Alphabets: Mazhkazor and Magadhan

There are two main scripts used for writing in Heimland; Mazhkazor and Magadhan. Both scripts are slightly simplified versions of the Folk-Script and can be used to write all the languages of Heimland. Unlike the Folk-Script, these simple scripts are read and understood by almost all the literate people of Heimland, with the exception of the uneducated outcasts and bandits.

Writing System

Mazhkazor is a syllabic-alphabet (abugida/alphasyllabary), a segmental writing-system in which consonant-vowel sequences are written as a unit: each unit is based on a vowel letter, and consonant-notation is secondary. This contrasts with a full alphabet, in which consonants have status equal to vowels , and with an abjad, in which vowel-marking is absent, partial, or optional (although in a less formal contexts, all three types of script may be termed alphabets). There are six vowel-symbols representing A, E, U, I, O and Ə.

by C.S.De Silva (Ken D)

The vowels are of primary importance. Consonants are written as diacritics;

by C.S.De Silva (Ken D)

These diacritics are written above, below or on either side of a vowel-symbol to indicate a syllable. Double-consonants are marked with a dot above the symbol. The special "Ks" sound is written with a "K"and "S" put together. The diacritics are "Ch", "H", "P", "V", "Zh", "B", "J", "Qu", "W", "Sh", "K", "L", "R", "X", "Th", "F", "M", "S", "Y", "Pt", "G", "N", "T", "Z" and "Ng". A lot of sounds in the Folk-Script are missing from Mazhkazor. Diacritics are written underneath a vowel is they come after the vowel and on either side, above or inside the vowel if they are before. If diacritics are supposed to be inside/above/on either side of a vowel, the vowel is marked with a secondary symbol; a large circle in the left corner. Sample-text:

by C.S.De Silva (Ken D)

The above text reads as "Allfi əyrenna ksopturr gennerət", which roughly means "Share food with your neighbors." Magadhan is a slightly simpler script; it is not a syllabic-alphabet, but is a full alphabet. The script is rather basic, with sounds like "Ks" being written as ligatures. In total there are 44 letters; "A", "Ā", "I", "Ī", "U", "Ū", "E", "O", "Ṃ", "K", "Kh", "G", "Gh", "Ṅ", "C", "Ch", "J", "Jh", "Ñ", "Ṭ", "Ṭh", "Ḍ", "Ḍh", "Ṇ", "T", "Th", "D", "Dh", "N", "P", "Ph", "B", "Bh", "M", "Y", "R", "L", 'Ḷ", "V", "W", "S", 'H", "Z" and "Sh".

by C.S.De Silva (Ken D)

A sample-text:

by C.S.De Silva (Ken D)

The above text reads as "Achāryū bhūṭhbo īṃṭatpheth cukoch, ñāḷil ṇijh shūṅīdhad", meaning "Treat strangers with love and care, remember that you are also a stranger unto this world." Mazhkazor is used mainly in religious texts of the Church-of-Kristyanitty and by the common people as a day-to-day script. Magadhan is used more as a communication-script, and is used more commonly among Yea'haa'weh and Vedda.

Geographical Distribution

All across the Heimland.

Phonology

The phonology is similar to that of the Folk-Script. However, it does not have final-obstruent devoicing and fortis (voiceless) stop-consonants are aspirated, and the "Pt" phoneme is variably uvular, palatal or velar. "M","P" and "B" are bilabial (pronounced with both lips), whereas "F/Ph", "V" and "W" are labiodental (articulated with lower-lip and upper-teeth). The glottal stop [ ʔ ] appears only as a word-separator and fullstop.

Root Languages