# Pollard script

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Abugida used in China

Pollard Pollard Miao, 𖽃𖽔𖾐 𖽑𖼄𖽻𖾐 (A-Hmao, Miao) Miao book in Pollard script, in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum, Kunming, Yunnan, China. Script type Abugida Creator Sam Pollard Period ca. 1936 to the present Direction Left-to-right Languages A-Hmao, Lipo, Sichuan Miao, Nasu Related scripts Parent systems Canadian Aboriginal syllabics Pollard Pollard Miao, 𖽃𖽔𖾐 𖽑𖼄𖽻𖾐 (A-Hmao, Miao) ISO 15924 ISO 15924 Plrd (282), ​Miao (Pollard) Unicode Unicode alias Miao Unicode range U+16F00–U+16F9F This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

**This article contains uncommon [Unicode](/source/Unicode) characters.** Without proper [rendering support](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Multilingual_support#Pollard), you may see [question marks, boxes, or other symbols](/source/Specials_(Unicode_block)#Replacement_character) instead of the intended characters.

The **Pollard script**, also known as **Pollard Miao** ([Chinese](/source/Chinese_language): 柏格理苗文; [pinyin](/source/Pinyin): *Bó Gélǐ Miáo-wén*) or **Miao**, is an [abugida](/source/Abugida) loosely based on the Latin alphabet and invented by [Methodist](/source/Methodism) [missionary](/source/Missionary) [Sam Pollard](/source/Sam_Pollard_(missionary)). Pollard invented the script for use with [A-Hmao](/source/A-Hmao_language), one of several [Miao languages](/source/Miao_languages) spoken in [China](/source/China). The script underwent a series of revisions until 1936, when a translation of the [New Testament](/source/New_Testament) was published using it.

Pollard credited the basic idea of the script to the [Cree syllabics](/source/Cree_syllabics) designed by [James Evans](/source/James_Evans_(linguist)) in 1838–1841: "While working out the problem, we remembered the case of the syllabics used by a Methodist missionary among the Indians of North America, and resolved to do as he had done." He also gave credit to a Chinese pastor: "Stephen Lee assisted me very ably in this matter, and at last we arrived at a system."[1]

The introduction of Christian materials in the script that Pollard invented had a great impact among the [Miao people](/source/Miao_people). Part of the reason was that they had a legend about how their ancestors had possessed a script but lost it. According to the legend, the script would be brought back some day. When the script was introduced, many Miao came from far away to see and learn it.[2][3] Changing politics in [China](/source/China) led to the use of several competing scripts, most of which were [romanizations](/source/Romanization). The Pollard script remains popular among [Hmong people](/source/Hmong_people) in China, although Hmong outside China tend to use one of the alternative scripts. A revision of the script was completed in 1988, which remains in use.

As with most other abugidas, the Pollard letters represent [consonants](/source/Consonant), whereas [vowels](/source/Vowel) are indicated by [diacritics](/source/Diacritic). Uniquely, however, the position of this diacritic is varied to represent [tone](/source/Tone_(linguistics)). For example, in Western Hmong, placing the vowel diacritic above the consonant letter indicates that the syllable has a high tone, whereas placing it at the bottom right indicates a low tone.

## Characters

This section is missing information about Image of letters for those who don't have a Pollard font; description of letters. Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (August 2020)

The script was originally developed for A-Hmao, and adopted early for [Lipo](/source/Lipo_language). In 1949 Pollard adapted it for a group of Miao in [Szechuan](/source/Sichuan), creating a distinct alphabet.[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*][4] There is also a [Nasu](/source/Nasu_language) alphabet using Pollard script.

