Batak script
Writing system used for several Batak languages
title: "Batak script" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["indonesian-scripts", "brahmic-scripts", "north-sumatra", "batak"] description: "Writing system used for several Batak languages" topic_path: "geography/indonesia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak_script" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Writing system used for several Batak languages ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox writing system"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Surat Batak |
| altname | |
| type | Abugida |
| languages | Batak languages |
| fam1 | Proto-Sinaitic alphabet |
| fam2 | Phoenician alphabet |
| fam3 | Aramaic alphabet |
| fam4 | Brāhmī |
| fam5 | Tamil-Brahmi |
| fam6 | Pallava script |
| fam7 | Kawi script |
| sisters | Direct family relationships is unclear. Sister scripts on hypothesis of common Kawi origin: |
| | time | c. 1300–present | | unicode | U+1BC0–U+1BFF | | iso15924 | Batk | | sample | Surat Batak.svg | | imagesize | 250px | | caption | "Surat Batak" in Toba variant. | ::
| name = Surat Batak | altname = | type = Abugida | languages = Batak languages | fam1 = Proto-Sinaitic alphabet |footnotes= | fam2 = Phoenician alphabet | fam3 = Aramaic alphabet | fam4 = Brāhmī | fam5 = Tamil-Brahmi | fam6 = Pallava script | fam7 = Kawi script | sisters = Direct family relationships is unclear. Sister scripts on hypothesis of common Kawi origin:
Balinese Baybayin scripts Javanese Lontara Makasar Old Sundanese Rencong Rejang | time = c. 1300–present | unicode = U+1BC0–U+1BFF | iso15924 = Batk | sample = Surat Batak.svg | imagesize = 250px | caption = "Surat Batak" in Toba variant.
The Batak script (natively known as Surat Batak (ᯘᯒᯖᯅᯖᯂ), Surat na Sampulu Sia (), or Sisiasia) is a writing system used to write the Austronesian Batak languages spoken by several million people on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The script may be derived from the Kawi and Pallava script, ultimately derived from the Brahmi script of India, or from the hypothetical Proto-Sumatran script influenced by Pallava.
History
The Batak magicians and priests or datu used the Batak script mainly for magical texts and divinatory purposes. It is unknown how many non-specialists were literate in the Batak script, but judging from the widespread tradition of writing love laments, especially among the Karo, Simalungun, and Angkola-Mandailing Batak, it is likely that a considerable part of the non-specialist population was able to read and write the Batak script. After the arrival of Europeans in the Batak lands, first German missionaries and, from 1878 onwards, the Dutch, the Batak script was, alongside the Roman script, taught in the schools, and teaching and religious materials were printed in the Batak script. Soon after the first World War the missionaries decided to discontinue printing books in the Batak script. The script soon fell out of use and is now only used for ornamental purposes.
Origin
The Batak script was probably derived from Pallava and Old Kawi scripts, which ultimately were derived from the Brahmi script, the root of almost all the Indic and Southeast Asian scripts.
Structure
Batak is written from left to right and top to bottom. Like all Brahmi-based scripts, each consonant has an inherent vowel of , unless there is a diacritic (in Toba Batak called pangolat) to indicate the lack of a vowel. Other vowels, final ŋ, and final velar fricative are indicated by diacritics, which appear above, below, or after the letter. For example, ba is written ba (one letter); bi is written ba.i (i follows the consonant); bang is written baŋ (ŋ is above the consonant); and bing is baŋ.i. Final consonants are written with the pangolat (here represented by "#"): bam is ba.ma.#. However, bim is written ba.ma.i.#: the first diacritic belongs to the first consonant, and the second belongs to the second consonant, but both are written at the end of the entire syllable. Unlike most Brahmi-based scripts, Batak does not form consonant conjuncts.
