Computer literacy and SARAL scripts
Languages and machines
The importance of machines for writing language has
been increasing ever since the introduction of typewriters and printing
machines. Writing any language with the help of a machine is faster and makes
its reading easy. The machines are responsible for clear and cheaper production
of printed material in different languages for wide circulation throughout the
world.
The ordinary machines used for typing and printing can be easily manipulated to
accept any shape or sequence of symbols used for writing a script on a surface.
The use of computers has, however, introduced new elements of handling symbols
for languages through electronic processing. All symbols which are fed into
computers for processing get converted into binary code. After processing, they
are re converted into different shapes for output. The processing inside the
computer is based on rational principles. It would be difficult to process
scripts or languages which are not compatible with the code for characters
commonly used in the central processing unit of the computer.
The processing in computers at present is based on ASCII code which has the
Roman alphabet as the main units for text manipulation. It is, therefore, easier
to process languages which are written in Roman script compared to those written
in other scripts. Word processing programs for Roman characters are in abundance
in the market. Romanaagarii can utilize any word processing program valid for
English.
The increase in the processing speed of computers and their capacity to handle
very large quantity of information has created the possibility and desirability
of faster input of languages. This can be done either through the scanning
process or oral input. While scanning process is now common for texts written in
Roman characters, technology for voice input has not yet fully developed. saral hindI script being based on rational principle of sound symbol correspondence,
and its characters being in Roman script, has the possibility of accepting input
through scanning and may also facilitate oral input through voice recognition.
Computers and writing systems
Recent researches in the field of cognitive psychology have revealed that there
has been a shift of emphasis even in educational practice as far as writing is
concerned. In the 1920s the emphasis was on handwriting skills, in the 1950s it
was on the grammatical quality of the written products, and at present, it is
on the process of writing and knowing the way how to arrive at the end product.
The computer has introduced significant changes in the process of writing. A
computer does not require the conventional method or instrument to make a mark
on a surface. It needs only the skill to recognize symbols on a keyboard so as
to produce similar symbols on the screen. If some voice recognition device is
added to the computer, the keyboard may also be dispensed with.
The transformation of writing after the advent of computers could be compared to
the transformations that took place in different societies after introduction of
script to convert the spoken words into writing. However, in some ways the
changes brought about by computers during the past fifty years are more
startling than the changes brought about by written languages during the past
five thousand years. Computers have introduced a qualitative change in the
technique and art of writing. This technique can be utilized for the promotion
of literacy.
Computers and literacy
Although promotion of literacy is not dependent upon computers, they can
be of great assistance in this task. The following points highlight the
beneficial impact of computers on promotion of literacy:
1. Through interactive programs on computers, learning can be facilitated even
for those who are slow. Computers have infinite patience and learning through
them would be friendlier and less fearful.
2. They are accessible to people in remote areas in which human beings may not
easily reach and stay for long to teach reading and writing. Battery operated
computers may be used at places where electricity is not available or the
availability is precarious. Computers also reduce dependency on schools.
3. With their increased memory, computers can teach a variety of subjects and
cover more areas than a human teacher. The capacity, speed and accuracy of
computers enable a person to achieve many things in a short time which would be
difficult through human efforts. Along with the teaching of languages, computers
could also be used to produce reading material for learning the languages.
4. With the help of uniform script and suitable programs, computers can promote
communication among different parts of the world. They can be helpful in sending
reading material for promotion of literacy from one place to another on global
basis.
5. As an aid to intellectual pursuits, computers support and promote creativity.
By doing the routine, dull and repetitive jobs, computers release the mind for
other useful things. They also accelerate the learning process.
6. Computers can be helpful in teaching handicapped people. There are
possibilities of computers being operated by blind or dumb people through
special programs.
Computer literacy
Apart from being an aid to promote literacy, computers themselves
deserve to be known, understood and used. Computer literacy in modern times is
becoming as important as language literacy. It is being realized that in the
21st century, a person who is ignorant about computers, would be considered
illiterate.
Although computer literacy is ambiguous and has not been explained as precisely
as language literacy, its general goals are considered to be: some knowledge of
computers and their technology; the ability to use a few standard types of
software; some knowledge of computer applications and their use in a variety of
contexts; some knowledge or understanding of the current and future impact of
computers on society; and the ability to write some simple computer programs.
The goals of computer literacy would differ from country to country and depend
upon the existing resources and interest. What is needed is the recognition of
computers as an important factor in the living and working environment of the
modern times and awareness of their impact on technology, culture and thinking.
