Bagoyin

Created by Joseph Barretto, bagoyin is a writing system based on the Tagalog script. Bagoyin comes from bagong baybayin, or "new script".

Bagoyin came about after a mental game of "what if". What if the Spaniards had allowed the Filipinos to retain use of their script? What if the script had evolved in form and new letters were added to encompass foreign sounds? Bagoyin is one imagined outcome.

Notable features

Like baybayin, bagoyin is a syllabic alphabet in which each consonant has an inherent vowel /a/. Other vowels are indicated either by separate letters, or by diacritics – above the consonant to change the vowel to /e/ or /i/, below it to change the vowel to /o/ or /u/. Unlike baybayin, bagoyin distinguishes between vowel pairs.
Like baybayin, the inherent vowel is muted by adding a sign under the consonant. Bagoyin uses a horizontal line instead of the baybayin + sign.
Direction of writing (left to right in horizontal lines) has been retained.

Bagoyin alphabet

Changing Vowel Sounds

Bagoyin vowel

Letters

The top row shows the evolved baybayin letters. Below the line are the derivatives used for new letters not in the original Tagalog alphabet.

Bagoyin letters

Sample text in the Bagoyin alphabet

Transliteration

Ang lahat ng tao'y isinilang na malaya at pantay-pantay sa karangalan at mga karapatan. Sila'y pinagkalooban ng katwiran at budhi at dapat magpalagayan ang isa't isa sa diwa ng pagkakapatiran.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

If you have any questions about bagoyin, you can contact Joseph Barretto at joopynyc[at]yahoo[dot]com

Other scripts invented by Joseph Barretto:

Bagoyin, Empisava, Kapunuan

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