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As you know to express our feelings to others and to share something with others we need a means of communication that is language. Punjabi is a language used in Northern region of India and mainly in state of Punjab. Basically a language is the medium through which we express some thoughts to others or with the help of which we convey some information. We can divide any language in two parts. Language used for
For Conversation and
For Writings
For conversation we use the language in which the medium is our ‘mouth’ through which we converse with each other. Although our tongue and nose plays an important role while pronouncing the letters/words of a language.
For writing purposes we express our thoughts in written form using pen/pencil and writing media such as paper or a board. By writing a sequence of words that makes a proper sentence in understandable format to others. In this case all the thoughts are expressed in written only, not verbally. You can express your happiness, sadness, excitement and all the feelings.
For understanding each language or script the basic things required are
Letters/Alphabets (That are the basic building blocks of Language).
Words (Combination of the letters)
Sentences (Combination of the words)
We will explain each of them one by one. Letters are the smallest atomic unit of a language that cannot be further subdivided. The script used for Punjabi is called as Gurmukhi. In this script we have 35 letters. That’s why it was known as Painti but due to the influence of Arabic and Persian languages additional five letters are added to this script making it 40. From last few years Department of Punjabi Language, Patiala has added a new sound making it 41.
To write Punjabi language some ascent signs are mostly used along with the Gurmukhi letters. These letters are known as signs(Swar) of the letters. Although these signs use three letters only but when we use them these comes about to be 10.
When we pronounce any letter from from Gurmukhi, then automatically signs are pronounced. For example when we pronounce a letter. It is a combination of Swar(Vowels) and Consonents(that may not be pronounced without the help of the Vowels.
So due to difference in pronunciation and structural difference we can divide it into four parts.
Vowels: The sounds the pronunciation of which is direct from the throat or that can be pronounced without the use of any other letter.
Consonants: Consonants are the sounds that are pronounced with the striking of different body parts like nose, tongue, throat, teeth and upper portion inside our mouth.
Nasals: Nasal sounds are those during which the sound comes out from nose. There are five nasal letters.
Silent Letters(Dout Akhar): Sometimes during pronunciation two letters give combined sound. To show this combined sound letters are put in the foot of other letters in Punjabi. These letters are called Dout akhar.
Click here to listen a punjabi song,it will help you remember the alphabets easily.
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