Slinseng-Fi

This is the 37th version of the SIGIL script, used to write the invented language Sgai. It was created by Ian James in 2013, though the language has been in development since 2006. This script version is formally known as Slinseng-Fi, "syllables drawn as a thread". It is fully cursive, limited only by the grammar (morphology), but usually a whole word or phrase is written with a single stroke.

Notable features

Type of system: cursive alphabetic, with some morphemic signs.
Direction of writing: left to right in horizontal lines.
Families of looped forms share phonetic features.
Used to write: Sgai.

Main consonants

Here the primary consonants are shown with their initial, medial and final forms. Many connected consonant finals shown here are not used in Sgai, but may be useful for transliterating foreign words; they are shown in orange. The medial and final semivowels /j/ and /w/ may also be used as the second element of diphthongs.

Slinseng-Fi main consonants

Vowels

Schwa is always short, and voiced or unvoiced depending on the voice of the previous consonant; it helps to create sesquisyllables. It only comes after plosives and may be omitted in writing. The other vowels tend to be long. Many vowels have a specifically final form in writing. Explicit tonemarks may be suffixed in some situations (pure Sgai does not use low or high tone).

Slinseng-Fi vowels

Other consonants

There are three medial-only consonants: the flap, and two special sequences featuring short /ja/ and /wa/ (which are rare in requiring a lift of the pen).

The "nasalizer" follows a vowel and in practice tends to one of the three nasal consonants depending on sandhi with a following consonant. For example, before /b/ the nasalizer will tend to be pronounced /-m/. If the nasalizer is word-final, it sounds as /-ng/.

Long /s/ is a grammatical prefix written with a solo glyph. The double /r/ glyph is a consonant with vocalic extension. Double /n/ is similar, but may also take a tone suffix. The final /t/, /k/ and /kt/ are solo forms. Ejectives are a distinctive feature of Sgai.

Slinseng-Fi other consonants

Special assemblies

A disconnected prefix like a thin T is used before a fricative to signal the arising of an implicit initiating plosive. In most cases that will be /d/ or /t/ for voiced and unvoiced fricatives respectively. There is a solo form for /khl/ + vocalic /l/.

There are two ligatures featuring fricative slurs, which in these cases act as grammatical units. Fricative slurs occur quite often in Sgai, as a final fricative meets an initial fricative of a nearby phonemic location.

For certain unvoiced consonants, an inward airflow can be applied. Inward /h/ is basically an inbreath. Symmetrical loop units may be used to show logical divisions.

Slinseng-Fi special assemblies

Numerals

As with all the numeral systems of SIGIL scripts so far, this version’s system is based on joining designated numbers of dots. Only FIVE, SEVEN and NINE use more than one stroke. A single glyph is used for a set of three zeroes (thousands).

Slinseng-Fi numerals

Sample text

This is part of a translation of Genesis 11, the Tower of Babel text. The transliteration below it is not pure IPA, but uses a set of familiar European letters.

Sample text in the Slinseng-Fi script

Translation

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
[From Genesis 11:1-3]

This page is based on www.skyknowledge.com/sig37.htm

Feedback about Slinseng-Fi may be sent to [ianrjames at hotmail dotcom]

Alphabets by Ian James

Akkhara Muni, Amethyst, Bostani, Elektrum, Fontok, Klaekson-Zaen, Maui, New Akha, New Maori, New Mong, Pranish, SIGIL, Sigil Panel Script, Slinseng-Fi, Tengwar for Scottish Gaelic, Xylphika

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