Re: Script type

En réponse à Maarten van Beek <dungeonmaster@...>:

> Hi everybody,
>
> I have been following the discussion on alphabets, syllabaries etc. and
> I
> was wondering: one of my languages uses a script that is somewhere in
> between an alphabet and a syllabary (but more towards an alphabet, I
> think).
> The basis of the system are the vowels, which are at the center of
> each
> syllable. To this core symbol, you may add up to two additional symbols
> that
> indicate the caput and coda of the syllable. These consist of a
> consonant or
> consonant cluster. Many ligatures exist of common caput/coda
> combinations,
> in which only the central vowel differs.
>
Hehe, your system looks very much like the Itakian script with which letters
mark only vowels or diphtongues, while onset consonants are marked through
diacritics over those letters. The script has only phonemical open syllables
(phonetically it's another story, but the script is extremely phonemic :)) ),
so no need for other diacritics.

> My question: How would such a writing system be classified? Are there
> any
> nat- or conlangs which use a similar system, and if so, does anyone
> know
> where I can get more info on this subject?
>
I treat my script as an inverse abugida. It even have the equivalent of the
implicit vowel: letters without a consonant diacritic have an implicit glottal
stop onset. Note that there is no "consonant killer" since the script is only
phonemic (phonetically, the glottal stop is often left unpronounced, but
phonemically it's always there).

I have a 30Kb GIF image with an explanation of the script and pictures of the
different symbols (as well as the punctuation marks). If you're interested I
can send it to you.

AFAIK, there is no natlang written with such a script system.

Christophe.

http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr

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