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ZachValkyrie — The True Script by-nc-nd

#2d #calligraphy #conlang #dimensional #prestige #script #two
Published: 2017-07-05 14:48:39 +0000 UTC; Views: 1411; Favourites: 9; Downloads: 1
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Description This is something I've wanted to do for a long time; a two-dimensional script.

Another ConScript for my novel The Gates of Dawn . This is an ornamental script used to write Isafari. It is a prestige script used only by the Sultan's court, and a few high nobles and artisans. The variety of Isasfari is also very much a prestige dialect, as it uses significantly more inflections as well as three additional nasal vowels: ã, õ, and ẽ.

On the far left, there are the eighteen consonants. Immediately to the right, the vowel marks are arranged, including the implicit vowel a and the hush mark. Below the vowels are a few conjunctions (including some which are derived from archaic letters).

On the right, is Article I of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, written in the True Script...

qhežanafa þamole manle-ta tahan-ega pepata pa zuhig-ẽgã pepatã
ubata manafa domle-kef šẽkẽm-ãtš pa ɗẽp-ãtš
sangi domle ɗaqõza ðoqle-ta dapole moke-leša

qʰɛʒanaɸa θamolɛ manlɛta tahanɛɡa pa zuhiɡə̃:ɡã bepatã:
ubata manaɸa domlɛkɛɸ ʃə̃kə̃:mãtʃ pa ɖə̃:bãtʃ
saŋi domlɛ ɖaqɔ̃:za ðoqlɛta dapolɛ mokɛlɛʃa



The placement of the words indicates additional meaning. The basic sentence structure revolves around a central diamond. Pointing up indicates a noun (subject), pointing down indicates a noun (object), pointing right indicates a verb, and pointing left indicates an adjective describing the subject. Nouns can also be placed to the left of another noun (instrumental for subject, dative for object) or to the right (locative or genitive, depending on case suffix). The conjunctions also indicate relations between sentence blocks, so that each T-unit forms a single picture.

The great thing about a 2D script, is that it frees up the word order. OSV is considered the most proper form, VSO is also acceptable to place emphasis on an object, and if you absolutely must, you may use SVO, though it is considered terribly pedestrian. It also allows tremendous flexibility in the relationship between the sentences, allowing the components of the T-unit to form a single greater "thought map" as opposed to a linear progression from clause to cause.

There are three sentences in the picture: One in the top left corner ("and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood"), another on the right ("They are endowed with reason and conscience"), and and one more on the bottom ("All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights"). The sentences on the bottom and the right side are linked using a conjunction that indicates AND with equal emphasis, suggesting that the two sentences are inextricable one from the other. The other conjunction which joins the top left sentence to the other two indicates THEREFORE, as though this sentence is the logical conclusion of the other two. However, this conjunction can just as easily indicate BECAUSE, which would turn the entire sentence on its head: "All human beings should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood, BECAUSE they are all born free and equal in dignity and rights and are endowed with reason and conscience."



If you want more, you can check out y translation of the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear from Dune: fav.me/dbfxv1n
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Comments: 9

Platypusofdoom [2018-12-21 00:26:35 +0000 UTC]

Very impressive! 2D scripts are always mind-blowing. The size of the description scared me at first, but I ended up reading it all just hoping to make some sense out of everything, and your explanation was super thorough. You've clearly put a lot of thought and effort into this.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ZachValkyrie In reply to Platypusofdoom [2018-12-21 01:07:32 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad you like it!

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ad-referendum [2017-07-28 13:16:30 +0000 UTC]

Very Nice

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Spiritswriter123 [2017-07-07 01:37:36 +0000 UTC]

I'd like to see a much larger text, just to see how practical it actually is. It looks pretty at first glance, but I'm not sure how practical it would be.

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

ZachValkyrie In reply to Spiritswriter123 [2017-07-11 18:37:38 +0000 UTC]

What do you think of this one?

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Spiritswriter123 In reply to ZachValkyrie [2017-07-11 18:41:07 +0000 UTC]

It does seem interesting.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ZachValkyrie In reply to Spiritswriter123 [2017-07-07 03:06:23 +0000 UTC]

It's an ornamental prestige-script. So it's not really meant to be practical.

I might do something larger in the future, if I can find a good text. Perhaps the Bene Geserit Litany Against Fear from Dune.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

ImaginaryMdA [2017-07-06 00:01:05 +0000 UTC]

Very interesting, how does the two-dimensionality work? is it optional, or does it convey some meaning, and how do you know where to start, etc?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

ZachValkyrie In reply to ImaginaryMdA [2017-07-06 02:09:55 +0000 UTC]

Added an explanation! Hope that clears up some of the ambiguity!

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