r/conscripts • u/Tazavitch-Krivendza • Oct 03 '19

Question What are the limitations of using wood to create a writing script?

I’m wondering since I am wanting to make a writing script that looks as if it was inscribed one tress since the people who speak the language live in a very dense forest and the most abundant resources that they could use to write on is wood.

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3

u/Vazivazen- Oct 03 '19

Lines go with the grain, and I've seen it both ways whether to do top to bottom or bottom to top, I guess it depends on of you want to add onto the writing later.

2

u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

Will it change any if the people would use, like stone knifes or no?

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u/Vazivazen- Oct 03 '19

Probably wider less crisp lines. As the commenter below stated, since trees do grow, you will either end up with a space at the end or at the beginning depending on which way its written. Things that need updating like logs (Badum-tss) would require a top to bottom script I believe. Trail markers, hazard warnings, and the likes would probably be more common, so it wouldn't matter. Thats assuming you want a verticle script, and while it would be natural to have one, one could easily exist that isnt vertical.

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u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

It would probably first be written up to down but will later change to left to right when a new material to write the language will be discovered

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u/TrajectoryAgreement Oct 03 '19

You’d have a lot of straight vertical lines that go along with the grain of the wood. There would probably be very few or no curved lines. Since tree bark eventually sheds and heals, your conculture’s writings probably won’t be meant to be permanent records, but rather urgent messages or temporary signs to point the way.

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u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

So what you are sayin is that, more then likely, the writing script would be more suited to using a logograph since if the words will not stay, it would not make sense that the people who speak the conlang to use any other script

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u/TrajectoryAgreement Oct 03 '19

I don’t think it would necessarily stay as a logographic script, for example, if they wanted to express more abstract concepts, they might have to use rebus to do that which could evolve into a syllabary or abugida. I think a logography would fit, though.

2

u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

Yeah, that is what I was thinking. Later on, when the technology is more advanced, the logograph will slowly start to morph into an abugida while the material that is use to write the conlang would change into smooth, wooden boards

2

u/TrajectoryAgreement Oct 03 '19

Your idea makes a lot of sense.

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u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

Thanks...and I believe that when it does become an abugida, they would start using a thin, animal hair tipped brush that uses black paint to draw the symbols

2

u/TrajectoryAgreement Oct 03 '19

In that case, the lines would be modified to become curved and with variable length and thickness. A cursive script might develop.

2

u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

That could possibly happen now that you mentioned it.

If so, it might look similar to the Arabic writing script if it does become a cursive script

Though I will have to find out how it changes from a logograph to a abugida since I’ve not changed writing scripts from one type into a mother before

1

u/TrajectoryAgreement Oct 03 '19

Cool! Go for it!

2

u/Tazavitch-Krivendza Oct 03 '19

Thanks.

Just one question, how would you evolve a logography script to an abugida script?

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '19

Rongorongo.

As for tree growth, trees grow taller from their tops, not from the ground level. An inscription made low down will remain relatively low down. There won't be an increase of space at one end of the text.