Chakma Maayyaa

It cancels the vowel a consonant would otherwise carry.

Chakma consonants have an inherent vowel: a default sound even when no vowel letter is written. Maayyaa, the Chakma vowel-killer, marks that vowel absent when the consonant ends a syllable or begins a consonant cluster. In text order, the mark follows its consonant; Chakma typography places it above that consonant.

When a vowel sign follows on the same consonant, Maayyaa instead marks gemination—the consonant is doubled before the vowel.

Where does the Chakma script come from?

Chakma writing belongs to the Brahmic family of scripts.

Brahmic scripts are historically linked to Brahmi, an older South Asian writing system. Chakma’s early history also has a connection to Mon-Burmese writing traditions. Traditional Chakma Bijag accounts preserve claims that Brahmi manuscripts were written on palm leaves; a Chakma Autonomous District Council account places written references to Chakma people in the 10th century.

Chakma writing was preserved in practical records of medicinal plants, herbs, and roots. In 2001, an orthographic reform recommended a smaller standard set of consonant conjuncts—spellings that join consonants. Regional practice varies.