How to Make a Language - Part 8: Writing Systems
TLDRThe video script delves into the intricate process of creating a writing system for a constructed language, emphasizing the importance of considering whether a writing system is necessary for the speakers of the language. It explores the option of adopting an existing writing system and the various factors that influence the design of a script, such as the writing medium and instrument. The script discusses different types of writing systems, including alphabets, abjads, syllabaries, abugidas, and logographies, and their suitability for different languages. It also highlights the evolution of writing systems from more primitive forms like pictographs to modern scripts, and the impact of sound changes on a language's spelling. The video provides insights into the development of punctuation and the importance of historical spelling in reflecting the evolution of a language. It concludes by encouraging conlangers to expand their language creation process, considering the endless possibilities and variations available to bring their languages to life.
Takeaways
- 📝 Consider if your language really needs a writing system, as many languages have never developed one.
- 🌐 If a writing system is chosen, it can be borrowed from another language, which can be especially interesting if the phonemic inventories differ.
- 🔍 Ensure that characters in your writing system are distinct enough to avoid confusion but still share a recognizable similarity.
- 🖋️ The writing medium and instrument can greatly influence the look of a script, as seen with cuneiform and Chinese calligraphy.
- ✍️ The evolution of a script is important; consider the proto-script and how it might have been produced and used.
- 🌱 The earliest forms of writing systems are typically logographic, representing concepts rather than sounds.
- 🔡 Different types of writing systems (alphabets, abjads, syllabaries, abugidas, logographies) suit different linguistic needs.
- 🔄 Writing systems often evolve from more primitive forms, and understanding this evolution can help in creating a naturalistic script.
- 📜 The directionality of writing can be influenced by the medium, such as carving into trees possibly leading to a top-to-bottom direction.
- 📝 Spelling reforms may occur as a language evolves, with speakers adapting the writing system to better fit sound changes.
- 📚 Punctuation can develop alongside a language, starting with basic sentence and paragraph markers and potentially expanding to more complex systems.
Q & A
Is it necessary to create a writing system for every language?
-No, not every language needs a writing system. Many languages around the world have never developed writing as a technology, and this is a valid choice for a language, especially if the speakers are a preliterate society or wouldn't realistically discover writing technologies.
What are the considerations before creating symbols for a language's writing system?
-Factors to consider include the medium (what instrument and surface are used for writing), the script's appearance depending on the instrument and medium, and ensuring that characters are distinct enough to not be confused with each other but still recognizably similar.
How do the instrument and medium affect the appearance of a script?
-The instrument and medium greatly influence the script's appearance. For example, cuneiform, made by pressing a reed into wet clay, has straight lines and triangles, while ancient Chinese calligraphy, written with brush and ink on paper, features flowing lines.
What is the difference between an alphabet, abjad, syllabary, abugida, and logography?
-{"abjad":"Only consonants are represented with symbols, and vowels are inferred from context.","logography":"Entire words or concepts are encoded in symbols rather than individual sounds.","alphabet":"Each sound, both consonants and vowels, has its own symbol.","abugida":"Vowels are represented as modifications of a base consonant symbol.","syllabary":"Each syllable is a separate symbol, with no visible similarity between related sounds."}
Why might a language not develop a writing system of its own?
-A language might not develop a writing system due to cultural or societal factors, such as being a preliterate society, or it might borrow a writing system from another language, which can lead to interesting adaptations especially if the phonemic inventories of the two languages are different.
How does the evolution from a logography to a syllabary typically occur?
-The evolution from logography to a syllabary often begins with the use of rebus principles, where characters are used for the sound they make rather than their meaning. Over time, as the writing system becomes more standardized, these characters may come to represent individual syllables instead of entire words, leading to the development of a syllabary.
What is historical spelling and why does it occur?
-Historical spelling is when the spelling of words remains the same even though their pronunciation changes over time. It occurs because spelling systems often lag behind sound changes, and people continue to spell words as they are accustomed to, rather than reflecting the updated pronunciation.
Why is it important to consider the proto-script when creating a new writing system?
-Considering the proto-script is important because it provides a foundation for how the modern script evolved. It helps to understand the historical context and the developmental stages of the writing system, which can influence its form and usage in the present day.
How might the environment or cultural practices influence the directionality of a script?
-The environment or cultural practices can influence the directionality of a script based on the medium used for writing. For example, if a culture carves writing into trees, the direction of the tree's grain might favor vertical lines and a top-to-bottom writing direction to make full use of the tree's height.
What is the role of punctuation in a writing system?
-Punctuation serves to organize and structure written language, indicating pauses, sentence boundaries, and sometimes word separations. It can evolve over time as the language develops and the needs for clarity and readability increase.
