Anatomy of Cells in Balinese Script – A Visual Analysis

By Ida Bagus Adi Sudewa

V 0.1 - March 19th, 2003

A cell is an unbreakable sequence of consonants and vowels. It may consist of a single syllable; but it also can be formed of multiple syllables and vowel signs called conjunct-consonants.

Consonant
This is the simplest one. One syllable has its inherent vowel /a/. The following example shows one word with two cells, each formed by a single syllable

PADA

Consonant + Adegadeg. This form has no inherent sound. It is often called “dead consonant”

DADAP

Consonant + Final Consonant.

WARANG
KARNA
ASAH

Consonant + Vowel

SIRA
BUKA
COLOK

Consonant + Vowel + Final Consonant

PINGPONG

Consonant + Consonant. Actually there are two kind of consonant conjuncts like this.
The first form kills the sound of the preceding consonant.

PAKSA

In the second form, the pronunciation actually starts from the first consonant.

KSAMA

If the two forms can cause confusion, it is recommended to transform the first form into its ADEGADEG form.

PAK SADRA

Consonant + Consonant + Final Consonant.
The first form

KAMPAR

The second form

PRANG

Consonant + Consonant + Vowel
The first form

BHAKTI

The second form

STHITI

Consonant + Consonant + Vowel + Final Consonant
The first form

TAKMUNG

The second form

PRUNGPUNG

Consonant + Consonant + Consonant
The first form, sound started from the third consonant

LAKSMANA

The second form, sound started from the second consonant

CANDRA

The third form, sound started from the first consonant

STRATA

Consonant + Consonant + Consonant + Final Consonant

KEMPLANG

Consonant + Consonant + Consonant + Vowel

STRI
BANGKRUT

Consonant + Consonant + Consonant + Vowel + Final Consonant

STRING

Rule of thumb when stacking consonants, especially for C0 + C1 + C2:

• If C1 is a gempelan, C2 can be any gantungan or gempelan
• If C1 is a gantungan, C2 can be gantungan ya, ra, wa only. And if C2 is gantungan wa, it cannot be attached with SUKU or SUKU ILUT.
• Suku and other below-positioned signs are attached against the last consonant. Ulu and other above-positioned signs are positioned against the last consonant.

When anything more complex than these forms happen, the ADEGADEG sign must be used.

The Balinese script can be so complex to render using computer. But we can reduce the complexities by adopting the following recommendations:

• The horizontal size of gantungan should not exceed the size of the smallest syllable (“PA”)
• The horizontal size of ULU/PEPET/ULU SARI + CECEK/SURANG should not exceed the size of the smallest syllable (“PA”)