### Consonants

𖼀 𖼁 𖼂 𖼃 𖼄 PA BA YI PA PLA MA 𖼅 𖼆 𖼇 𖼈 𖼉 MHA ARCHAIC MA FA VA VFA 𖼊 𖼋 𖼌 𖼍 𖼎 TA DA YI TTA YI TA TTA 𖼏 𖼐 𖼑 𖼒 𖼓 DDA NA NHA YI NNA ARCHAIC NA 𖼔 𖼕 𖼖 𖼗 𖼘 NNA NNHA LA LYA LHA 𖼙 𖼚 𖼛 𖼜 𖼝 LHYA TLHA DLHA TLHYA DLHYA 𖼞 𖼟 𖼠 𖼡 𖼢 KA GA YI KA QA QGA 𖼣 𖼤 𖼥 𖼦 𖼧 NGA NGHA ARCHAIC NGA HA XA 𖼨 𖼩 𖼪 𖼫 𖼬 GHA GHHA TSSA DZZA NYA 𖼭 𖼮 𖼯 𖼰 𖼱 NYHA TSHA DZHA YI TSHA YI DZHA 𖼲 𖼳 𖼴 𖼵 𖼶 REFORMED TSHA SHA SSA ZHA ZSHA 𖼷 𖼸 𖼹 𖼺 𖼻 TSA DZA YI TSA SA ZA 𖼼 𖼽 𖼾 𖼿 𖽀 ZSA ZZA ZZSA ZZA ZZYA 𖽁 𖽂 𖽃 𖽄 𖽅 ZZSYA WA AH HHA BRI 𖽆 𖽇 𖽈 𖽉 𖽊 SYI DZYI TE TSE RTE

### Vowels and finals

𖽔 𖽕 𖽖 𖽗 A AA AHH AN 𖽘 𖽙 𖽚 𖽛 ANG O OO WO 𖽜 𖽝 𖽞 𖽟 W E EN ENG 𖽠 𖽡 𖽢 𖽣 OEY I IA IAN 𖽤 𖽥 𖽦 𖽧 IANG IO IE II 𖽨 𖽩 𖽪 𖽫 IU ING U UA 𖽬 𖽭 𖽮 𖽯 UAN UANG UU UEI 𖽰 𖽱 𖽲 𖽳 UNG Y YI AE 𖽴 𖽵 𖽶 𖽷 AEE ERR ROUNDED ERR ER 𖽸 𖽹 𖽺 𖽻 ROUNDED ER AI EI AU 𖽼 𖽽 𖽾 𖽿 OU N NG UOG 𖾀 𖾁 𖾂 𖾃 YUI OG OER VW 𖾄 𖾅 𖾆 𖾇 IG EA IONG UI

### Positioning tone marks

𖾏 𖾐 𖾑 𖾒 RIGHT TOP RIGHT ABOVE BELOW

### Baseline tone marks

𖾓 𖾔 𖾕 𖾖 𖾗 𖾘 𖾙 TONE-2 TONE-3 TONE-4 TONE-5 TONE-6 TONE-7 TONE-8

### Archaic baseline tone marks

𖾚 𖾛 𖾜 𖾝 𖾞 𖾟 REFORMED TONE-1 REFORMED TONE-2 REFORMED TONE-4 REFORMED TONE-5 REFORMED TONE-6 REFORMED TONE-8

## Unicode

Main article: [Miao (Unicode block)](/source/Miao_(Unicode_block))

The Pollard script was first proposed for inclusion in [Unicode](/source/Unicode) by John Jenkins in 1997.[5] It took many years to reach a final proposal in 2010.[6]

It was added to the Unicode Standard in January, 2012 with the release of version 6.1.

The Unicode block for Pollard script, called Miao, is U+16F00–U+16F9F:

Miao[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F U+16F0x 𖼀 𖼁 𖼂 𖼃 𖼄 𖼅 𖼆 𖼇 𖼈 𖼉 𖼊 𖼋 𖼌 𖼍 𖼎 𖼏 U+16F1x 𖼐 𖼑 𖼒 𖼓 𖼔 𖼕 𖼖 𖼗 𖼘 𖼙 𖼚 𖼛 𖼜 𖼝 𖼞 𖼟 U+16F2x 𖼠 𖼡 𖼢 𖼣 𖼤 𖼥 𖼦 𖼧 𖼨 𖼩 𖼪 𖼫 𖼬 𖼭 𖼮 𖼯 U+16F3x 𖼰 𖼱 𖼲 𖼳 𖼴 𖼵 𖼶 𖼷 𖼸 𖼹 𖼺 𖼻 𖼼 𖼽 𖼾 𖼿 U+16F4x 𖽀 𖽁 𖽂 𖽃 𖽄 𖽅 𖽆 𖽇 𖽈 𖽉 𖽊 𖽏 U+16F5x 𖽐 𖽑 𖽒 𖽓 𖽔 𖽕 𖽖 𖽗 𖽘 𖽙 𖽚 𖽛 𖽜 𖽝 𖽞 𖽟 U+16F6x 𖽠 𖽡 𖽢 𖽣 𖽤 𖽥 𖽦 𖽧 𖽨 𖽩 𖽪 𖽫 𖽬 𖽭 𖽮 𖽯 U+16F7x 𖽰 𖽱 𖽲 𖽳 𖽴 𖽵 𖽶 𖽷 𖽸 𖽹 𖽺 𖽻 𖽼 𖽽 𖽾 𖽿 U+16F8x 𖾀 𖾁 𖾂 𖾃 𖾄 𖾅 𖾆 𖾇 𖾏 U+16F9x 𖾐 𖾑 𖾒 𖾓 𖾔 𖾕 𖾖 𖾗 𖾘 𖾙 𖾚 𖾛 𖾜 𖾝 𖾞 𖾟 Notes 1.^As of Unicode version 17.0 2.^Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

