Language (Homidin)

[Admin]

Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:41 pm

Luz wrote:

Ms. Borovsky, first let me thank you for your hours of work on the codex. It is most helpful and valued. Thank you very much.

?Are you also managing the written language of the Celestials? I understand that a specific shape of letters was being used and I wonder if we might be given the visual shapes for the different provinces and for some select words. I have need of Homidin words for blood, child, and trade, and the glyph symbols that match these words.

Luz

[Admin]

Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:48 pm

Mik wrote:

Eric: Thank you for confirmation. I understand what is needed now and will add that word to your order.

Matthew: You are doing precisely what I hope writers will be able to do as the codex grows. Let me look at what we have in terms of "goodnight" as I believe that "inte" may be too intimate a root. I will have your answer before the end of 10 October PST. Thank you for your concern and obvious respect. I am following your story in the fiction section and enjoying it.

Luz: I was not aware of written Homidin. I would be thrilled and honored to manage it. I will contact EJ now for more information. I will have the Homidin words you need today as some already exist in the codex and the others I will add to the open order for words.

Your faithful linguist,
Mik

[Admin]

Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:20 am

Mik wrote:

The new file, including all words on order, is now available from the URL that EJ posted. I also added a dozen new words that were roots or derivatives and completed the English section for easy reference.

It is good to work for you all.

Mik

[Admin]

Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:44 am

Mik wrote:

The font being used for the Celestial glyphs can now be downloaded.

Mardi Gras 3000 domain, slash downloads, slash celestialfont.ttf

Do not simply write the Homidin words in this font. I am working with EJ these two days to work out the basis for the written language.

Thank you all.

Mik

[Admin]

Mon Oct 13, 2008 2:01 am

Mik wrote:

For those of you interested in the written component of Celestial language (Homidiv), I will get right to the point. There is no chance that a human being would be able to read Celestial glyphs. This is because Celestials utilize sey'thu (emotional, resonant communication) when writing. This said, the majority of the word is not represented on the page but rather only parts of the word.

To make Homidiv accessible to we mere human writers, however, certain aspects of the language have been aligned with American English. The font set (anillo) is being used to represent the 26-symbol Celestial alphabet. However, no Celestial would say they have a 26-symbol alphabet. Their alphabet is unlimited because they take these glyphs and stack them into four dimensions to express their words, sentences and even entire tomes (as we all read in the "Immortal Dreaming" story).

Mathematical examples of their approach to writing would be: a single point becomes a line, a line become a flat square, a flat square becomes a cube, a cube becomes a hypercube. A single Celestial word is one dimension. A sentence is two dimensions. A paragraph is three dimensions. A book is four dimensions. All dimensions can exist in a space either the size of a grain of rice or the size of a wall tapestry.

Simple rules:

Determiners, interjections, conjunctions, prepositions, adverbs and adjectives are not used.

Verbs, nouns, and pronouns are used.

Commas are used to mark a two-beat pause.

Periods are used to mark a three-beat pause.

Double-periods (..) are used to mark a paragraph break and a five-beat pause.

Question marks are placed (upright) at the front and back of sentences and expect a three-beat pause.

White space (or space with artwork) is used to show chapter breaks or a shift in setting or passage of time.

Celestial is read in columns (not rows), from top to bottom.

Indents, exclamations points, em dashes, semi-colons, and colons are not used.

An example of a page of Homidiv is available at the Mardi Gras 3000 domain, slash downloads, slash celestialtocelestials.bmp Please understand that as a human I was not able to write in anything other than two dimensions and so I eluded to other dimensions with color use. Imagine Celestial writing as a holographic image that changes, shifting as meanings become more complex.

Simple writing:

The image example mentioned above is how a Celestial might see Celestial writing. How might a human see a Celestial glyph if our eyes are only two dimensional organs that are only able to see three dimensions and even then flatten those images? An image example can be found at Mardi Gras 3000 domain, slash downloads, slash celestialtohumans.bmp We would see the glyphs for the nouns and verbs as the first and third letters of the Homidin word as represented in anillo font glyphs. The word "compeer" would become "cm" in anillo glyphs next to each other. Some words would look exactly the same to human eyes. Celestial province names are the only words represented as single glyphs (the first letter of the word). To human eyes, the glyphs would seem to shimmer and move.

