I created a New Writing System for Somali

[balanbalis]

I see so the lack of draft was a 4/10 but purely on the whole concept of it?

4/10, I meant the draft might raise my score if its better than what I'm imagining

 

[The alchemist]

I have never in my life seen this type of approach. I commend you for originality, at least. This is a whole new form of cultural communication, a bit beyond the confines. This type of linguistics is outside my knowledge. I've only read about the brain and language through Chomsky. That is a different type of arena.

Thank you for the nice words, I only have ways to disappoint since you pedestalized me.

Ay, leave some wiggle room for error, I like to think of myself as refined but somewhat rough around the edges (no red flags ).

I'm going to be honest, this is an ambitious undertaking. I'm much more practical. Usually, one can innovate from internal rules to stretch linguistic roots and expand vocabulary during deficiencies or when coining new terms and things.

Even in the ancient past, they used a combination of what they knew, i.e., subsistence use, to define new items. A car could be called a horse on wheels. It sounds funny, but that is how things have been going so far. For example, the word "car" is derived from the same Latin ancestral word that chariot also stems from. You can see the logic there.

What makes your take unique is that it centers around ecosystems. It does more than speech and script because it aims to redefine the Somali person with nature. It has a massive altering consequence on an anthropological level, an ethnographic level. Would we even be the same after?

 

[Daisybilaawe]

I have never in my life seen this type of approach. I commend you for originality, at least. This is a whole new form of cultural communication, a bit beyond the confines. This type of linguistics is outside my knowledge. I've only read about the brain and language through Chomsky. That is a different type of arena.

Thank you for the nice words, I only have ways to disappoint since you pedestalized me.

Ay, leave some wiggle room for error, I like to think of myself as refined but somewhat rough around the edges (no red flags ).

I'm going to be honest, this is an ambitious undertaking. I'm much more practical. Usually, one can innovate from internal rules to stretch linguistic roots and expand vocabulary during deficiencies or when coining new terms and things.

Even in the ancient past, they used a combination of what they knew, i.e., subsistence use, to define new items. A car could be called a horse on wheels. It sounds funny, but that is how things have been going so far. For example, the word "car" is derived from the same Latin ancestral word that chariot also stems from. You can see the logic there.

What makes your take unique is that it centers around ecosystems. It does more than speech and script because it aims to redefine the Somali person with nature. It has a massive altering consequence on an anthropological level, an ethnographic level. Would we even be the same after?

Yh heavy on the practical, I want to make it functional for everyday use while also completely containing this entire blueprint behind it.

Could you elaborate on "Would we even be the same after" part at the end?

If this is very carefully designed and once that is organically and structurally inseparable from the Somali language itself while also holding firmly to this concept then how would it change Somali or Somalis from now?

 

[The alchemist]

Could you elaborate on "Would we even be the same after" part at the end?

Like, if we revolve our speech around the symbolic meaning of flora, that to me seems like a change of relational orientation where plants become reference points and disposition as if we hold them culturally significant.

If this is very carefully designed and once that is organically and structurally inseparable from the Somali language itself while also holding firmly to this concept then how would it change Somali or Somalis from now?

The way we talk and relate to the meaning of language is deeply channeling behavior, values and the identity of an ethnicity. Language is not as compartmentalized as people think.

 

[Daisybilaawe]

Like, if we revolve our speech around the symbolic meaning of flora, that to me seems like a change of relational orientation where plants become reference points and disposition as if we hold them culturally significant.


The way we talk and relate to the meaning of language is deeply channeling behavior, values and the identity of an ethnicity. Language is not as compartmentalized as people think.

I see now.

Do you think that would be for the better or for the worse?

 

[The alchemist]

I see now.

Do you think that would be for the better or for the worse?

We would be different. That is all I will say.

 

[Daisybilaawe]

We would be different. That is all I will say.

cmon walaal

 

[The alchemist]

cmon walaal

I personally would think we would become totally different. There is something endearing about continuity (if it benefits us).

You are very into plants, I take it?

 

[Daisybilaawe]

I personally would think we would become totally different. There is something endearing about continuity (if it benefits us).

You are very into plants, I take it?