Basic characters
The basic characters are called surat. Each consonant has an inherent vowel of . The script varies by region and language. The major variants are between Karo, Mandailing, Pakpak/Dairi, Simalungun/Timur, and Toba:
::data[format=table] | Simalungun | [[File:Batak A-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=A]] | [[File:Batak Ha-2, Ka-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ha]] | [[File:Batak Ha-2, Ka-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ka]] | [[File:Batak Ba-1.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ba]] | [[File:Batak Pa-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Pa]] | [[File:Batak Wa-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Wa]] | [[File:Batak Ga-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ga]] | [[File:Batak Ra-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ra]] | [[File:Batak Ma-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ma]] | [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ta]] | [[File:Batak Sa-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Sa]] | [[File:Batak Ya-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=Ya]] | [[File:Batak La-2.svg|30px|link=|alt=La]] | [[File:Batak Ca-2, Nya.svg|30px|link=|alt=Nya]] | [[File:Batak Nda.svg|30px|link=|alt=Nda]] | [[File:Batak Mba-1.svg|30px|link=|alt=Mba]] | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ::
Alternate forms: [[File:Batak Na-2.svg|20px|link=|alt=Na]] (used in Mandailing) [[File:Batak Wa-1.svg|20px|link=|alt=Wa]] [[File:Batak Ta-1.svg|20px|link=|alt=Ta]] [[File:Batak Sa-2.svg|20px|link=|alt=Sa]] [[File:Batak Ca-2, Nya.svg|20px|link=|alt=Ca]] [[File:Batak Ba-1.svg|20px|link=|alt=Mba]]
Diacritics
Diacritics are used to change the pronunciation of a character. They can change the vowel from the inherent , mark a final [velar nasal] , mark a final velar fricative , or indicate a final consonant with no vowel:
::data[format=table title="Batak Diacritics"]
| LatinTrans. | Batak Diacritics | LatinTrans. | Batak Diacritics with | Karo | Mand. | Pakp. | Sima. | Toba | Karo | Mand. | Pakp. | Sima. | Toba | -a | ka | -e | ke | -i | ki | -o | ko | -ou | kou | -u | ku | -ng | kang | -h | kah | – | k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:Batak Ha-1, Ka-1.svg | 33px | link= | alt=Ka]] | [[File:Batak Ka-3.svg | 33px | link= | alt=Ka]] | [[File:Batak Ha-1, Ka-1.svg | 33px | link= | alt=Ka]] | [[File:Batak Ha-2, Ka-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ka]] | [[File:Batak Ha-1, Ka-1.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ka]] | ||||||||||||
| [[File:Batak sign E-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]][[File:Batak sign E-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]] | [[File:Batak sign E-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]] | [[File:Batak sign E-3, O-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]][[File:Batak sign E-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]] | [[File:Batak sign E-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]] | [[File:Batak sign E-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-E]] | [[File:Batak Ke-3.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ke]][[File:Batak Ke-1.png | 40px | link= |
| [[File:Batak sign I-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-I]][[File:Batak sign I-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-I]] | [[File:Batak sign I-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-I]] | [[File:Batak sign I-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-I]] | [[File:Batak sign I-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-I]] | [[File:Batak sign I-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-I]] | [[File:Batak Ki-1.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ki]][[File:Batak Ki-2.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ki]] | [[File:Batak Ki (Mandailing).png | 40px |
| [[File:Batak sign E-3, O-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-O]][[File:Batak sign O-3.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-O]] | [[File:Batak sign O-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-O]] | [[File:Batak sign O-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-O]] | [[File:Batak sign O-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-O]] | [[File:Batak sign O-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-O]] | [[File:Batak Ke-2, Ko-2.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ko]][[File:Batak Ko-3.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ko]] | [[File:Batak Ko (Mandailing).png | 40px |
| [[File:Batak sign Ou.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-Ou]] | [[File:Batak Kou (Simalungun).png | 40px | link= | alt=Kou]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Batak sign O-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-U]] | [[File:Batak sign U.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-U]] | [[File:Batak sign U.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-U]] | [[File:Batak sign U.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-U]] | [[File:Batak sign U.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-U]] | [[File:Batak Ko-1, Ku-1.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ku]] | [[File:Batak Ku (Mandailing).png | 40px | link= | alt=Ku]] | [[File:Batak Ku-2.png | 40px | link= | alt=Ku]] |
| [[File:Batak sign Ng.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-Ng]] | [[File:Batak sign Ng.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-Ng]] | [[File:Batak sign Ng.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-Ng]] | [[File:Batak sign Ng.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-Ng]] | [[File:Batak sign Ng.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-Ng]] | [[File:Batak Kang.png | 40px | link= | alt=Kang]] | [[File:Batak Kang (Mandailing).png | 40px | link= | alt=Kang]] | [[File:Batak Kang.png | 40px | link= | alt=Kang]] |
