Re: Non-linear / full-2d writing systems?

Dimenasionality of script is an interesting concept and is open to
multiple interpretations.  This is something I have toyed with a lot.

One of my experiments dealt with presenting orthography in characters that
were trial in visual signal (having form, color and orientation).  This
allowed for simultaneous encoding and decoding of any three memes (for
lack of a better word).

Another experiment (which yielded my Ksatlai script) dealt with creating
language and orthography whose written expression offered multiple
pathways of decoding.  This kind of system is very achievable in writing.
However, in speaking it is far less attainable.  Thus it has been
consigned to a written poetic form only in my conlang. You can see three
samples at:

http://idrani.perastar.com/idrani/ISMS_artifacts.htm#ksatlaiManuscripts

I have designed more sophisticated experiments which require the use of
technology.  In one of them, a virtual 3-D field is used.  Semi-
transparent, nominal characters with quaternary encoding
(structure:pronunciation of nominal stem, shape:mnemonic meaning reference
of nominal stem, orientation:type of grammatical permutation,
color:specific permutation within grammatical type) are framed in a
topical plane which can be read in a linear fashion.

Behind each character, along the z axis (perpendicular to the xy topical
frame) flow a trail of nominal synonyms to that character which descend by
order of usage frequency and which decrease in size and opacity as they
descend to give the effect of fading into the background at the 5th or
sixth glyph.  One can navigate along the z axis and select a synonym glyph
which will change the topical frame to the most frequent topical feature
for the topic of the selected synonym glyph.  One may also select a
character within those framed in the xy plane to change the topical frame
to the most common topical frame for the topic represented by the glyph.

At the top of every topical frame is a header glyph which represents the
topic of the frame.  Selecting this glyph moves to the next most frequent
frame for that topic.

In this system, one is dealing with a three dimensional language matrix.
However, in any case, the human pathway through orthography is always
linear because we are linear.  To create a non linear orthography, we
would need to change our current relationship with time.


Trent

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