Well not quite but I do want to get more into Flora especially Endemic Flora Native to the Somali Peninsula.

I just think it would be very cool to have the Somali Writing System derive from the Properties Indigenous to the Region in which the Language originated from.

Making Somali as both a Language and Written Script quite literally interlocked intrinsically with the land of Somalis.

"There is something endearing about continuity (if it benefits us)."-yes I agree but I want this script to also follow the Organic Structural System of Somali, kind of like a shoe that fit perfectly while also then crafting and influencing it with Endemic Flora and its Interactions with life depicting Expressions, Concepts and Idea and even strengthening the Rampant Poetry Tradition in Somali Society.

 

[Daisybilaawe]

Hey @Idilinaa

sorry for the late request but I like you commentary and would really want to know what you think about the blueprint of the writing system I’ve presented?

I only have its blueprint and not an actual draft so sorry you’ll just have to gauge to the best you can but I’d really like to know what you think?

 

[JustSomeGuy]

Hey @Idilinaa

sorry for the late request but I like you commentary and would really want to know what you think about the blueprint of the writing system I’ve presented?

I only have its blueprint and not an actual draft so sorry you’ll just have to gauge to the best you can but I’d really like to know what you think?

Publish it bro, I love the idea behind it

 

[Daisybilaawe]

Publish it bro, I love the idea behind it

Thank you walaalo I've decided to dedicate my life to this goal as I really think it could be something special even in the grand scheme of human history.

ever heard of civilisation that has its script directly derive from the land it's from?

The endless endemic flora of the Somali Peninsula make this all the more enjoyable and the calligraphic styles are endless. We could end up having the most calligraphic styles in any language with this.

 

[Idilinaa]

Hey @Idilinaa

sorry for the late request but I like you commentary and would really want to know what you think about the blueprint of the writing system I’ve presented?

I only have its blueprint and not an actual draft so sorry you’ll just have to gauge to the best you can but I’d really like to know what you think?

I’m probably not the best person to give deep feedback on this, since I don’t know much about designing writing systems , it’s not really my area of expertise.

But from what you’ve described, it sounds like a creative and culturally meaningful idea. I’d say definitely go for it. It might turn into something really unique and impactful.

 

[Daisybilaawe]

I’m probably not the best person to give deep feedback on this, since I don’t know much about designing writing systems , it’s not really my area of expertise.

But from what you’ve described, it sounds like a creative and culturally meaningful idea. I’d say definitely go for it. It might turn into something really unique and impactful.

Fair enough abayo thanks

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

This is Genius Walaal I do hope you go on to construct this as it has limitless potential.

@Khaem check this out niyo

 

[Khaem]

This is Genius Walaal I do hope you go on to construct this as it has limitless potential.

@Khaem check this out niyo

I remember reading this time ago, Shit needs to be implemented though asap

 

[cunug3aad]

In my head i see this going towards a sort of logogram writing system much like chinese or perhaps the curly hindi / tamil scripts. Look at this diagram (vertical) it visualises how chinese evolved from diagrams to symbols, as well as egyptian hieroglyphic to demotic and mesopotamian symbols to cuneiform. I think it would be in best interest to draw reference from egyptian somewhat

There would have to be more material to work with than just flora in early stage of script development like all sorts of symbols to represent concepts, the original symbols must be as explicit and unimplied as possible but then after that when you start combining multiple symbols together you can imply newer meanings, some characters relating to grammatical function may have to be made separately from this process given how somali is an agglutinative language stringing a bunch of prefixes and suffixes around

This is one way i can think of take the sentence "waxaan cunaa cunto" say for example the symbols are split as [wax][aan] [cun][aa] [cunto]. [wax] can be any symbol refering to thing, [aan] in this case will be written with the symbol for i or me. There would be a symbol for the self that is used in the standalone [ani] and the subject [aan] and the object , in aniga it would be [ani][ga] as i plan on having a symbol(s) for defininte nouns. [cunto] will have its own symbol referring to the concept of food and this symbol will also be used in eating but modified, [cun] will be made up of the food symbol and a dedicated action/verb symbol that will indicate conjugation, the [aa] im still thinking about because whatever symbol would be put there would necessitate working out how conjugation would work and i dont want to do that now. In conclusion think of the sentence as [thing][me] [food+action=eat][~conjugation~] [food]. For the waan and waad pronouns i am also unsure what to use as the wa as i do not want it to be the same as waa