| [[File:Batak sign H.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-H]] | [[File:Batak sign H.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-H]] | [[File:Batak sign H.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-H]] | [[File:Batak Kah.png | 40px | link= | alt=Kah]] | [[File:Batak Kah.png | 40px | link= | alt=Kah]] | [[File:Batak Kah (Simalungun).png | 40px | link= | alt=Kah]] | ||||||||
| [[File:Batak sign mute-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-]] | [[File:Batak sign mute-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-]] | [[File:Batak sign mute-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-]] | [[File:Batak sign mute-2.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-]] | [[File:Batak sign mute-1.svg | 40px | link= | alt=-]] | [[File:Batak K-1 (Karo).svg | 33px | link= | alt=K]] | [[File:Batak K-4 (Mandailing).svg | 48px | link= | alt=K]] | [[File:Batak K-3 (Toba, Pakpak).svg | 36px | link= | alt=K]] |
| :: |
Ligatures with U
The diacritic for U used by Mandailing, Pakpak, Simalungun, and Toba can form ligatures with its base character:
::data[format=table]
| Batak Script | Description |
|---|---|
| [[File:Batak A-1, Ha.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak A-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ha-3.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ha-2, Ka-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ha-1, Ka-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ka-3.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ba-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Pa-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Pa-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Pa-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Na.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Na-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Wa-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Wa-3.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Wa-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ga-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ga-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ja.svg | 30px |
| :: |
| valign="top"|
::data[format=table]
| Batak Script | Description |
|---|---|
| [[File:Batak Da.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ra-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ra-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ma-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ma-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ta-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Sa-1, Ca-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Sa-3.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Sa-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Sa-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ya-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ya-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Nga.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak La-1.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak La-2.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ca-2, Nya.svg | 30px |
| [[File:Batak Ca-4.svg | 30px |
| :: |
|}
Tompi
In Mandailing, the diacritic tompi can be used to change the sound of some characters:
::data[format=table title="tompi"]
| ha | + | tompi | = | ka | sa | + | tompi | = | ca |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:Batak Ha-3.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ha]] | + | [[File:Batak sign tompi.svg | 33px | link= | alt=tompi]] | = |
| [[File:Batak Sa-3.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ha]] | + | [[File:Batak sign tompi.svg | 33px | link= | alt=tompi]] | = |
| :: |
Placement of diacritics for Ng and H
The diacritics for Ng ([[File:Batak sign Ng.svg|30px|link=|alt=-Ng]]) and H ([[File:Batak sign H.svg|30px|link=|alt=-H]]) are usually written above spacing vowel diacritics instead of above the base character.
Examples: [[File:Batak syllable ping.svg|baseline|30px|link=|alt=Ping]] ping, [[File:Batak syllable pong.svg|baseline|30px|link=|alt=Pong]] pong, [[File:Batak syllable peh.svg|baseline|30px|link=|alt=Peh]] peh, and [[File:Batak syllable pih.svg|baseline|30px|link=|alt=Pih]] pih.
Diacritic reordering for closed syllables
Vowel diacritics are reordered for closed syllables (that is, syllables where the final consonant has no vowel). Consonants with no vowel are marked by the Batak pangolat or panongonan diacritic, depending on the language.
When they are used for a closed syllable (like "tip"), both the vowel diacritic and the pangolat or panongonan are written at the end of the syllable.
Examples of closed syllables using pangolat:
::data[format=table title="reordering"]
| ta | + | vowel | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | syllable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ta]] | + | [[File:Batak Pa-1.svg | 30px | ||
| ta | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | tap | ||
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ta]] | + | [[File:Batak sign E-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=-E]] |
| ta | + | e | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | tep |
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ta]] | + | [[File:Batak sign E-1.svg | 30px | link= | alt=-E]] |
| ta | + | e | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | tep |
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ta]] | + | [[File:Batak sign I-1.svg | 30px | link= | alt=-I]] |
| ta | + | i | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | tip |
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ta]] | + | [[File:Batak sign O-1.svg | 30px | link= | alt=-O]] |
| ta | + | o | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | top |
| [[File:Batak Ta-2.svg | 30px | link= | alt=Ta]] | + | [[File:Batak sign U.svg | 30px | link= | alt=-U]] |
| ta | + | u | + | pa | + | pangolat | = | tup |
| :: |
Punctuation and ornaments
Batak is normally written without spaces or punctuation (as scriptio continua). However, special marks or bindu are occasionally used.
