Author Archives: ducky

About ducky

I'm a computer programmer professionally, currently working on mapping applications. I have been interested non-professionally for a long time in the effect on society on advances in communications technology -- things like writing, vowels, spaces between words, paper, etc.

Ol Chiki — 1925 AD, India

Posted on May 15, 2011 by ducky

The Santali spoken language is not an Indo-European language, while  the majority spoken languages in northern India are Indo-Europeean.  (Santali is an Austro-Asiatic language, and hence more closely related to Vietnamese than to Sanskrit.)  The Indic writing systems designed for … Continue reading →

Posted in Alphabet, inventor known, National pride, previous script didn't quite work, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | Tagged | 1 Comment

Zolai — 1952 AD, India

Posted on May 12, 2011 by ducky

There is a small ethnic group on the border of India and Burma with many names.  They are called the Zo, Zou, Jo, Chin, and several other names. They speak a language that is in the same language family as … Continue reading →

Posted in inventor known, National pride, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!", Syllabaries | Leave a comment

Pau Cin Hau alphabet — 1931 AD, Mayanmar

Posted on May 11, 2011 by ducky

The Pau Cin Hau logographic script was reformed in 1931 AD, moving from a logographic language to an alphabet.  While it is not unusual for a phonetic writing system to evolve from a logographic writing system, it is very rare … Continue reading →

Posted in Alphabet, inventor known, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | 1 Comment

Pau Cin Hau Logograms — 1902 AD, Mayanmar

Posted on May 10, 2011 by ducky

In 1902 AD, a man named Pau Cin Hau had a dream where the characters of a logographic script were revealed to him.  He also developed the Laipian religion, and his script was used extensively in liturgical works.  Laipian actually … Continue reading →

Posted in inventor known, Logograms, National pride, now ceremonial, Rating: 3 "I did not know that" | 7 Comments

Mahajani — 1600 AD? <1850 AD?, India

Posted on May 9, 2011 by ducky

Mahajani, like the Punjabi Landa, was used as a mercantile script (and is sometimes classified with Landa).  Unlike Punjabi Landa, which dispenses with vowels altogether, Mahajani is sort of like a sloppy alphabet.  It is possible to show a vowel … Continue reading →

Posted in Abjad, Alphabet, mercantile script, Rating: 3 "I did not know that" | Leave a comment

Glossary

Posted on May 3, 2011 by ducky

I have wrestled a little bit with how to handle technical terms like abugida and virama.  The first time I use them, it’s a no-brainer: I explain them.  But what should I do the second time?  I didn’t want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Administration | 2 Comments

Tikamuli — 2005, Nepal

Posted on May 2, 2011 by ducky

As I mentioned in the Jenticha post, there is a language called Sunuwar which is spoken in both India and Nepal, and has been written in Jenticha in both Nepal and northern India. In 2005, Tikaram Mulicha developed the Tikamuli … Continue reading →

Posted in Abugida, inventor known, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | Leave a comment

Jenticha — 1942 AD, Nepal

Posted on April 30, 2011 by ducky

In Northern India and southern Nepal, there is a language called Sunuwar, alternatively Kõits-Lo, Mukhiya, Kiranti-Kõits, Koinch, Koincha, and Koints.  In 1942, Karna Jenticha developed a script for this language. There have been two versions of Jenticha: the first was … Continue reading →

Posted in Abugida, Alphabet, inventor known, National pride, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | 1 Comment

Meitei Mayek — 1100 AD, India

Posted on April 28, 2011 by ducky

The Meitei Mayek script — also sometimes called Meithei Mayek, Meitei Mayek, or Manipuri — looks very different from the the Bengali/Assamese script that is now used in Manipur and its Indian/Bangladeshi neighbours.  It also looks very different from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Abugida, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | 2 Comments

Assamese — 1200 AD, India

Posted on April 27, 2011 by ducky

Assamese is interesting because it is so very close to Bengali script.  There are only two characters which are different. Frequently, writing systems differ by a few characters because a writing system was adapted for spoken language B from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Abugida, National pride, Rating: 4 "Huh, interesting!" | Leave a comment