In the worlds of Bill Gates: "We stand at the brink of another revolution. This
one will involve unprecedentedly inexpensive communication; all computers will
join together to communicate with us and for us. Interconnected globally, they
will form a network, which is being called the information highway. A direct
precursor is the present Internet, which is a group of computers joined and
exchanging information using current technology."
Computer literacy for India
Despite widespread illiteracy in India, there is awareness of modern
science and technology developments in academic, official and business circles.
Due to lack of resources, however, computers have had limited impact in the
country. Their use is now on the increase. There are concerted efforts in some
places even to compete with other countries in hardware and software production.
In his address to the nation on the eve of 58th Independence Day (14 August,
2004), The President of India highlighted the concept of Education for Dignity
of Human life and emphasized Technology Enhanced Education in the country. He
stated: “Constraints of time and space together with the rapid obsolescence of
knowledge in some areas of science and technology, have created a huge demand
for different courses from different institutions in the distance mode. There is
a need for a working digital library system that alone can, in the long run,
provide the kind of access required for a Knowledge Society. Technology Enhanced
Learning is a solution. It attempts to exploit the rapid developments in
Information and Communication Technology. As the communications band-width
continues to increase and the cost of computer power continues to drop,
Technology Enhanced Learning will become an economically viable solution.
Virtual classrooms of the future will have students from many locations taught
by a team of geographically distributed Instructors through tele-education
delivery system.”
Romanaagarii and SARAL Scripts
SARAL means simple, alphabetic, rational approach to
literacy. To understand
SARAL Scripts, we should understand Romanaagarii script which is an attempt to
combine the printing advantages of Roman characters and phonetic merits of
Devanagari script. Romanaagarii is based on the principle of one sound and one
symbol correspondence. Romanaagarii principle can be adopted to represent any
number of symbols required to write any spoken language. However, the exact
number of letters would depend on the total number of sounds used in a language.
Some sounds not represented by a single letter would be represented by two or
more letters placed together in a systematic way.
Romanaagarii script has five basic short vowels [a], [i], [u], [e], and [o] and
corresponding five long vowels [aa], [ii], [uu], [ee], and [oo]. Essentially,
these vowels are commonly used in most languages of the world. There may be some
differences of accent but most vowel sounds could be covered by these ten basic
vowels. As in Devanagari script, the vowels in Romanaagarii script are to be
learnt separately because they have special significance from a phonetic point
of view.
Consonants in Romanaagarii script are similar to English consonants. Some
consonants of the English alphabet having more than one sound are used for only
one specific sound. Some sounds not represented by any letter in the English
alphabet are represented by combination of more than one letters or through use
of a diacritical mark. It is not considered necessary to use the capital
letters. The use of capital letters, however, for different purposes, could be
determined by the type of text used. To make consonant phonemes, vowel [a] is
added to the basic grapheme. This system of writing Devanagari phonemes in Roman
letters is Romanaagarii! The phonemes of Romanaagarii would be as follows:
a/ /aa/ /i/ /ii/ /u/ /uu/
/e/ /ee/ /o/ /oo/ /m’/ /h’/
/ka/ /kha/ /ga/ /gha/ /m’a/
/ca/ /cha/ /ja/ /jha/ /m’a/
/t’a/ /t’ha/ /d’a/ /d’ha/ /n’a/
/ta/ /tha/ /da/ /dha/ /na/
/pa/ /pha/ /ba/ /bha/ /ma/
/ya/ /ra/ /la/ /va/ /sha/ /s’a/ /sa/ /ha/
/‘a/ /k’a/ /k’ha/ /g’a/ /r’a/ /r’ha/ /za/ /fa/ /v’a/
Romanaagarii to SARAL Roman
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) used in computers is
character encoding based on the Roman/English alphabet. ASCII (English)
characters used in computers are as follows:
To use ASCII for the phonemes of Romanaagarii, the capital letters are
substituted by phonemes made of more than one Roman characters. The inherent
vowel [a] is excluded. We call the new fonts based on Romanaagarii as SARAL
Roman fonts and the script as SARAL Roman script.
ASCII for SARAL Roman would be different from the ASCII for Romanaagarii
English. In the ASCII for SARAL Roman, the phoneme made of more than one
character, is considered as one single symbol and the fonts are made
accordingly. For example, [kh] in Romanaagarii requires two strokes on keyboard
but in SARAL Roman, it will require only one stroke.
