Brief Introduction to Kannada Language...

Kannada is one of the major Dravidian languages of India, spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka. People who speak Kannada are called Kannadigas.

The Kannada language is written using the Kannada script. The language uses forty-nine phonemic letters, divided into three groups: Swaragalu (vowels - thirteen letters); Yogavaahakagalu ( Not vowel, Not Consonant, last two letters, am and ah ); and Vyanjanagalu (Consonants - thirty-four letters).

Brief introduction to Kannada language

Vowels (Swaras) Vowels are the independently existing letters which are called Swaras. They are-

ಅ ಆ ಇ ಈ ಉ ಊ ಋ ಎ ಏ ಐ ಒ ಓ ಔ

There are two types of Swaras depending on the time used to pronounce. They are Hrasva Swara and Deerga Swara.

Hrasva Swara

A freely existing independent vowel which can be pronounced in a single matra time (matra kala) also called as a matra. They are-

ಅ ಇ ಉ ಋ ಎ ಐ ಒ ಔ

Deergha Swara A freely existing independent vowel which can be pronounced in two matras. They are-

ಆ ಈ ಊ ಏ ಓ

Anuswaras ಅಂ

Visarga ಅಃ

Avagraha Also called as Plutha, which is used for the third matra either in a consonant or a vowel.

Consonants (Vyanjanas) These are dependent on vowels to take a independent form of the Consonant. These can be divided into Vargeeya and Avargeeya.

Vargeeya Vyanjanas

ಕ್ ಖ್ ಗ್ ಘ್ ಙ್

ಚ್ ಛ್ ಜ್ ಝ್ ಞ್

ತ್ ಥ್ ದ್ ಧ್ ನ್

ಟ್ ಠ್ ಡ್ ಢ್ ಣ್

ಪ್ ಫ್ ಬ್ ಭ್ ಮ್

Avargeeya Vyanjanas

ಯ್ ರ್ ಲ್ ವ್ ಶ್ ಷ್ ಸ್ ಹ್ ಳ್

Basic Language Rule in Kannada

When a dependent consonant combines with an independent vowel, a Akshara is formed.

Consonant (Vyanjana) + Vowel (matra) ---> Letter (Akshara)

Example: ಕ್ + ಅ ---> ಕ

Based on this rule we can combine all the Consonants (Vyanjanas) with the existing Vowels (matra)

to form Kagunitha for Kannada alphabet.

ಕ ಕಾ ಕಿ ಕೀ ಕು ಕೂ ಕೃ ಕೆ ಕೇ ಕೈ ಕೊ ಕೋ ಕೌ ಕಂ ಕಃ

ಖ ಖಾ ಖಿ ಖೀ ಖು ಖೂ ಖೃ ಖೆ ಖೇ ಖೈ ಖೊ ಖೋ ಖೌ ಖಂ ಖಃ

ಗ ಗಾ ಗಿ ಗೀ ಗು ಗೂ ಗೃ ಗೆ ಗೇ ಗೈ ಗೊ ಗೋ ಗೌ ಗಂ ಗಃ

and so on....

Source : http://brahmi.sourceforge.net/