 4.1 94 Ancient/historic
Goth 206 Gothic Gothic L-to-R 3.1 27 Ancient/historic
Gran 343 Grantha Grantha L-to-R 7.0 85 Ancient/historic
Grek 200 Greek Greek L-to-R 1.0 516
Gujr 320 Gujarati Gujarati L-to-R 1.0 85
Guru 310 Gurmukhi Gurmukhi L-to-R 1.0 79
Hanb 503 Han with Bopomofo (alias for Han + Bopomofo) L-to-R See Hani, Bopo
Hang 286 Hangul (Hangŭl, Hangeul) Hangul L-to-R 1.0 11,739 Hangul syllables relocated in 2.0
Hani 500 Han (Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja) Han L-to-R 1.0 81,734
Hano 371 Hanunoo (Hanunóo) Hanunoo L-to-R 3.2 21
Hans 501 Han (Simplified variant) L-to-R Subset Hani
Hant 502 Han (Traditional variant) L-to-R Subset Hani
Hatr 127 Hatran Hatran R-to-L 8.0 26 Ancient/historic
Hebr 125 Hebrew Hebrew R-to-L 1.0 133
Hira 410 Hiragana Hiragana L-to-R 1.0 91
Hluw 080 Anatolian Hieroglyphs (Luwian Hieroglyphs, Hittite Hieroglyphs) Anatolian Hieroglyphs L-to-R 8.0 583 Ancient/historic
Hmng 450 Pahawh Hmong Pahawh Hmong L-to-R 7.0 127
Hrkt 412 Japanese syllabaries (alias for Hiragana + Katakana) Katakana or Hiragana L-to-R See Hira, Kana
Hung 176 Old Hungarian (Hungarian Runic) Old Hungarian R-to-L 8.0 108 Ancient/historic
Inds 610 Indus (Harappan) R-to-L Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Ital 210 Old Italic (Etruscan, Oscan, etc.) Old Italic L-to-R 3.1 36 Ancient/historic
Jamo 284 Jamo (alias for Jamo subset of Hangul) L-to-R Subset Hang
Java 361 Javanese Javanese L-to-R 5.2 90
Jpan 413 Japanese (alias for Han + Hiragana + Katakana) L-to-R See Hani, Hira and Kana
Jurc 510 Jurchen L-to-R Not in Unicode
Kali 357 Kayah Li Kayah Li L-to-R 5.1 47
Kana 411 Katakana Katakana L-to-R 1.0 300
Khar 305 Kharoshthi Kharoshthi R-to-L 4.1 65 Ancient/historic
Khmr 355 Khmer Khmer L-to-R 3.0 146
Khoj 322 Khojki Khojki L-to-R 7.0 61 Ancient/historic
Kitl 505 Khitan large script L-to-R Not in Unicode
Kits 288 Khitan small script T-to-B Not in Unicode
Knda 345 Kannada Kannada L-to-R 1.0 87
Kore 287 Korean (alias for Hangul + Han) L-to-R See Hani and Hang
Kpel 436 Kpelle L-to-R Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Kthi 317 Kaithi Kaithi L-to-R 5.2 66 Ancient/historic
Lana 351 Tai Tham (Lanna) Tai Tham L-to-R 5.2 127
Laoo 356 Lao Lao L-to-R 1.0 67
Latf 217 Latin (Fraktur variant) L-to-R Typographic variant of Latin
Latg 216 Latin (Gaelic variant) L-to-R Typographic variant of Latin
Latn 215 Latin Latin L-to-R 1.0 1,349 See Latin script in Unicode
Leke 364 Leke L-to-R Not in Unicode
Lepc 335 Lepcha (Róng) Lepcha L-to-R 5.1 74
Limb 336 Limbu Limbu L-to-R 4.0 68
Lina 400 Linear A Linear A L-to-R 7.0 341 Ancient/historic
Linb 401 Linear B Linear B L-to-R 4.0 211 Ancient/historic
Lisu 399 Lisu (Fraser) Lisu L-to-R 5.2 48
Loma 437 Loma L-to-R Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Lyci 202 Lycian Lycian L-to-R 5.1 29 Ancient/historic
Lydi 116 Lydian Lydian R-to-L 5.1 27 Ancient/historic
Mahj 314 Mahajani Mahajani L-to-R 7.0 39 Ancient/historic
Mand 140 Mandaic, Mandaean Mandaic R-to-L 6.0 29
Mani 139 Manichaean Manichaean R-to-L 7.0 51 Ancient/historic