Romanaagarii uses the fonts commonly used in English, but SARAL Roman uses the fonts specially made for it. It may be noted that there is no difference in the appearance of Romanaagarii and SARAL Roman except the use of [x]. In SARAL Roman, [x] is there but almost invisible. SARAL Roman ASCII and fonts are as follows:
SARAL Ingles
A variation of SARAL Roman is SARAL Ingles (phonetic spelling of English in
Romanaagarii like ingles in Spanish) in which the text is written as suggested
by the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST). It is based on
a standard established by the Congress of Orientalists at Athens in 1912. Those
who are familiar with Sanskrit and Urdu texts (with dots below the letters) may
like this format. SARAL Ingles ASCII and fonts are as follows:
SARAL Roman to SARAL Hindi
To use the SARAL Roman ASCII format for Devanagari or Hindi will be easy because
all the phoneme bases and vowel modifiers are common. However, we have to
alphabetize the Devanagari writing symbols and convert the phonemes (Akshar)
into graphemes (Varn’a). To make Devanagari script alphabetic like Roman script,
we do the following:
-Use only one vowel base and twelve vowel modifiers;
-Make the vowel modifier [i] to follow the base like other vowel modifiers; and
-Remove the line over consonants to make them alphabetic graphemes from phonemic
graphemes.
These measures are based on the suggestions of Hindi scholars and linguists. The
set of Hindi alphabet symbols will have 55 characters or graphemes as follows:
We arrange these symbols in the ASCII to make SARAL Hindi fonts on the pattern of SARAL Roman. SARAL Hindi characters in the format of ASCII will be as follows:
The technique of SARAL Hindi can be applied to any script provided it is
alphabetized, made phonetic, based on phonemes and set in ASCII like SARAL
Roman. What has been done for Hindi, can be done for Urdu, Gujarati, Panjabi
etc. In case of Urdu, however, the difference will be that the text will be
written from right to left instead of left to right.
SARAL Urdu alphabet will be as follows:
SARAL Urdu characters/fonts in the format of ASCII will be as
follows:
SARAL Gujarati alphabet will be as
follows:
SARAL Gujarati characters/fonts in the format of ASCII will be as
follows:
SARAL Panjabi alphabet will be as follows:
SARAL Panjabi characters/fonts in the format of ASCII will be as
follows:
More information on Romanaagarii and SARAL Scripts may be seen in the article “Magic of Romanaagarii and SARAL alphabet”.
Computers and SARAL scripts
All languages of India are phoneme based. For learning to read and write
languages of India one has to familiarize oneself with the phonemes usually
given in tabular form called barakhari. The combination of vowel base and
consonant bases with vowel modifiers in a systematic way facilitates
establishment of accurate relationships between the sounds and symbols. The
total number of phonemes in Hindi being less than 1000, it would be easy to
manipulate them for programming in a computer.
SARAL scripts are computer friendly because they are compatible with standard
ASCII format. All ASCII based text processing programs can be used in computers
for these scripts. SARAL fonts can be used in computer as easily as English
fonts.
Being truly phonetic, SARAL scripts are more suitable for developing voice
recognition programs. The ultimate objective of voice recognition which would
allow computers to understand spoken words and turn them into written script has
been baffling but it could be achieved through the SARAL Scripts. It may be
noted that sounds of 1000 phonemes can be easily stored and manipulated for
voice recognition and articulation.The ultimate objective of voice recognition which
would allow computers to understand spoken words and turn them into written
script has been baffling but it could be achieved through the saral hindI
script. It is not difficult to make a program for reading text written in saral hindI and produce accurate sounds represented by its characters. Such a program
could be based on the logical sequence of instructions for reading characters in
saral hindI .
Hindii and other languages of India are phoneme based while English is syllable
based. This is one factor responsible for difference in pronunciation of English
by an Indian. While learning to read and write Hindi, one has to familiarize
oneself with the phonemes given in tabular form caled barakhari. The combination
of consonants with vowels in a systematic way facilitates to establishment of
accurate relationships between the sounds and shapes of phonemes. The total
number of phonemes in Hindi being around 1000, it would be easy to manipulate
them for programming in a computer.
It may be noticed that sounds of about 1000 phonemes can be easily stored and
manipulated for voice recognition and articulation. This will be more accurate
compared to the identification of words on basis of syllables which will be
numerous, inexact and irregular.
Voice production program based on phonemes would be simple and more accurate.
Phoneme based systems for conversion of text into speech (TTS) programs of
computers follow symbol to sound rules. SARAL Scripts, because of their
sound-symbol correspondence, would support such programs. It is not difficult to
make a program for reading text written in SARAL Scripts and produce accurate
sounds represented by their phonemes. This will be more accurate compared to the
identification of words on basis of syllables which will be numerous, inexact
and irregular.
SARAL scripts can be used for making web page on the Internet. SARAL fonts can
be easily embedded in web pages and downloaded on the computers. Emails can also
be sent in SARAL scripts.
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