They vary greatly in size and design from manuscript to manuscript.
::data[format=table title="bindu"]
| Examples | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
| [[File:Batak bindu na metek-1.svg | center | 30px |
| [[File:Batak bindu na metek-2.svg | center | 30px |
| [[File:Batak bindu pinarboras.svg | center | 30px |
| [[File:Batak bindu judul.svg | center | 30px |
| [[File:Batak bindu pangolat.svg | center | 30px |
| :: |
Unicode
Batak script was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2010 with the release of version 6.0.
The Batak script was registered in Unicode by Uli Kozok, a German scholar of Batak literature. Before being documented by Uli Kozok, there were several versions of the Batak script based on Batak sub-ethnic groups, including Toba, Karo, Simalungun, Mandailing, and Pakpak. Uli succeeded in unifying the Batak script, with minor differences considered as variations.
Currently, the Batak script is listed in Unicode with the status of a limited use script. For its status to be elevated to recommended, evidence must be submitted to Unicode showing that the Batak script is still in use.
Block
Main article: Batak (Unicode block)
The Unicode block for Batak is U+1BC0–U+1BFF:
Gallery
File:Paper Museum in Atlanta 010.JPG|Batak book about the art of divination from a rooster (Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking in Atlanta, Georgia, USA) File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bamboe tabaks- en wichelkoker met Bataks schrift TMnr 512-4.jpg|Batak script carved into a bamboo tube with wooden stopper (Museum of the Tropics in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) File:Bamboo with Batak script.jpg|Bamboo inscribed with Simalungun Batak script (National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, The Netherlands) File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wichelboekje van palmblad TMnr 5991-6.jpg|Batak palm leaf book (Museum of the Tropics in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Wichelboek met formules recepten en voorschriften die worden toegepast door de priester-genezer TMnr 1581-1.jpg|Book of formulas, recipes, and rules applied by Batak priests (Museum of the Tropics in Amsterdam, the Netherlands) File:Book of Wizards Batak Indonesia.jpg|Magic book used by priests of the Toba Batak tribe (National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, The Netherlands) File:Manuscript in Toba-Batak language, central Sumatra, early 1800s - Robert C. Williams Paper Museum - DSC00360.JPG|Manuscript in Batak Toba language, central Sumatra, early 1800s. (Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking in Atlanta, Georgia, USA) File:Batak Pustaha = Magic Book, leaf 73.tif|alt=Batak Pustaha|Batak Pustaha (Magic Book) (SOAS University of London) - entire manuscript viewable online
Notes
Citations
Sources
-
{{Cite book | last = Kozok | first = Uli | title = Surat Batak: Sejarah Perkembangan Tulisan Batak : Berikut Pedoman Menulis Aksara Batak Dan Cap Si Singamangaraja XII | publisher = Gramedia | date = January 2009 | location = Jakarta | language = id | isbn = 978-979-9101-53-2 }}
-
{{Citation | last1 = Everson | first1 = Michael | author1-link = Michael Everson | last2 = Kozok| first2 = Uli | title = N3320R: Proposal for encoding the Batak script in the UCS | date = 7 October 2008 | url = https://www.unicode.org/wg2/docs/n3320.pdf }}
-
{{Cite web | last = Kozok | first = Uli | title = Kursus Kilat Aksara Batak (Quick Course in Batak Script) | language = id | url = http://www.hawaii.edu/indolang/surat/kursus.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20021031234050/http://www.hawaii.edu/indolang/surat/kursus.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 31 October 2002 | access-date = 20 April 2011 }}
References
- Uli Kozok. "Sejarah Aksara Batak".
- Kozok 2009:168.
- Nikson Sinaga (29 Agustus 2025) "Menyelamatkan Aksara lewat Digitalisasi" Kompas. hal 11
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