Marc 332 Marchen L-to-R Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[6][7]
Maya 090 Mayan hieroglyphs Not in Unicode
Mend 438 Mende Kikakui Mende Kikakui R-to-L 7.0 213
Merc 101 Meroitic Cursive Meroitic Cursive R-to-L 6.1 90 Ancient/historic
Mero 100 Meroitic Hieroglyphs Meroitic Hieroglyphs R-to-L 6.1 32 Ancient/historic
Mlym 347 Malayalam Malayalam L-to-R 1.0 100
Modi 324 Modi, Moḍī Modi L-to-R 7.0 79 Ancient/historic
Mong 145 Mongolian Mongolian T-to-B 3.0 153 Includes Clear, Manchu scripts
Moon 218 Moon (Moon code, Moon script, Moon type) Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Mroo 199 Mro, Mru Mro L-to-R 7.0 43
Mtei 337 Meitei Mayek (Meithei, Meetei) Meetei Mayek L-to-R 5.2 79
Mult 323 Multani Multani L-to-R 8.0 38 Ancient/historic
Mymr 350 Myanmar (Burmese) Myanmar L-to-R 3.0 223
Narb 106 Old North Arabian (Ancient North Arabian) Old North Arabian R-to-L 7.0 32 Ancient/historic
Nbat 159 Nabataean Nabataean R-to-L 7.0 40 Ancient/historic
Newa 333 Newa, Newar, Newari, Nepāla lipi L-to-R Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[6][7]
Nkgb 420 Nakhi Geba ('Na-'Khi ²Ggŏ-¹baw, Naxi Geba) L-to-R Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Nkoo 165 N’Ko NKo R-to-L 5.0 59
Nshu 499 Nüshu L-to-R Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[8][7]
Ogam 212 Ogham Ogham 3.0 29 Ancient/historic
Olck 261 Ol Chiki (Ol Cemet’, Ol, Santali) Ol Chiki L-to-R 5.1 48
Orkh 175 Old Turkic, Orkhon Runic Old Turkic R-to-L 5.2 73 Ancient/historic
Orya 327 Oriya Oriya L-to-R 1.0 90
Osge 219 Osage L-to-R Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[6][7]
Osma 260 Osmanya Osmanya L-to-R 4.0 40
Palm 126 Palmyrene Palmyrene R-to-L 7.0 32 Ancient/historic
Pauc 263 Pau Cin Hau Pau Cin Hau L-to-R 7.0 57
Perm 227 Old Permic Old Permic L-to-R 7.0 43 Ancient/historic
Phag 331 Phags-pa Phags-pa T-to-B 5.0 56 Ancient/historic
Phli 131 Inscriptional Pahlavi Inscriptional Pahlavi R-to-L 5.2 27 Ancient/historic
Phlp 132 Psalter Pahlavi Psalter Pahlavi R-to-L 7.0 29 Ancient/historic
Phlv 133 Book Pahlavi R-to-L Not in Unicode
Phnx 115 Phoenician Phoenician R-to-L 5.0 29 Ancient/historic
Piqd 293 Klingon (KLI pIqaD) L-to-R Rejected for inclusion in the Unicode Standard[9][10]
Plrd 282 Miao (Pollard) Miao L-to-R 6.1 133
Prti 130 Inscriptional Parthian Inscriptional Parthian R-to-L 5.2 30 Ancient/historic
Qaaa 900 Reserved for private use (start) Not in Unicode
Qaai 908 (Private use) Not in Unicode (Before version 5.2, this was used instead of Zinh)
Qabx 949 Reserved for private use (end) Not in Unicode
Rjng 363 Rejang (Redjang, Kaganga) Rejang L-to-R 5.1 37
Roro 620 Rongorongo Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Runr 211 Runic Runic L-to-R 3.0 86 Ancient/historic
Samr 123 Samaritan Samaritan R-to-L 5.2 61
Sara 292 Sarati Not in Unicode
Sarb 105 Old South Arabian Old South Arabian R-to-L 5.2 32 Ancient/historic
Saur 344 Saurashtra Saurashtra L-to-R 5.1 81
Sgnw 095 SignWriting SignWriting T-to-B 8.0 672
Shaw 281 Shavian (Shaw) Shavian L-to-R 4.0 48
