Difference between revisions of "Women's script"
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|books= [[The Stormlight Archive]] |
|books= [[The Stormlight Archive]] |
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| − | ''' |
+ | The '''women's script''' is a writing system used in [[Vorin]] nations, such as [[Alethkar]], [[Jah Keved]], and [[Kharbranth]], on [[Roshar]]. The script is a phonetic alphabet, meaning each symbol, or "grapheme", denotes a particular sound, or "phoneme". Each letter is determined by both shape and size. As is indicated by the name, it is almost exclusively used by women, as writing is considered a feminine pursuit. The women's script is distinctly different from [[glyphs]], which are a more logographic writing system (albeit with a phonetic component), which men are also allowed to learn. |
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| − | == Design == |
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| − | Brandon Sanderson's main stipulation for the design of women's script was that it look like sound waves.{{qa ref|987|29|Can you read Alethi script?|date=Nov 6th, 2012}} |
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| − | === Translation === |
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| − | It should be noted that all current examples of women's script exist in illustrations in the books, as pages from [[Navani's notebook]] or [[Shallan's sketchbook]]. A few dedicated fans translated them into a close approximation of English. {{http://twg.17thshard.com/forum/index.php?topic=7882.0 ref}} |
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| − | Since there are only twenty-five letters in women's script, not every letter in English has a counterpart. The letter C is written as either K or S, depending on the sound it makes. X is made with a K and S, W is made with a U and sometimes another vowel, and Q is written with a K and U. |
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| − | == Organization == |
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| − | === Phenomes === |
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| − | There are twenty-five letters, organized in five phenomes: E, T, S, P, and K. Each phenome has a distinctive shape, with five letters that follow a specific pattern. |
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| + | == Structure == |
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=== Characters === |
=== Characters === |
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| + | The twenty-five known letters in the women's script can be arranged into five sets of five letters each. Each set is defined by the basic shape of the characters within it: the "vowel set" is a vertical line, the "T set" is a curved triangle pointing to the left, the "S set" is a curved triangle pointing to the right, the "P set" is a curved diamond, and the "K set" is a jagged triangle pointing to the right. |
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| − | The first letter in a phenome is full height, the second is of medium height, and the third is the smallest. The fourth is full height again, but with two lines of the smallest height, and the fifth is small with one line after it. |
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| + | Within each set the characters are defined by height and the addition of shorter lines. The first character is the maximum height, the second is two-thirds the height of the first, and the third is one-third the height of the first. The fourth is the same height as the second with the addition of two short lines to the right, and the fifth is the same height as the third with the addition of one short line to the right. |
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| − | The E phenome contains all the vowels: E, A, O, U, and I, the T phenome consists of T, D, R, Th, and L, the S phenome is made up of S, Z, N, SH, and H, the P phenome has P, B, M, F, and V, and the K phenome has K, G, Y, CH, and J. |
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=== Punctuation === |
=== Punctuation === |
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| − | Women's script has only one character for punctuation. It is a |
+ | Women's script has only one known character for punctuation. It is a single vertical line with two small, horizontal lines at the top and bottom. It is written at the beginning of a passage and it defines the maximum character height. It is unknown what other punctuation exists, if any, as no other examples have been observed. |
| + | === Women's Script Characters=== |
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<gallery heights=350px widths=175px> |
<gallery heights=350px widths=175px> |
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Women's script E.svg| e |
Women's script E.svg| e |
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== Trivia == |
== Trivia == |
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| − | * The only samples of |
+ | * The only samples of the women's script currently available are three excerpts from [[Navani's notebook]] and on a sketch depicting a lait in [[Shallan's sketchbook]] |
* It was designed by [[Isaac Stewart]], to look like waveforms. |
* It was designed by [[Isaac Stewart]], to look like waveforms. |
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* Neither [[Brandon]] nor Isaac can read the women's script without reference.{{qa ref|987|29|Can you read Alethi script?|date=Nov 6th, 2012}} |
* Neither [[Brandon]] nor Isaac can read the women's script without reference.{{qa ref|987|29|Can you read Alethi script?|date=Nov 6th, 2012}} |
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* The women's script is often erroneously referred to as the "Alethi script" among fans. This term is never used in the books, and is demonstrably false as the script is also used in places such as Jah Keved and Kharbranth, at the very least. |
* The women's script is often erroneously referred to as the "Alethi script" among fans. This term is never used in the books, and is demonstrably false as the script is also used in places such as Jah Keved and Kharbranth, at the very least. |
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| + | * The mapping between the women's script and the Latin script was first discovered by Harakeke on the [[Timewasters Guide]] forum.{{twg ref|7882|0|Navani's Notebook Translation|date=Sep 20th, 2010}} |
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== Notes == |
== Notes == |
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Revision as of 16:37, 11 November 2015
| Women's script | |
|---|---|
| Related to | Vorinism |
| World of Origin | Roshar |
The women's script is a writing system used in Vorin nations, such as Alethkar, Jah Keved, and Kharbranth, on Roshar. The script is a phonetic alphabet, meaning each symbol, or "grapheme", denotes a particular sound, or "phoneme". Each letter is determined by both shape and size. As is indicated by the name, it is almost exclusively used by women, as writing is considered a feminine pursuit. The women's script is distinctly different from glyphs, which are a more logographic writing system (albeit with a phonetic component), which men are also allowed to learn.
Structure
Characters
The twenty-five known letters in the women's script can be arranged into five sets of five letters each. Each set is defined by the basic shape of the characters within it: the "vowel set" is a vertical line, the "T set" is a curved triangle pointing to the left, the "S set" is a curved triangle pointing to the right, the "P set" is a curved diamond, and the "K set" is a jagged triangle pointing to the right.
Within each set the characters are defined by height and the addition of shorter lines. The first character is the maximum height, the second is two-thirds the height of the first, and the third is one-third the height of the first. The fourth is the same height as the second with the addition of two short lines to the right, and the fifth is the same height as the third with the addition of one short line to the right.
Punctuation
Women's script has only one known character for punctuation. It is a single vertical line with two small, horizontal lines at the top and bottom. It is written at the beginning of a passage and it defines the maximum character height. It is unknown what other punctuation exists, if any, as no other examples have been observed.
Women's Script Characters
e
a
o
u
i
t
d
r
th
l
s
z
n
sh
h
p
b
m
f
v
k
g
y
ch
j
symbol used to denote maximum character height
Trivia
- The only samples of the women's script currently available are three excerpts from Navani's notebook and on a sketch depicting a lait in Shallan's sketchbook
- It was designed by Isaac Stewart, to look like waveforms.
- Neither Brandon nor Isaac can read the women's script without reference.[1]
- The women's script is often erroneously referred to as the "Alethi script" among fans. This term is never used in the books, and is demonstrably false as the script is also used in places such as Jah Keved and Kharbranth, at the very least.
- The mapping between the women's script and the Latin script was first discovered by Harakeke on the Timewasters Guide forum.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Can you read Alethi script?
— Theoryland - Nov 6th, 2012# - ↑ Navani's Notebook Translation
— Timewasters Guide forum - Sep 20th, 2010#