Appendix:Chakobsa orthography

The Dinlih writing system is an abugida comprising more than 1,000 glyphs. The system is complex, but learnable: a point of pride for a once-great people. It’s used for Chakobsa proper, but could be used for Fremen as well.

Dinlih glyphs stand for syllabic sequences of a consonant (C) followed by a vowel (V), though in certain circumstances CV sequences can stand for a plain consonant. Though Chakobsa words can begin with a vowel in speech, they are written as if they begin with a consonant (more or less silent at this stage). In between vowels, that consonant is romanized as ', and is pronounced like a catch in the throat (similar to the sound between the two words that comprise “uh-oh”), called a glottal stop.

Vowel Examples

To give you a sense of what the vowels look like, here they are following a glottal stop consonant:

Orthographic Form	Romanized Form(s)	Phonetic Form(s)
a	A, a, -	[a]
aa	Aa, aa	[aː]
ai	Ai, ai	[ai]
e	E, e	[ɛ]
au	Au, au	[au]
o	O, o	[o]
i	I, i	[i]
ii	Ii, ii	[iː]
ia	Ya, ya Ia, ia	[ja]
iu	Yu, yu Iu, iu	[ju]
u	U, u	[u]
uu	Uu, uu	[uː]
ua	Wa, wa Ua, ua	[wa]
ui	Wi, wi Ui, ui	[wi]
‌	'	[ʔ]

Full list

Here is a full list of all the forms that occur in Dinlih. The first fourteen forms are vowel forms. The very first form can be read as a consonant if it comes before another consonant and is unstressed. The final form is used when a word ends with a consonant. Many of the forms shown are predictable; some are not.

"-#" stands for when a consonant appears at the end of a word.

C/V	a	aa	ai	e	au	o	i	ii	ia	ia	u	uu	ua	ui	-#
'	‌a	‌aa	‌ai	‌e	‌au	‌o	‌i	‌ii	‌ia	‌ia	‌u	‌uu	‌ua	‌ui	‌
b	ba	baa	bai	be	bau	bo	bi	bii	bia	bia	bu	buu	bua	bui	b
ch	cha	chaa	chai	che	chau	cho	chi	chii	chia	chia	chu	chuu	chua	chui	ch
d	da	daa	dai	de	dau	do	di	dii	dia	dia	du	duu	dua	dui	d
dh	dha	dhaa	dhai	dhe	dhau	dho	dhi	dhii	dhia	dhia	dhu	dhuu	dhua	dhui	dh
f	fa	faa	fai	fe	fau	fo	fi	fii	fia	fia	fu	fuu	fua	fui	f
g	ga	gaa	gai	ge	gau	go	gi	gii	gia	gia	gu	guu	gua	gui	g
h	ha	haa	hai	he	hau	ho	hi	hii	hia	hia	hu	huu	hua	hui	h
j	ja	jaa	jai	je	jau	jo	ji	jii	jia	jia	ju	juu	jua	jui	j
k	ka	kaa	kai	ke	kau	ko	ki	kii	kia	kia	ku	kuu	kua	kui	k
l	la	laa	lai	le	lau	lo	li	lii	lia	lia	lu	luu	lua	lui	l
m	ma	maa	mai	me	mau	mo	mi	mii	mia	mia	mu	muu	mua	mui	m
n	na	naa	nai	ne	nau	no	ni	nii	nia	nia	nu	nuu	nua	nui	n
q	qa	qaa	qai	qe	qau	qo	qi	qii	qia	qia	qu	quu	qua	qui	q
r	ra	raa	rai	re	rau	ro	ri	rii	ria	ria	ru	ruu	rua	rui	r
s	sa	saa	sai	se	sau	so	si	sii	sia	sia	su	suu	sua	sui	s
sh	sha	shaa	shai	she	shau	sho	shi	shii	shia	shia	shu	shuu	shua	shui	sh
t	ta	taa	tai	te	tau	to	ti	tii	tia	tia	tu	tuu	tua	tui	t
th	tha	thaa	thai	the	thau	tho	thi	thii	thia	thia	thu	thuu	thua	thui	th
v	va	vaa	vai	ve	vau	vo	vi	vii	via	via	vu	vuu	vua	vui	v
y	ya	yaa	yai	ye	yau	yo	yi	yii	yia	yia	yu	yuu	yua	yui	y
z	za	zaa	zai	ze	zau	zo	zi	zii	zia	zia	zu	zuu	zua	zui	z