Shrd 319 Sharada, Śāradā Sharada L-to-R 6.1 94
Sidd 302 Siddham, Siddhaṃ, Siddhamātṛkā Siddham L-to-R 7.0 92 Ancient/historic
Sind 318 Khudawadi, Sindhi Khudawadi L-to-R 7.0 69
Sinh 348 Sinhala Sinhala L-to-R 3.0 110
Sora 398 Sora Sompeng Sora Sompeng L-to-R 6.1 35
Sund 362 Sundanese Sundanese L-to-R 5.1 72
Sylo 316 Syloti Nagri Syloti Nagri L-to-R 4.1 44
Syrc 135 Syriac Syriac R-to-L 3.0 77
Syre 138 Syriac (Estrangelo variant) R-to-L Typographic variant of Syriac
Syrj 137 Syriac (Western variant) R-to-L Typographic variant of Syriac
Syrn 136 Syriac (Eastern variant) R-to-L Typographic variant of Syriac
Tagb 373 Tagbanwa Tagbanwa L-to-R 3.2 18
Takr 321 Takri, Ṭākrī, Ṭāṅkrī Takri L-to-R 6.1 66
Tale 353 Tai Le Tai Le L-to-R 4.0 35
Talu 354 New Tai Lue New Tai Lue L-to-R 4.1 83
Taml 346 Tamil Tamil L-to-R 1.0 72
Tang 520 Tangut L-to-R Approved for inclusion in a future version of the Unicode Standard[6][7]
Tavt 359 Tai Viet Tai Viet L-to-R 5.2 72
Telu 340 Telugu Telugu L-to-R 1.0 96
Teng 290 Tengwar L-to-R Not in Unicode
Tfng 120 Tifinagh (Berber) Tifinagh L-to-R 4.1 59
Tglg 370 Tagalog (Baybayin, Alibata) Tagalog L-to-R 3.2 20
Thaa 170 Thaana Thaana R-to-L 3.0 50
Thai 352 Thai Thai L-to-R 1.0 86
Tibt 330 Tibetan Tibetan L-to-R 2.0 207 Added in 1.0, removed in 1.1 and reintroduced in 2.0
Tirh 326 Tirhuta Tirhuta L-to-R 7.0 82
Ugar 040 Ugaritic Ugaritic L-to-R 4.0 31 Ancient/historic
Vaii 470 Vai Vai L-to-R 5.1 300
Visp 280 Visible Speech L-to-R Not in Unicode
Wara 262 Warang Citi (Varang Kshiti) Warang Citi L-to-R 7.0 84
Wole 480 Woleai R-to-L Not in Unicode, proposal in initial/exploratory stage[6]
Xpeo 030 Old Persian Old Persian L-to-R 4.1 50 Ancient/historic
Xsux 020 Cuneiform, Sumero-Akkadian Cuneiform L-to-R 5.0 1,234 Ancient/historic
Yiii 460 Yi Yi L-to-R 3.0 1,220
Zinh 994 Code for inherited script Inherited Inherited 563
Zmth 995 Mathematical notation L-to-R Not a 'script' in Unicode
Zsym 996 Symbols Not a 'script' in Unicode
Zsye 993 Symbols (emoji variant) Not a 'script' in Unicode
Zxxx 997 Code for unwritten documents Not a 'script' in Unicode
Zyyy 998 Code for undetermined script Common 7,179
Zzzz 999 Code for uncoded script Unknown 993,309 All other code points
Notes
  1. ^ ISO 15924 publications As of 17 June 2014
  2. ^ ISO 15924 Normative text file As of 15 November 2014
  3. ^ ISO 15924 Changes (including Aliases for Unicode; as of 2014-11-15)
  4. ^ Unicode version 8.0
  5. ^ Unicode charts
  6. ^ Unicode uses the "Property Value Alias" (Alias) as the script-name. These Alias names are part of Unicode and are published informatively next to ISO 15924

See also

References

  1. ↑ Glossary of Unicode Terms
  2. ↑ Unicode Character Database: Scripts
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ http://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/ Roadmaps to Unicode
  5. ↑ Unicode Standard Annex #24: Unicode Script Property
  6. ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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