Origin
The Batak alphabet, or surat batak, is descended ultimately from
the from Brahmi script of ancient India by way of the Pallava and Old
Kawi scripts.
Notable features
- Batak is a syllabic alphabet - each consonant (aksara) has an
inherent vowel. Other vowels or the absence of vowels can be indicated
using diacritics which appear above, below or after the consonant
letter.
- Batak is traditionally written from bottom to top in vertical
columns running from left to right on strips of bamboo held together
with string.
Used to write:
The Batak languages of northern Sumatra - Karo Batak, Toba Batak,
Dairi Batak, Simalungun/Timur, Angkola and Mandailing Batak, and
occasionally Malay. In most Batak communities, only the datu
(priests) are able to read and write the Batak alphabet and they use it
mainly for calendars and magical texts.
There are slight variations in the letters and vowel diacritics used
to write each language.
Karo Batak syllabic alphabet
Karo Batak is an Austronesian language with about 600,000 speaks in the
central and northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Toba Batak syllabic alphabet
Dairi Batak, which is also known as Batak Toba and Batta, is an
Austronesian language spoken by about 2 million people in the northern
part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Dairi Batak syllabic alphabet
Dairi Batak, which is also known as Dairi, Pakpak and Pakpak Dairi, is
an Austronesian language with about 1.2 million speakers in the northern
part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Simalungun/Timur syllabic alphabet
Simalungun, which is also known as Timur and Simelungan, is an
Austronesian language spoken by about 800,000 people in the northern
part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
Mandaling Batak syllabic alphabet
Mandaling Batak or Batta is an Austronesian language with about 400,000
speakers in the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Vowel diacritics with ka
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