This script is a Phonological Cypher, being an easily written, phonetically constructed alphabet like others in that series. Its consonants flow horizontally and its vowels flow upwards. Its name (meaning “rising like vapor”) comes from Sgai, and while it caters for that language it may be used for others such as English.
Vowels
Like many abugida-alphabets, the vowels sit above their consonants. Weak schwa is not written. Diphthongs are written as a vertical sequence in a near-regular fashion. There are two forms of /a/, the second useful for diphthongs.
Consonants
The consonants are written connected within separable words, but are not strictly cursive (like Slinseng-Fi), since the pen is usually lifted to start each letter, and add extra strokes. A dot is added under the left arm to indicate “alternative phoneme”, which in most cases is the unvoiced partner. The small tick to be put at the top right of some plosives is for the medial flap.
Examples
1. Some text in the Sgai language.
tʃɹ kɾænjɑt tysbɑyθ dʒɔʃ tyszɔk fɔt’əɡɔp
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2. This is a transcription of the first line of Shakespeare’s sonnet 18, for comparison with my other cyphers.
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
