The new Draseliq alphabet

Ta da! I'm proud to present the new and revised
Drasel=E9q alphabet.

The writing system is totally phonemic, and is
named _eqalar_ (roughly "roping", from _eq=E1l_
"rope, string". This is because the letters used
to be metal or wood carved signs representing
things on sale on street bazaars. The names of
the letters are sometimes shortened, but the full
forms are names of things sold at the markets.

This alphabet is written from top to bottom and
from left to right. Besides the letters there are
signs to separate words and indicate pauses, and
some other nonstandard ones to quote, emphasize,
etc. The consonants are wide and mostly winding,
while the vowels are small and rounder, and are
made to fit under and around consonant letters.
The effect is vaguely reminiscent of Arabic with
the vowels written.

Unfortunately I have no web access now and I can't
update my old pages :-( but there *is* an almost
correct sample of eqalar at

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/1021/draseleq.html

or around there, with the old "random" letter names.

Well, here are the names of the letters,=20
in the traditional order:

(=E1=E9=ED=F3=FA =3D aeiou with accute, stressed;
 =E0=E8=EC=F2=F9 =3D aeiou with grave, long;
 =E4 =FC =3D a u with diaeresis, /&/ and /y/;
 qg =3D voiced uvular stop
 th, dh =3D /T/, /D/
 r flap, rr trill.)

idan "wing" (bird wings)
mien "water"
ft=F2g "nut" (or a similar hard-shell fruit)
paol "coat" (or cloak, etc.)
banth "sheep" (not sheep but sheep meat)
=E4hor "fat" (animal fat)
dhu=E0i (a thing like a lion's tail; ornamental)
tharun "tea"
t=F9lk "cane" (bamboo)
esm (a big metal "nail" to split things or carve stone, English?)
dorth "alcohol" (more like "booze"!)
niason "honey"
sefel "milk" (and diary products)
apas "palm leaf" (don't ask)
liomur "bed" (formerly any resting surface)
raian (a vegetal fibre used to make baskets)
rreom "(fishing) net"=20
okal "cherry" (little fruits)
kasal "wheat" (mainly seeds)
gal "gold" (maybe gold ornaments, or maybe a prestamist's)
un=EDm "snail" (usually to eat <agh>)
vadnai "screen" (a paper articulated barrier, English?)
hilas "weed" (not smoking, but probably for burning and/or inhaling)
=FCs=F3k "bush" (little branches in big packs, for fire)
qomun "tile" (floor tiles, not roof)
qga=F3t "lead" (element Pb, don't have a clue why)

Any comments? I'd like to know about other writing systems
out there too!


--Pablo Flores

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
En gian idgrivar fr=FAmneltel frasi=E9rraser gian pavonn
be i malladhar siqged=FCer.

"Don't blame your enemy for your disgrace=20
 if you've just given them a chance."

(Traditional Dr=E1selhadh saying)