sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Signs and symbols: Writing systems (hieroglyphs, nail writing) and Signed Toki Pona; unofficial scripts too
Signoj kaj simboloj: Skribsistemoj (hieroglifoj, ungoskribado) kaj la Tokipona Signolingvo; ankaŭ por neoficialaj skribsistemoj
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Takoinche
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:42 am

sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by Takoinche »

Hi!

First of all, my english sucks, i beg your understanding.

Second, I think I have a decent, easy symbol system for writing toki pona. I will post about it here.
I've allways thought it would be pretty cool if toki pona could use a standarized writing system of its own. There are some few attemps on doing so, most of them being posted in this forums. I saw the one made by phr4nkr4wk5 posted in viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1822. I think mine's more efficient (no offense intended) because two reasons:
1. The symbols in my system are (i think) easier to remember and understand.
2. Aesthetics. In my humild opinion, the curvy-shaped nature on the system I'm posting here goes along with the nature of the toki pona. phr4nkr4wk5 symbols are very sharpie and may be excelently used in a language intended to sound more aggresive.

Having settled this, i proceed with the system itself:

Thinking about it for a while, I realize the best way to have a writing system on toki pona should be a phonetic-based one. We have nine consonants: k, n, m, p, s, t, j, l, and w. Here are the symbols we will use for them:

Image

As you can see, the symbols are made by te "C" like and the "L" like forms. I just rotate them according to the shape of the letter. For the W i used a circle just because i thought it looked nice. (:3)

Now, a basic phonem in the system is made by [consonant+vowel], such PO, SI, TA, etc. for the vowel we will add a little apostrophe or dot in different places; upper left for A, upper right for E, dot in center for I, lower left for O, and lower right for U. Just like this:

Image

Here's another example using M consonant:

Image

That's the basis for our system and you can start writing words like "toki" or "suno". However. What if i want to write "akesi", "e" or "lukin"?

For the vowels alone, we have these other symbols:

Image

As for the N, we use the "~" in top of our symbol. Like this:

Image

...And that should cover everything. Now, onto some examples (ignore the "more", they are the only one):

Image

Now, if you understand the system, why not try this exercise?

Image

sina pilin seme e sitelen mi? I'm fully open to comments and suggestions. Let's make a standarized symbol system we can all use!
jan-ante
Posts: 541
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:05 pm

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by jan-ante »

Takoinche wrote: I've allways thought it would be pretty cool if toki pona could use a standarized writing system of its own.
not really. we need some computer support of such a system to use it as a standard one. so the standard one is latin.
although alternative scripts are encouraged here (and i suggested some), it should be clear that the scope of their use is limited: to write some saying on your t-shirt or desktop wallpaper, to use as ornament, decoration etc.

For the vowels alone, we have these other symbols:

Image
not good idea. it is better to use "0-consonant" with standard vowel marks. in my arabic proposal i used ع for this
As for the N, we use the "~" in top of our symbol. Like this:

Image
this is good idea as it makes 1 syllable = 1 symbol. in my arabic proposal the double vowel mark was used for this (as in standard arabic script)
Kuti
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:48 pm

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by Kuti »

[quote="jan-ante"] we need some computer support of such a system to use it as a standard one. so the standard one is latin. )/quote]
We can pick symbols and letters in the UTF-8 chart, and programm keyboards for this.
jan-ante
Posts: 541
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:05 pm

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by jan-ante »

Kuti wrote:
jan-ante wrote: we need some computer support of such a system to use it as a standard one. so the standard one is latin. )/quote]
We can pick symbols and letters in the UTF-8 chart, and programm keyboards for this.
but we need to program keebords
jan-ante
Posts: 541
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 4:05 pm

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by jan-ante »

i know this is possible, but
1. this is some job mandatory for every tp user (if we accept a "standard script")
2. some users use routinly 2 layouts (e.g. english and one of cyrillics). then we have to use 3 layouts, but this is already annoying and confusing
3. the suggested system requires not just layout, but different input method, as it implies 2-3 latin letters per one new symbol. i am not sure if this software could do this
janKipo
Posts: 3064
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 2:20 pm

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by janKipo »

And, of course, new scripts increase learning time significantly and cut off casual onlookers from becoming participants. Scripts are an inevitable part of conlanging, but except for developed conworlds, they should be kept to the artsy side of things.
Kuti
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:48 pm

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by Kuti »

Yes yes, but as long as jan Takoinche wants to do it for him it's no big deal. No need to change the script for everybody.
Takoinche
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:42 am

Re: sitelen nasi pi toki pona! (symbol system for toki pona)

Post by Takoinche »

jan-ante wrote:
Kuti wrote:
jan-ante wrote: we need some computer support of such a system to use it as a standard one. so the standard one is latin. )/quote]
We can pick symbols and letters in the UTF-8 chart, and programm keyboards for this.
but we need to program keebords
I wasn't planning actually to make a computer keyboard for this, it was meant to be used only on paper and stuff like that.
I think i see the limitations of the system now.
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