Editing Devanagari (section)

=== Conjunct consonants ===
{{main|Devanagari conjuncts}}

[[File:Devanagari ligatures Monier-Williams 1846.png|thumb|300px|Picture with conjuncts from ''An Elementary Grammar of the Sanscrit Language'', page 25, [[Monier Monier-Williams]] (1846).]]

As mentioned, successive consonants lacking a vowel in between them may physically join as a [[conjunct consonant]] or [[Ligature (typography)|ligature]]. When Devanāgarī is used for writing languages other than Sanskrit, conjuncts are used mostly with Sanskrit words and loan words. Native words typically use the basic consonant and native speakers know to suppress the vowel when it is conventional to do so. For example, the native Hindi word {{IAST|karnā}} is written {{lang|hi|करना}} ({{IAST|ka-ra-nā}}).<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |last=Saloman |first=Richard |date=2007 |url=https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/9640 |title=Typological Observations on the Indic Scripts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104170021/https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/9640 |archive-date=4 November 2018 |encyclopedia=The Indic Scripts: Paleographic and Linguistic Perspectives |publisher=D.K. Printworld Ltd. |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-812460406-9 |page=33}}</ref> The government of these clusters ranges from widely to narrowly applicable rules, with special exceptions within. While standardised for the most part, there are certain variations in clustering, of which the [[Unicode]] used on this page is just one scheme. The following are a number of rules:

[[File:Devanagari letter forms.svg|alt=Complete made by CB|thumb|upright=0.9|Few examples of {{lang|inc-Deva|श|size=140%}} consonant clusters.]]

* 24 out of the 36 consonants contain a vertical right stroke ({{lang|inc-Deva|य|size=140%}} {{IAST|ya}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|न|size=140%}} {{IAST|na}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ग|size=140%}} {{IAST|ga}} etc.). As first or middle fragments/members of a cluster (when letters are to be written as half pronounced), they lose that stroke. e.g. {{lang|inc-Deva|त्|size=140%}} + {{lang|inc-Deva|व|size=140%}} = {{lang|inc-Deva|त्व|size=140%}} {{IAST|tva}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ण्|size=140%}} + {{lang|inc-Deva|ढ|size=140%}} = {{lang|inc-Deva|ण्ढ|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṇḍha}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|स्|size=140%}} + {{lang|inc-Deva|थ|size=140%}} = {{lang|inc-Deva|स्थ|size=140%}} {{IAST|stha}}. In Unicode, as in Hindi, these consonants without their vertical stems are called "half forms".<ref name="Unicode ch. 9">{{Cite web |title=The Unicode Standard, chapter 9, South Asian Scripts I |url=https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.0.0/ch09.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803120834/https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode6.0.0/ch09.pdf |archive-date=3 August 2019 |access-date=Feb 12, 2012 |website=The Unicode Standard, v. 6.0 |publisher=Unicode, Inc}}</ref> {{lang|inc-Deva|श|size=140%}} {{IAST|śa}} appears as a different, simple ribbon-shaped fragment preceding {{lang|inc-Deva|व|size=140%}} {{IAST|va}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|न|size=140%}} {{IAST|na}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|च|size=140%}} {{IAST|ca}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ल|size=140%}} {{IAST|la}}, and {{lang|inc-Deva|र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ra}}, causing these second members to be shifted down and reduced in size. Thus {{lang|inc-Deva|श्व|size=140%}} {{IAST|śva}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|श्न|size=140%}} {{IAST|śna}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|श्च|size=140%}} {{IAST|śca}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|श्ल|size=140%}} {{IAST|śla}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|श्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|śra}}, and {{lang|inc-Deva|शृ|size=140%}} {{IAST|śṛi}}.
* {{lang|inc-Deva|र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ra}} as a first member takes the form of a curved upward dash above the final character or its {{IAST|ā-}} diacritic. e.g. {{lang|inc-Deva|र्व|size=140%}} {{IAST|rva}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|र्वा|size=140%}} {{IAST|rvā}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|र्स्प|size=140%}} {{IAST|rspa}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|र्स्पा|size=140%}} {{IAST|rspā}}. In Marathi and Nepali, {{lang|inc-Deva|र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ra}} as a first member of a conjunct also takes on an eyelash form when in front of glides and semivowels. e.g. {{lang|inc-Deva|र्‍य|size=140%}} {{IAST|rya}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|र्‍व|size=140%}} {{IAST|rva}}. As a final member with {{lang|inc-Deva|ट|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṭa}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ठ|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṭha}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ड|size=140%}} {{IAST|ḍa}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ढ|size=140%}} {{IAST|ḍha}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ड़|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṛa}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|छ|size=140%}} {{IAST|cha}}, it is two lines together below the character pointed downwards. Thus {{lang|inc-Deva|ट्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṭra}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ठ्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṭhra}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ड्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ḍra}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ढ्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ḍhra}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|ड़्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|ṛra}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|छ्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|chra}}. Elsewhere as a final member it is a diagonal stroke extending leftwards and down. e.g. {{lang|inc-Deva|क्र ग्र भ्र ब्र|size=140%}}. {{lang|inc-Deva|त|size=140%}} {{IAST|ta}} is shifted up to make the conjunct {{lang|inc-Deva|त्र|size=140%}} {{IAST|tra}}.
* As first members, remaining characters lacking vertical strokes such as {{lang|inc-Deva|द|size=140%}} {{IAST|da}} and {{lang|inc-Deva|ह|size=140%}} {{IAST|ha}} may have their second member, reduced in size and lacking its horizontal stroke, placed underneath. {{lang|inc-Deva|क|size=140%}} {{IAST|ka}}, {{lang|inc-Deva|छ|size=140%}} {{IAST|cha}}, and {{lang|inc-Deva|फ|size=140%}} {{IAST|pha}} shorten their right hooks and join them directly to the following member.
* The conjuncts for {{IAST|kṣa}} and {{IAST|jña}} are not clearly derived from the letters making up their components. The conjunct for {{IAST|kṣa}} is {{lang|inc-Deva|क्ष|size=140%}} ({{lang|inc-Deva|क्|size=140%}} + {{lang|inc-Deva|ष|size=140%}}) and for {{IAST|jña}} it is {{lang|inc-Deva|ज्ञ|size=140%}} ({{lang|inc-Deva|ज्|size=140%}} + {{lang|inc-Deva|ञ|size=140%}}).