Nasal markers and geminate symbol are signs added to Gurmukhi characters for the purpose of adding extra sound. In this lesson, we will go over two nasal markers called tippi and bindi, one stress marker (geminate) called Adhak, and conjunct consonants.
Nasal Markers: TIPPI AND BINDI
Tippi ਅੰ — tippi is the downwards-facing semi-circle above ਆ; takes the sound ‘n or ‘m
ਸੰਗ
Bindi ਆਂ — bindi is the dot above ਆ; takes the sound ‘n or ‘m
ਮਾਂ
The two nasal markers bindi and tippi are used with vowel letters to nasalize their sounds. Here are the vowel letters with bindi/tippi attached to them:
| Mukta | Kanna | Sihari | Bihari | Lavan | Dolavan | Aunkard | Dolainkard | Horda | Kanaurda | |
| Vowel letter | ਸੰ | ਸਾਂ | ਸਿੰ | ਸੀਂ | ਸੇਂ | ਸੈਂ | ਜੁੰ | ਵੂੰ | ਡੋਂ | ਡੌਂ |
| Punjabi | ਸੰਗ | ਸਾਂਬਰ | ਸਿੰਗ | ਸੀਂਗ | ਸੇਂਟ | ਸੈਂਡ | ਜੁੰਗ | ਵੂੰਡ | ਡੋਂਟ | ਡੌਂਗ |
| English | Sung | Somber | Sing | Seeing | Saint | Sand | Jung | Wound | Don’t | Daung |
Notice that kanna and sihari are exceptions in that the top bar is not clear. Kanna uses bindi while sihari uses tippi.
In English, nasal markers are added to the following letter. For example, think of the English word “and”. The ‘n sound affects d more than a. In Punjabi, nasal markers are added to the preceding letter. Both of these markers are placed above the letters they follow. Look at the same word “and” but in Punjabi. In Punjabi, it would be written as ਐਂਡ.
Bindi and tippi make the same sounds, but bindi is only used in situations where a tippi cannot be placed above the letter. In other words, if there’s no room for a tippi above the letter, use the bindi instead.
Knowing that, how would we write the word “ounce” in Punjabi? Well, so far we can construct the majority of the word by using ਆ + ਉ + ਸ giving us “ouce”, but what about the missing nasally “n” sound that comes within that? We can’t use ਨ (na) because that would make the word ਆਉਨਸ or “ounace”. We also cannot use a tippi here because there is no room for it above ਉ. Thus, by using a bindi the final word becomes ਆਉਂਸ.
Let’s take a look at a word where tippi would be used instead. We can start constructing the word “since” in Gurmukhi by using ਸਿ + ਸ, giving us “sis”. We can’t use ਨ (na) because that would make the word ਸਿਨਸ or “sinas”. We can avoid using a bindi as there is ample room for a tippi above ਸਿ. As such, we get ਸਿੰਸ or “since”.
In English, we use same letter for both sounds, but in Punjabi, we use bindi/tippi for a nasally n sound and the full n character for when we want to pronounce the full n sound. For example, use bindi/tippi in words like grand
Example 1: transliterate the following words.
1. Pond → ਪਾਂਡ
2. Lamb → ਲੈਂਬ
3. Hand → ਹੈਂਡ
4. Science →ਸਾਇੰਸ
5. Sense → ਸੈਂਸ
Stress Marker (Gemination):
Adhak ਅੱ — adhak is the upwards-facing semi-circle above ਆ
Adhak is a germinator used to reinforce the sound of the consonant that follows. You can think of adhak as being a double letter in English and the stressing of the sound that comes with it. For example, look at the following words in English: Pull and stress. By pronouncing these words out loud, you can hear the difference between them and “pul” and “stres”.
Using an adhak is like pausing right between a word at a certain character, allowing no air to escape, and then proceeding. To stress the sound of a character in a word, place the adhak on the top-left of the letter it is stressing. For example, look at the word ਬਚਾ (bachaa) which means “to save” in Punjabi. Adding an adhak on the top-left of ਬਚਾ makes it ਬੱਚਾ, completing transforming the word. ਬੱਚਾ means child or kid in Punjabi. In ਬਚਾ (bachaa), the first a is barely pronounced while the second a sound is elongated (this second elongated a is called the lamka in Punjabi). In ਬੱਚਾ (bacha), the first a is also barely pronounced while the main emphasis is placed on ch ਚ.
In modern times, adhak is rarely ever written as grammarians have collectively decided that it is implied in some important Punjabi words. For example, ਵਿੱਚ (in), ਅੱਖ (eye) , ਨੱਕ (nose), and ਇੱਕ (one) can all be written without the adhak stress marker.
Take a look at the words “assess” and “census” in Punjabi for more examples.
ਅ +ਸੈੱ + ਸ = ਅਸੈੱਸ = assess
ਗੱ + ਲ = ਗੱਲ = ਗੱਲ
Lastly, the tippi nasal market can also be used as a germinator in rare cases. A prominent exception is ਕੰਮ (work). Without the tippi, it is pronounced exactly the same as the English word “come”, and means “less” in Punjabi and Hindi. With the tippi, the -m sound is much more emphasized.
Example 2: what are the equivalents of these words in English?
1. ਆਉਂਸ → ounce
2. ਸਾਇੰਸ → science
3. ਐਂਬੂਲੈਂਸ → ambulance
4. ਜੰਬੋ → jumbo
5. ਐਕਸੀਡੈਂਟ → accident
Conjunct Consonants
Three consonants are used in Punjabi as conjuncts. They are added to the “foot” of the consonant you wish to change the pronunciation of. These are:
ਹ → ਨ੍ਹ as in ਜਗ੍ਹਾ (‘jagha, place) or ਵਜ੍ਹਾ (‘vajha, reason)
ਰ → ਪ੍ਰ as in ਪ੍ਰੋਫ਼ੈਸਰ (‘professor, professor) or ਪ੍ਰਿੰਟਰ (‘printer, printer)
ਵ → ਸ੍ਵ as in ਸ੍ਵੀਕਾਰ (‘sveekar, accept)
The purpose of conjunct consonants is to add pronunciation variety. For example, if we spell the word ‘professor as ਪਰੋਫੈਸਰ, you would pronounce it as “parofessor” which sounds wrong. As such, when you use conjunct consonants, you don’t hear the syllable -a that usually comes after a character. The two consonant sounds fuse together.
ਵ isn’t really used as a conjunct consonant anymore, so you don’t have to memorize it.
Example 3: write the following words in Punjabi.
1. Professor → ਪ੍ਰੋਫ਼ੈਸਰ
2. Grand → ਗ੍ਰੈਂਡ
3. Swan → ਸ੍ਵਾਨ
4. Drastic → ਡ੍ਰਾਸਟਿਕ
5. Pardh (read) → ਪੜ੍ਹ