Last month conversation at the H&H turned to the subject of creative alphabets and shorthand techniques. Do you use special symbols or abbreviations when you take notes? We’ll extend the question to include alphabets, invented languages, or any idiosyncratic note-taking habits.
To start off, here’s a shorthand system created by Nora the Violist.
This is amazing! How do you keep all of those straight, Nora?
Wow.
Red-tailed HAWK
cool!
mine isn’t quite as language-y, let me see if I can create something to show my alphabet and send it in…
Woah cool Nora! It looks like you could write it on music staves.
I’ve written a language that I use in my stories. It has a 9-page dictionary so far (2 columns/page). I’ll see if I can send in the written language…
I made up a language called Karuqa (Car-oo-qua) last year in history class.
And my friend and I made up an alphabet last year, that I still mostly remember.
Ooh I just remembered, for anyone who’s crazy into languages (like me
) check out omniglot.com, it has an entry for every language known to man (plus some made up ones like Tengwar and Klingon) and its alphabet. I use it all the time for writing.
Awesome! Nice job Nora!
That reminds me of the time that I memorized the runes from the LOTR books. I was writing them everywhere and driving my friends nuts…
I’ve always wanted to learn some sort of shorthand, but I’ve never gotten around to it.
Wow. I don’t get it, but WOW.
5 – Cool, I’ll check it out.
My sign language teacher tried to explain shorthand to our class by describing it as an ancient version of chatspeak.
9- then I’ll never learn it.
Did you know that, in the movie of HG2G, Vogan is a version of shorthand?
whoa, hot!
Haha, thanks everybody! I really have to work on my shorthand… I’m glad I decided to check the blog just now!
Awesome, Nora!
I make up languages and codes when I get bored. I’m working on a code that takes 3 steps to decode. ‘Tis most amusing.
If they make me grow up, I wanna be a linguist.
I’ve tried making an eternity code before, but I’m no Artemis Fowl…
I’ve only created one code of my own before, though it was practically impossible to crack and even I started forgetting how…
oh well, off to go try making another one…
W00t! That’s one awesome system, Nora. I’ve never been very good at shorthand-type writing. The last “language” I worked on was a system of “scribble code,” but being made of scribbles, it wasn’t very intelligible even to me. :p
5 – Thanks for the tip! *goes to look up Klingon*
13 – Cool! I still have no idea what I want to do.
Yeah, I learned all the Tengwar letters a while back. I have an English/Sindarian/Quenya dictionary as well.
Oh, my. I’d never be able to remember all that. I just use IM language when I’m taking notes.
u kno, like this? smtims i also use shrthand like w/ but my tchrs get rly mad bcuz i say that their clss is gr8 or smthin in a note
16 – I have Sindarin and Quenya dictionaries on my computer, and I was practicing writing my name in Tengwar this morning. I can only remember about 3 letters.
I’d use Ble for taking notes, but it probably wouldn’t do very much good. But I’m done taking notes till August, so I’m not going to think about it too hard.
There is no way I can remember that.
That’s awesome! But how DO you remember all of it?
I made many, many codes with my friend, but we were fourth graders and the codes were incredibly simple.
I should make something like that. I hate taking notes.
But then I’d feel like a copycat.
That’s awesome, Nora!
I made up a code one time! Maybe I’ll send it in, but then you’d all be able to read my top-secret notes…….hmm, maybe not!
Happy 4th of July, all!!!
Oh drat, I killed a thread.
I just got a chance to really look at Nora’s code, wow. I’m no sure I could keep it all straight, but it’s really cool.
19- I should use ble to write my in-class essays. that would save me a LOT of time. it’s not like the directions said the essay had to be in english….
Yeah, I have absolutely no idea how I’m gonna be able to remember it all when it’s a full-fledged system. I mean, most of the glyphs are pretty logical, but how do you draw something like ‘that’ or ‘which’ or ‘consequently?’ O.o
Ah, good. You’ve all inspired me to work some more on it. Thanks! ^_~
Is there more, or is that all you have come up with so far?
we love codes and any thing of the sort! does any one else have a code to share… some thing really complicated and have us solve it with out (or with) the key? here is what I yous on line for semi secretive stuff (plus I am pretty fast at this point) a=p b=t c=i d=w e=x f=d g=f h=n i=z j=l k=y l=b m=j n=m o=c p=v q=e r=a s=g t=k u=h v=u w=s x=r y=o z=q th=1 sh=2 ch=3 ed=4 ing=5 he/him/his/male=6 she/her/hers/female=7 est=8 muse=9 battle/war/fight/violence=! magick/mystic/supernatural/spiritual=~ the code= == the/is/to=? real ! or ? are put like this(?)- (!) got it its really simple nix Dex 9ag pax och axpw5 1zg(?)
In Inkheart Meggie and Mo write notes to each other in the elvish language from Lord of the Rings.
29- Tengwar!
I think Mel knows a bit, Alice wanted to learn.
I love Tengwar! I used to be a lot better at it, but now I’m a bit out of practice. I learned it with a friend a few years ago, and we would write to each other all the time.
I like constructing languages. I shall try and make a Musey one.
I got here from the random link yesterday. Investigated Omniglot, which is really cool, and I’m now making up my own language. I’m working on the alphabet at the moment.
That looks really cool.
Should I scan and send in a chart of my newest alphabet?
Yes!
Here ’tis:
I forgot to mention, you can also add the cross-slashes from the ! or ? marks to the comma mark. The comma is just a smaller stop than the period. Furthermore, if you want to lengthen a letter (e.g., “Um, nnnnnno.” or “Uuuuuummmm….” or “Coooooookie Crisp!”), you can extend the horizontal marks to the right on the following letters: I, A, E, O, U, L, F, R, W, S, M, N, and Sh.
Oh: the comma mark is used to separate whole numbers from decimals, as the period is used in American English. It also separates groups of numbers from one another–for instance, in a phone number or cataloging system.
I like that system, though it would take a while to write in. When I finally get around to making unconventional calendars, the one for your system will be in that alphabet. No-one will be able to read it except for me, but that’s even better.
It doesn’t take that long once you get used to it. It has fewer strokes per character than many of the languages around the world. I’ve already memorized all the letters and have been practicing writing. The most difficult part is the base-12 number system.
And yes, I need to write out my calender in this alphabet as well.
I’ll contribute Fuplah Ra once I find it again…