How do Mongolian letters change according to their position in a word?

In the traditional Mongolian alphabet, letters are not static; they change their shape based on their specific placement within a word. Each letter possesses distinct forms for three positions:

• Initial: The form used at the beginning of a word.
• Medial: The form used when the letter appears in the middle of a word.
• Final: The form used at the end of a word.

This system, which is written in vertical columns from top to bottom and left to right, is a key characteristic of the script derived from the Uyghur writing system. By utilizing these positional variations, the script maintains its flow and structure, a feature that has allowed it to remain a durable and functional medium for Mongolian languages for centuries.12