How can the simplification of symbols over time impact the writing system of a language?
-The simplification of symbols can make the writing system more efficient and easier to use, especially for short-term communication or when writing tools and surfaces change. It can also lead to spelling reforms and the development of new conventions to represent newly phonemic sounds or syllable structures.
What is the significance of maintaining a distinction between voiced and voiceless stops in a writing system?
-Maintaining a distinction between voiced and voiceless stops is significant because it can indicate a difference in word meaning. When these phonemic distinctions arise, a writing system may need to be updated to include diacritics or other markings to represent these differences accurately.
Outlines
📝 Creating a Writing System for a Conlang
The first paragraph introduces the final stage of language creation: devising a writing system. It questions the necessity of a unique writing system, noting that many real-world languages have never developed one or have adopted another language's system. If creating a script, considerations include the script's recognizability, the medium and instrument used for writing, and the evolution of the script over time. Different writing systems like alphabets, abjads, syllabaries, abugidas, and logographies are discussed, emphasizing their suitability for different language types. The paragraph also touches on the need for a proto-script from which the modern script evolves, similar to how a proto-grammar is needed.
🔍 Proto-Script and Evolution to Syllabaries
The second paragraph delves into the evolution of writing systems, suggesting that logography is the most intuitive and likely the earliest form. It discusses the trend of complex and detailed symbols in newly developed writing systems, using Egyptian hieroglyphs as an example. The paragraph explores the social implications of writing complexity, the reduction of symbol complexity over time, and the idea of a proto-script. It also considers the environmental and cultural factors influencing the script's characteristics, using a hypothetical culture living in a tropical forest as an example. The paragraph concludes by discussing how changes in the medium, such as shifting from carving into trees to writing on leaves, can influence the script's development and the introduction of the rebus principle.
🕰️ Timeline of Script and Sound Changes
The third paragraph focuses on the timeline of sound changes and script evolution. It describes how the use of rebus characters can lead to the development of a syllabary from a logography and the importance of tracking these changes relative to the language's evolution. The paragraph discusses the potential for historical spelling, where spelling may not fully keep up with sound changes, and the impact of sound changes on the script, such as the need to ignore certain sound changes or reform the spelling system. It also addresses the romanization system's role in accurately representing the language's pronunciation, separate from the script's phonetic encoding.
📜 Spelling Reforms and Punctuation Development
The fourth paragraph discusses the process of spelling reform within a language's evolution. It suggests that speakers might modify existing characters to represent new phonological distinctions, using diacritics to indicate voice differences in stops. The paragraph also addresses the loss of certain sounds and the decision-making process regarding their representation in the script. It highlights the importance of maintaining certain characters for clarity, even if they no longer represent a pronounced sound. The paragraph concludes with the development of punctuation, starting from no punctuation to the introduction of basic marks for sentence ends and pauses, and the separation of words with spaces. It emphasizes the importance of these elements in bringing a conlang to life and concludes with encouragement for conlangers to continue expanding and developing their languages.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Writing System
💡Preliterate Society
💡Phonemic Inventories
💡Medium and Instrument
💡Script Evolution
💡Logography
💡Syllabary
💡Historical Spelling
💡Romanization
💡Punctuation
💡Proto-Script
Highlights
The final part of the language creation process involves creating a writing system.
Consider whether your language needs a writing system, as many languages never developed one.
Languages may borrow writing systems from other languages, which can lead to interesting variations.
Characters in a language's writing system should be distinct enough to avoid confusion but still similar.
The writing instrument and medium greatly influence the appearance of a script.
Scripts can evolve over time with changes in writing instruments and materials.
Different writing systems like alphabets, abjads, syllabaries, abugidas, and logographies suit different language structures.
The complexity of script glyphs depends on the system used, with logographies tending to be more complex.
Writing systems evolve from more primitive systems, often starting with logography.
The earliest forms of writing, like logography, were more intuitive as they derived from pictures.
The shift from logography to syllabary is influenced by the language's phonetic structure.
Historical spelling occurs when a language's pronunciation changes, but its spelling does not.
Romanization systems should be intuitive to ensure an accurate representation of the language's pronunciation.
Sound changes in a language may lead to spelling reforms to reflect new phonetic realities.
The presence of certain characters, even if unpronounced, can provide clues to pronunciation or meaning.
Punctuation in a language can develop over time, often starting with basic markers for sentence ends or pauses.
The process of creating a language involves tracking changes in grammar, sound, and script to ensure consistency.
For a language to feel real, idiosyncrasies in spelling and sound changes should be embraced.
Punctuation can become more complex as a language evolves, but basic forms are often sufficient.
Transcripts
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