Code writing:

If you want to use elementary codes and write out complete Homidin words in anillo font, you can do this for fan readers to enjoy. This type of writing might only be used between Caretakers and Celestials, or between Celestials and their 3D children.

I hope this is helpful to all.

Luz, in terms of you using glyphs on masks or in tattoos (as I understand your use is), you may want to create these using the “Celestials to humans” rules – double letter glyphs. This would then give you:

blood/sangi (the substance) or bloodline/sanvien (non-Celestial) = sn
child/tiel = te
trade/reipre or /reisete = ri

The “sn,” “te,” and “ri” would be crafted with the double letters being shown in the anillo font set.

Mik

[Admin]

Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:49 am

papa nurgle wrote:

Wow, I am humbled at your prowess. The imagination and genius it must take to create such a form of language is nothing short of incredible. My many thanks to you

[Admin]

Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:01 pm

Mik wrote:

Matthew, how very much wrong is it that I read your post and thought first you were being sarcastic? It took my housemate Yovie, who is always practical, to tell me to say thank you for your compliment.

It is a language evolving, Matthew. Be patient. My brilliant veneer may wear thin when scrutinized.

I have updated the Homidin file again. 16 October 2008. It can be downloaded at the regular place. Please understand, everyone, that changes are being made to some existing words as the use of Celestial language comes clearer. This will only happen as writers use it and so updates will be frequent.

Mik

[Admin]

Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:17 pm

papa nurgle wrote:

I am so sorry you would think that and I apologize for not being more clear. Let me state for the record, I am not sarcastic anywhere on this board (I have plenty of places in my work and life to be sarcastic). Any questions I ask or comments I make are 100% honest and heart felt. I have always thought myself something of a wordsmith, not necessarily in writing but with language overall, and what you have done in just this short amount of time leaves me euphoric, excited and just WOWed.

I find it just as exciting to see what you do with this language as it is to read any of the fiction posted on these boards because of the imagination, creativity and plain hard work that goes into it. Thank you for working on this.

[Admin]

Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:16 pm

Mik wrote:

Thank you, Matthew. Truly, it means so much to me. Such a fascinating community you all have here. Today, I worked to teach Jennifer how to translate new words and I provided pronounciation for the Russian phrase Luz's story to be included in the October care package. I am challenged daily and enjoy it very much.

Thank you again, Matthew, for being so clear.

Mik

[Admin]

Sun Oct 26, 2008 4:38 am

Cris wrote:

Mik,

I'm working on the sourcebook. You mention that Homidiv is read in columns from top to bottom. Does their page begin at the upper left (as in English) or the upper right (as in Japanese)?

Thank you!
Cris

[Admin]

Sun Oct 26, 2008 4:58 am

Cris wrote:

Mik, in the downloadable image examples of Celestial-Celestial writing and Celestial-Human writing, you make mention of "stained glass style artrwork." Does this mean that there is additional "artwork" included? Does this represent the emotional resonance? Or is this the artwork that indicates a change in time or chapter?

Cris

[Admin]

Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:55 am

EJ wrote:

"CrisDiMarco wrote:
Mik,

I'm working on the sourcebook. You mention that Homidiv is read in columns from top to bottom. Does their page begin at the upper left (as in English) or the upper right (as in Japanese)?

Thank you!
Cris"


I think I can answer these, Cris Upper left

EJ

[Admin]

Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:00 am

EJ wrote:

"CrisDiMarco wrote:
Mik, in the downloadable image examples of Celestial-Celestial writing and Celestial-Human writing, you make mention of "stained glass style artrwork." Does this mean that there is additional "artwork" included? Does this represent the emotional resonance? Or is this the artwork that indicates a change in time or chapter?

Cris"


I can answer this one, too! Yay me! The stain glass style artwork that appears in Celestial manuscripts and letters is like the illuminated elements of ancient texts. To Celestials, this artwork sets a tone of the letter or story. Even someone just joting a note to a friend or partner might include a image representative of their emotional state or something they saw or felt that day.

In terms of colors of these elements, however, these would match the province (if prior to Unity) or be far more mixed (after Unity). Family lines also have images -- crests -- that are their symbol.

Helpful?

EJ

[Admin]

Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:33 am

Cris wrote:

Thank you EJ! This helps a lot.

Cris

[Admin]

Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:13 am

EJ wrote:

You're welcome, Cris. Mik is working on a huge translation project for me and I just didn't want you to have to wait

EJ