## Published sources

- Enwall, Joakim (1994). [*A Myth Become Reality: History and Development of the Miao Written Language, two volumes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=iI0pAQAAIAAJ). Stockholm East Asian Monographs, 5 & 6. Stockholm: Institute of Oriental Languages, Stockholm University. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9789171534231](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789171534231).

- Pollard, Samuel (December 1909). "Gathering up the Fragments". *The United Methodist Magazine*. **2**: 531–35.

- Wen You (1938). "Lun Pollard Script" 論 Pollard Script [Essay on the Pollard Script]. *Xinan Bianjiang* 西南邊疆 [*Southwest frontier region*]. **1**: 43–53.

- Wen You (1951). "Guizhou Leishan xin chu Miaowen canshi chukao" 貴州雷山新出苗文殘石初考 [Preliminary investigation of the Miao writing fragments recently discovered in Leishan, Guizhou]. *Huaxi Wenwu* 華西文物 [*Huaxi University cultural relics*]. Reprinted in Wen You (1985). *Wen You lunji* 聞宥論集 [*Collection of articles by Wen You*]. Beijing: Zhongyang minzu xueyuan keyanchu 中央民族學院科研處 [Scientific research office of the Central Institute for Nationalities]. pp. 62–70.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Pollard, Samuel (1919), *Story of the Miao*, London: Henry Hooks, p. 174

1. **[^](#cite_ref-enwall-nopage_2-0)** Enwall 1994

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Tapp, N. (2011). "The Impact of Missionary Christianity Upon Marginalized Ethnic Minorities: The Case of the Hmong". *Journal of Southeast Asian Studies*. **20**: 70–95. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0022463400019858](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0022463400019858). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1885/22258](https://hdl.handle.net/1885%2F22258).. Republished in Storch, Tanya, ed. (2006). [*Religions and Missionaries around the Pacific, 1500–1900*](https://books.google.com/books?id=rR0GbqNKDzAC&pg=PA296). The Pacific World: Lands, Peoples and History of the Pacific, 1500–1900. Vol. 17. Ashgate Publishing. pp. 289–314. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780754606673](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780754606673). Retrieved 20 July 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Duffy, John M. (2007). *Writing from these roots: literacy in a Hmong-American community*. University of Hawaii Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8248-3095-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8248-3095-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Jenkins, John H. (21 May 1997). ["L2/97-104: Proposal to add Pollard to Unicode/ISO-IEC 10646"](https://www.unicode.org/L2/L1997/97104-Pollard.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 6 August 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["N3789: Final proposal for encoding the Miao script in the SMP of the UCS"](http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/docs/n3789.pdf) (PDF). 26 March 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2014.

## External links

- ["Description of the Pollard script"](http://www.omniglot.com/writing/pollardmiao.htm). Omniglot. Retrieved 2012-01-03.

- [Dingle, Edwin](/source/Edwin_Dingle). ["Across China on Foot"](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/13420/13420-h/13420-h.htm). *Project Gutenberg*. Retrieved November 10, 2023. Dingle describes how Sam Pollard used positioning of vowel marks relative to consonants to indicate [tones](/source/Tone_(linguistics)).

- ["Miao Unicode, Open source font for users of the Miao script"](http://phjamr.github.io/miao.html).

- [Preliminary proposal for additions for Hei Yi to Miao block](https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2023/23198-additions-to-miao-block.pdf)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pollard script](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollard_script) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollard_script?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.