ISO 15919 explained

ISO 15919 (Transliteration of Devanagari and related Indic scripts into Latin characters) is one of a series of international standards for romanization by the International Organization for Standardization. It was published in 2001 and uses diacritics to map the much larger set of consonants and vowels in Brahmic and Nastaliq scripts to the Latin script.

Overview

ISO 15919 transliterations! ! 7-bit
ISO! Devanagari! Nastaliq! Gurmukhi! Gujarati! Bengali–Assamese! Odia! Tamil! Malayalam! Kannada! Telugu! Sinhala
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اَIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|آIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اِIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اِیIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اُIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اُوIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: ڔّIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اےIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: অ্যা
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اَےIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اوIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|اَوIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ںIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ںIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ہIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|کIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|کھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|گIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|گھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ن٘Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|چIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|چھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|جIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|جھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ڃIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ٹIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ٹھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ڈIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ڈھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: ड़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ڑIndic languages: Indic languages: ড়Indic languages: ଡ଼
Indic languages: ढ़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ڑھIndic languages: ঢ়Indic languages: ଢ଼
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ݨIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|تIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|تھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|دIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|دھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|نIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|پIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|پھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|بIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|بھIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|مIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: র়Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages:
Indic languages: ন়Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|یIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: , য়Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: य़ Indic languages: য়Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|رIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: , Assamese: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: र्‍
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|لIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: لؕIndic languages: ਲ਼Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|وIndic languages: Indic languages: Assamese: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|شIndic languages: ਸ਼Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: ݜIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|سIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ہIndic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages: Indic languages:
Indic languages: क़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|قIndic languages: ਕ਼Indic languages: ક઼Indic languages: ক়
Indic languages: ख़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|خIndic languages: ਖ਼Indic languages: ખ઼Indic languages: খ়
Indic languages: ग़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|غIndic languages: ਗ਼Indic languages: ગ઼Indic languages: গ়
Indic languages: ज़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|زIndic languages: ਜ਼Indic languages: જ઼Indic languages: জ়Indic languages: ಜ಼Indic languages:
Indic languages: फ़ Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|فIndic languages: ਫ਼Indic languages: ફ઼Indic languages: ফ়Indic languages: ಫ಼Indic languages:
व़Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|وব়Indic languages:
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ث
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ص
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ح
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ط
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ع
झ़Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ژঝ়
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ذ
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ض
Indic languages: {{Nastaliq|ظ

Relation to other systems

ISO 15919 is an international standard on the romanization of many Brahmic scripts, which was agreed upon in 2001 by a network of the national standards institutes of 157 countries. However, the Hunterian transliteration system is the "national system of romanization in India" and a United Nations expert group noted about ISO 15919 that "there is no evidence of the use of the system either in India or in international cartographic products."

Another standard, United Nations Romanization Systems for Geographical Names (UNRSGN), was developed by the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN)[1] and covers many Brahmic scripts.

The ALA-LC romanization was approved by the Library of Congress and the American Library Association and is a US standard. The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is not a standard (as no specification exists for it) but a convention developed in Europe for the transliteration of Sanskrit rather than the transcription of Brahmic scripts.

As a notable difference, both international standards, ISO 15919 and UNRSGN[2] transliterate anusvara as , while ALA-LC and IAST use for it. However, ISO 15919 provides guidance towards disambiguating between various anusvara situations (such as labial versus dental nasalizations), which is described in the table below.

The table below shows the differences between ISO 15919, UNRSGN and IAST for Devanagari transliteration.

DevanagariISO 15919UNRSGNIAST Comment
Indic languages: ए / ेeTo distinguish between long and short 'e' in Dravidian languages, 'e' now represents Indic languages: ऎ / ॆ (short). The use of is considered optional in ISO 15919, and using for Indic languages: (long) is acceptable for languages that do not distinguish long and short e.
Indic languages: ओ / ोoTo distinguish between long and short 'o' in Dravidian languages, 'o' now represents Indic languages: ऒ / ॊ (short). The use of is considered optional in ISO 15919, and using for Indic languages: (long) is acceptable for languages that do not distinguish long and short o.
Indic languages: ऋ / ृIn ISO 15919, ṛ is used to represent Indic languages: ड़.
Indic languages: ॠ / ॄFor consistency with r̥
Indic languages: ऌ / ॢIn ISO 15919, ḷ is used to represent Indic languages: .
Indic languages: ॡ / ॣl̤̄For consistency with l̥
Indic languages: ◌ंISO 15919 has two options about anusvāra. (1) In the simplified nasalization option, an anusvāra is always transliterated as . (2) In the strict nasalization option, anusvāra before a class consonant is transliterated as the class nasal— before k, kh, g, gh, ṅ; ñ before c, ch, j, jh, ñ; before ṭ, ṭh, ḍ, ḍh, ṇ; n before t, th, d, dh, n; m before p, ph, b, bh, m.<-- NOTE: http://transliteration.eki.ee/pdf/Hindi-Marathi-Nepali.pdf has an obvious typo, stating "n" before k, etc. http://transliteration.eki.ee/pdf/Malayalam.pdf from the same site correctly says "ṅ" before k, etc. --> is sometimes used to specifically represent the Gurmukhi tippi Indic languages: .
Indic languages: ◌ँVowel nasalization is transliterated as a tilde above the transliterated vowel (over the second vowel in the case of a digraph such as aĩ, aũ), except in Sanskrit.

Font support

Only certain fonts support all Latin Unicode characters for the transliteration of Indic scripts according to this standard. For example, Tahoma supports almost all the characters needed. Arial and Times New Roman font packages that come with Microsoft Office 2007 and later also support most Latin Extended Additional characters like ḍ, ḥ, ḷ, ḻ, ṁ, ṅ, ṇ, ṛ, ṣ and ṭ.

There is no standard keyboard layout for ISO 15919 input but many systems provide a way to select Unicode characters visually. ISO/IEC 14755 refers to this as a screen-selection entry method.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UNGEGN Working Group on Romanization Systems. www.eki.ee. 2017-02-14.
  2. Web site: Differences between ISO 15919 and UNRSGN. March 2016. Working group on Romanization systems. www.eki.ee/wgrs/. 13 February 2017.