Talk:Brahmi script

Earliest Evidence for the Brahmi Script

According to this paper by Deraniyagala The word Anuradha in the Brahmi script was found on fragment of a burial urn found in an excavation Pomparippu.

"The Early Iron Age of Sri Lanka, at ca. 1000-500 BC, is referred to as protohistoric since there is no evidence of writing in this period. At ca. 600-500 BC, the first appearance of writing (in Brahmi almost identical to the Asokan script some 200 years later) heralds the commencement of the Early Historic period (Deraniyagala 1992: 739-50). This writing, radiocarbon dated on charcoal and checked by thermoluminescence dating, is inscribed on potsherds signifying ownership. Among the names was Anuradha, which, coincidentally or otherwise, is stated in the ancient chronicles to have been the name of a minister of prince Vijaya, the purported 'founder' leader of the Sinhalese, at ca. 500 BC." ...Deraniyagala

See full text of paper below..

http://www.lankalibrary.com/geo/dera1.html —Preceding unsigned comment added by 158.230.100.102 (talk) 15:19, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

Earliest Evidence for the Brahmi Script

Has somebody counter-checked that single reference for the supposed finds of Brahmi writing as early as the 6th century? Because there is

a) no mention of them in three of the four below quoted sources, namely Norman, von Hinueber and Fussman. b) I can't find further evidence in the internet c) there is no mention neither in the French nor the German Wiki article on the Brahmi script d) such a find would mean a TREMENDOUS scientific sensation as it would push the earliest datable hard evidence fully 3 centuries back, making obsolete thus an scholarly consensus which has endured now for over a century.

I propose to bring up more references or otherwise significantly weaken the proposition of such an early origin of the Brahmi script. Right now, it looks like a dubious, unbacked insertion.

"A glance at the oldest Brāhmī inscriptions shows striking parallels with contemporary Aramaic for a few of the phonemes that are equivalent between the two languages, especially if the letters are flipped to reflect the change in writing direction."

I was comparing the two but could not identify any. Although I did find some characters between Phoenician & Brahmi that matched. Also, I was curious about why, if Brahmi descended from Aramaic, it is not written right to left.

Brahmi developed from Aramaic/Phonecian??!?

This is another example of the gross bias of the editors of Wikipedia and the Eurocentric so-called "scholars" in the west. How on earth can Brahmi be derived from Aramaic and or Phonecian? If the Brahmi numeral system (Hindu numerals) went FROM INDIA to the middle east, how can the language/script of Brahmi be derived from the Middle east? It is rather illogical to suggest that although the numeral system went FROM India westward, the script/language came eastward from the Middle East! The fact that the numerals traveled westward is ample evidence that Brahmi influenced the Semitic languages and even the Phonecian script. Despite the blatant bias and eurocentricity of the article, this scenario should at least be mentioned. Perhaps something like this: "Although the majority of the scholars today suggest that Brahmi was derived from Phonecian and consequently Aramaic, a few contend that the Brahmi script, along with its family of languages influenced the Semitic languages as well as Phoneician, suggesting a westward travel of information analogous to the Brahmi numerals from India."

Blaming Hindutva/Hindu Nationalism isn't going to help here. It's purely and simply logical to suggest that 'as the Brahmi numeral system traveled westward from India, so did the script and/or subset of languages'.

Gratuitous Mention of Hindu Nationalism

I think to mention Hindu nationalism while speaking of theories of origin of Brahmi is not only gratuitous but in bad taste. It is not only some Indian scholars who are convinced that there is preponderant evidence for an indigenous origin of Brahmi, but also prominent Western scholars such as Raymond Allchin (quoted in Jack Goody's The Interface Between the Written and the Oral (C, 1987, pp. 301-302) and G.R. Hunter. And if they are good scholars, I am sure Hindu nationalism is not what has made them reach their position. MarcAurel 04:05, 10 February 2006 (UTC)

Thanks Marc. Blaming Hindu nationalism is quite fashionable these days! deeptrivia (talk) 04:08, 10 February 2006 (UTC)

Brahmi the herb

Isn't Brahmi a herb too - Bacopa Monniera

Yes, I was looking for the herb, too. I added a disambiguation link because of the popularity of the herb. ॐ Priyanath 23:09, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Yes, Brahmi is a herb which is described in Ayurveda as one which improves your mind power & memory. Brahma ( not Brahmaa - one of trinity deva ) is the ultimate power in Hinduism ( see in Hinduism for the proper meaning ). You come near to this Brahma if you eat this herb. That's why the name given to it is Brahmi. Since Branhmi - the herb - improves mind & memory power, then only one can be more receptive to the higher knowledge of this universe.

Technically, it reduces Pitta in the body and cools mind & body.So, mind & memory power increases by this brahmi - the herb.

But why the same is given to a script in India ? Because, previously Sanskrit verses were preserved for centuries by only Oral tradition. But, by writing method one can preserve the knowledge more properly and become knowledgable easily. And, hence the script is also given the name Bramhi - one brings mankind nearer the ultimate Bramha.

Isn't it interesting to know this ? WIN 13:14, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

According to MW, brahmī is a name of Macrognathus pancalus, while brāhmī is a name of Clerodendrum siphonantus, Ruta graveolens, Enhydra hingcha and other plants, and other unrelated things (constellations, ants, fish). They apparently just called stuff brahmi on a whim because it sounded nice. dab (ᛏ) 13:55, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

That is interesting to know the source of the word. Maybe it's worth putting in the article? Gotu Kola, aka Asiatic pennywort, or Centella asiatica, is also sometimes referred to as Brahmi. It gets very confusing in Ayurveda. Bacopa monnieri is the most commonly named 'Brahmi' in Ayurveda, but there's still alot of confusion on websites and articles between the different Brahmis. ॐ Priyanath 14:22, 25 May 2006 (UTC)

"A glance at the oldest Brāhmī inscriptions shows striking parallels with contemporary Aramaic for a few of the phonemes that are equivalent between the two languages, especially if the letters are flipped to reflect the change in writing direction."

I was comparing the two but could not identify any. Although I did find some characters between Phoenician & Brahmi that matched. Also, I was curious about why, if Brahmi descended from Aramaic, it is not written right to left.

Ah, so the herb's name is brahmī while the script's name is Brāhmī. I always whether they were pronounced the same of different. Gizza^{Chat ©} 06:31, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

Why is Brahmi listed under Aramaic?

Since the article itself points to various inconsistencies between Brahmi and Aramaic, why is it still listed under Aramaic on the chart? Since it is a point of contention, this should be put under the Indian language tree, since that is the most visibly connected family. Tu160m 23:55, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

the earliest examples of Brahmi writing

the earliest examples of Brahmi writing, but recent archeological evidence in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, India suggest the dates for the earliest use of Brāhmī to be around the 6th century BC, dated using radiocarbon and thermoluminescence dating methods.

The references do not describe the finding. Who know something more ? It will be good to describe it. Or if this is false remove the secondary or tertiary references. 24.13.244.169 06:26, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

WikiProject class rating

This article was automatically assessed because at least one WikiProject had rated the article as start, and the rating on other projects was brought up to start class. BetacommandBot 17:33, 9 November 2007 (UTC)