Pahawh Hmong

Pahawh Hmong (RPA: Phaj Hauj Hmoob, Pahawh: 𖬖𖬰𖬝𖬵 𖬄𖬶𖬟 𖬌𖬣𖬵; 𖬖𖬲𖬝𖬵 𖬄𖬲𖬟 𖬌𖬣𖬵, pronounced [pʰâ hâu m̥ɔ̃́]; known also as Ntawv Phaj Hauj) is an indigenous semi-syllabic script, invented in 1959 by Shong Lue Yang (RPA: Soob Lwj Yaj; Pahawh Hmong: 𖬌𖬤𖬵 𖬘𖬲𖬞 𖬖𖬲𖬤), to write two Hmong languages, Hmong Daw (Hmoob Dawb/White Miao) and Hmong Njua AKA Mong Leng (Moob Leeg/Green Miao).

Form

Pahawh is written from left to right. Each syllable is written with two letters, an onset (𖬗𖬰𖬞; la, an initial consonant or consonant cluster) and a rime (𖬇𖬤; 𖬇𖬰𖬤; yu, a vowel, diphthong, or vowel plus final consonant). However, the order of these elements is rime-initial, the opposite of their spoken order; that is, each syllable would seem to be written right to left if it were transcribed literally into the Roman alphabet. Pahawh Hmong might therefore be thought of as a vowel-centered abugida; tones and onsets are distinguished by diacritics.

The consonant onset k is not written, so that a rime letter (V) written by itself is read as kV. Nor is the rime au (on mid tone) written, so that an onset letter (C) written by itself is read Cau, except following a bare rime, as otherwise these could be read as a single syllable. The absence of an onset, however, is indicated with a null-onset letter. Again, this is similar to an abugida, but with the roles of consonant and vowel reversed.

For an example of the positional variation, consider the phrase (written in RPA orthography): kuv rau tshais rau koj noj "I serve you breakfast". Since the first word, kuv, starts with a k, it is written as the bare rime uv in Pahawh (𖬆𖬲; 𖬇).