When it comes to integrating flora into this I would say designing very simple symbols relating to these concepts is best to do first and then afterwards when grammar and symbols are worked out in this system you can try to simplify the symbols by drawing them as fast as you can. To design symbols you really want to have a completely untrained hand to avoid any subconcious writing biases maybe you can go baadiye and hand a guy pencil and paper and tell him to draw stuff. When simplifying the symbols maybe use a chiseled pen nib to mimic how qalimaanta worked in africa and arab world

This is what i can offer at the moment

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

In my head i see this going towards a sort of logogram writing system much like chinese or perhaps the curly hindi / tamil scripts. Look at this diagram (vertical) View attachment 372304 it visualises how chinese evolved from diagrams to symbols, as well as egyptian hieroglyphic to demotic and mesopotamian symbols to cuneiform. I think it would be in best interest to draw reference from egyptian somewhat

There would have to be more material to work with than just flora in early stage of script development like all sorts of symbols to represent concepts, the original symbols must be as explicit and unimplied as possible but then after that when you start combining multiple symbols together you can imply newer meanings, some characters relating to grammatical function may have to be made separately from this process given how somali is an agglutinative language stringing a bunch of prefixes and suffixes around

This is one way i can think of take the sentence "waxaan cunaa cunto" say for example the symbols are split as [wax][aan] [cun][aa] [cunto]. [wax] can be any symbol refering to thing, [aan] in this case will be written with the symbol for i or me. There would be a symbol for the self that is used in the standalone [ani] and the subject [aan] and the object , in aniga it would be [ani][ga] as i plan on having a symbol(s) for defininte nouns. [cunto] will have its own symbol referring to the concept of food and this symbol will also be used in eating but modified, [cun] will be made up of the food symbol and a dedicated action/verb symbol that will indicate conjugation, the [aa] im still thinking about because whatever symbol would be put there would necessitate working out how conjugation would work and i dont want to do that now. In conclusion think of the sentence as [thing][me] [food+action=eat][~conjugation~] [food]. For the waan and waad pronouns i am also unsure what to use as the wa as i do not want it to be the same as waa

When it comes to integrating flora into this I would say designing very simple symbols relating to these concepts is best to do first and then afterwards when grammar and symbols are worked out in this system you can try to simplify the symbols by drawing them as fast as you can. To design symbols you really want to have a completely untrained hand to avoid any subconcious writing biases maybe you can go baadiye and hand a guy pencil and paper and tell him to draw stuff. When simplifying the symbols maybe use a chiseled pen nib to mimic how qalimaanta worked in africa and arab world

This is what i can offer at the moment

In terms of characters I was thinking more in depth visual depictions of Endemic Flora of Somalia rather than just outright blanket hieroglyphics.

But in terms of the Core Blueprint behind the Writing System, do you think it's good or bad?

Be Blunt.

 

[cunug3aad]

In terms of characters I was thinking more in depth visual depictions of Endemic Flora of Somalia rather than just outright blanket hieroglyphics.

But in terms of the Core Blueprint behind the Writing System, do you think it's good or bad?

Be Blunt.

I think limiting yourself to flora at the beginning is a bad idea because there is only so many concepts flowers can represent. Also i dont think any somali knows connotations behind flowers. But when you simplify the characters maybe you could find a way to make muuqaalka floweric like arabesque

I am always willing to see attempts at a somali script

 

[Jimmy Hopkins]

I think limiting yourself to flora at the beginning is a bad idea because there is only so many concepts flowers can represent. Also i dont think any somali knows connotations behind flowers. But when you simplify the characters maybe you could find a way to make muuqaalka floweric like arabesque

I am always willing to see attempts at a somali script

I see, to be honest I think that in my mind it seems perfect and I envision maybe a lot differently than you interpret since you have a Wall of Text whereas it looks a bit more differently in my head.

There are 4 Volumes of these Books I wanted to get that goes into detail about Endemic Flora only found in the Somali Peninsula.