INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE SCRIPT

 

 

This is a phonetic system which can be used to write and translate text. The basic sounds of language are represented on the chart by various combinations of three symbols: a vertical line, a horizontal line and a curve. These can be seen as the first marks which humans drew with a stick in the sand in order to communicate with one another and the basis of most written forms of language.

 

The system is arranged in four concentric circles around a central point – the Word. There are 14 vowel sounds: six of them in the first circle, six in the third, the vowel er in Word itself, and the shortened er sound which is not included in the above chart. This is represented when using the Script by a dot before or after another letter.

 

The word beside each vowel on the chart gives an example of that sound in use. Together the 14 sample words form a mnemonic: You should know all gods are one and then say with me the Word (note – One is used in place of the word Come on the diagram to avoid confusion with a diphthong).

 

Working from the centre outwards, the first circle contains the three symbols on their own representing the primary vowel sounds: the vertical line represents the vowel ee (as in Me), the horizontal line represents the vowel oo (as in You) and the curve represents the vowel aa (as in Are). Opposite each of these is the same symbol with a dot above or below it to indicate a shortening of the primary vowel.

The second circle is composed of 12 arrangements of two of the symbols, for example the vertical line plus the horizontal, or the curved line plus the vertical, and the consonants are arranged in pairs. These consonants are formed using the same position of the lips and tongue, hence their pairing, but in one case the sound is created using the vocal cords and in the other not. P and B are represented by a doubling of the curved line.   

The vowels in the third circle are represented by the three symbols arranged in six different ways. These represent the secondary vowels. In some phonetic systems Know and Say are regarded as diphthongs, however we have found it useful to keep them as vowels (their basic o and a sounds are represented in the vowel chart of the International Phonetic Alphabet by the symbols O and e.)

 

There are 12 more consonants around the circumference of the circle. These are arranged according to their position in the mouth. M is formed at the front of the mouth. Proceeding anticlockwise around the circumference one ends with CH (as Loch) which is formed in the throat. In these symbols the curved line is doubled.

 

If one follows the logic of the concentric circles reading outwards from the centre of the chart, which contain first a single, then double and then triple combination of the symbols, this outer circle must be comprised of four-element symbols. For obvious reasons only the curved line can be doubled to give the fourth symbol!

 

It is important to remember that this is a phonetic system, and any writing or translation should be based on the sound of words rather than their familiar spelling. You may also need to make allowances for regional accents and dialects.

 

 

 

 

 

Note – The Script was revised in 2010. The Aphorisms on this website were created using an earlier version of the script and the diagram on the Aphorisms page should be used for translating them. The revised version is used for all other writing on the website.

An example of the Script in use