The Akshara as a Graphematic Unit

The written unit called an akshara is emblematic of several South and South-East Asian writing systems. In its most basic form, an akshara comprises a combination of free and bound written elements, and typically denotes a phonological vowel or a consonant-vowel sequence. Yet, there remain several open questions on the definitional limits of an akshara, leaving the concept somewhat fuzzy. For instance, what phonological values could an akshara potentially have? Conversely, is the phonological value of a written entity sufficient grounds to determine its status as an akshara? Further, if a particular written sequence is pronounced differently in different languages written in the same script, does this impact on the aksharic status of the written entities? Finally, to what extent is the akshara an inherent characteristic of certain writing systems? Is its existence in any way determined by externally imposed orthographic norms and practices? This paper addresses these questions and more in attempting to constrain and define the akshara.