Conjunct characters

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Dinlih system is the many, many conjunct characters that occur. These conjuncts are used when two non-like consonants occur next to one another. Not all consonants combine; only some of them do.

C/V	a	aa	ai	e	au	o	i	ii	ia	ia	u	uu	ua	ui	-#
bs	bsa	bsaa	bsai	bse	bsau	bso	bsi	bsii	bsia	bsia	bsu	bsuu	bsua	bsui	bs
bsh	bsha	bshaa	bshai	bshe	bshau	bsho	bshi	bshii	bshia	bshia	bshu	bshuu	bshua	bshui	bsh
chq	chqa	chqaa	chqai	chqe	chqau	chqo	chqi	chqii	chqia	chqia	chqu	chquu	chqua	chqui	chq
chr	chra	chraa	chrai	chre	chrau	chro	chri	chrii	chria	chria	chru	chruu	chrua	chrui	chr
cht	chta	chtaa	chtai	chte	chtau	chto	chti	chtii	chtia	chtia	chtu	chtuu	chtua	chtui	cht
chth	chtha	chthaa	chthai	chthe	chthau	chtho	chthi	chthii	chthia	chthia	chthu	chthuu	chthua	chthui	chth
chv	chva	chvaa	chvai	chve	chvau	chvo	chvi	chvii	chvia	chvia	chvu	chvuu	chvua	chvui	chv
dr	dra	draa	drai	dre	drau	dro	dri	drii	dria	dria	dru	druu	drua	drui	dr
dv	dva	dvaa	dvai	dve	dvau	dvo	dvi	dvii	dvia	dvia	dvu	dvuu	dvua	dvui	dv
dz	dza	dzaa	dzai	dze	dzau	dzo	dzi	dzii	dzia	dzia	dzu	dzuu	dzua	dzui	dz
dhr	dhra	dhraa	dhrai	dhre	dhrau	dhro	dhri	dhrii	dhria	dhria	dhru	dhruu	dhrua	dhrui	dhr
dhv	dhva	dhvaa	dhvai	dhve	dhvau	dhvo	dhvi	dhvii	dhvia	dhvia	dhvu	dhvuu	dhvua	dhvui	dhv
dhz	dhza	dhzaa	dhzai	dhze	dhzau	dhzo	dhzi	dhzii	dhzia	dhzia	dhzu	dhzuu	dhzua	dhzui	dhz
ft	fta	ftaa	ftai	fte	ftau	fto	fti	ftii	ftia	ftia	ftu	ftuu	ftua	ftui	ft
fth	ftha	fthaa	fthai	fthe	fthau	ftho	fthi	fthii	fthia	fthia	fthu	fthuu	fthua	fthui	fth
gl	gla	glaa	glai	gle	glau	glo	gli	glii	glia	glia	glu	gluu	glua	glui	gl
hch	hcha	hchaa	hchai	hche	hchau	hcho	hchi	hchii	hchia	hchia	hchu	hchuu	hchua	hchui	hch
hq	hqa	hqaa	hqai	hqe	hqau	hqo	hqi	hqii	hqia	hqia	hqu	hquu	hqua	hqui	hq
hr	hra	hraa	hrai	hre	hrau	hro	hri	hrii	hria	hria	hru	hruu	hrua	hrui	hr
hs	hsa	hsaa	hsai	hse	hsau	hso	hsi	hsii	hsia	hsia	hsu	hsuu	hsua	hsui	hs
hsh	hsha	hshaa	hshai	hshe	hshau	hsho	hshi	hshii	hshia	hshia	hshu	hshuu	hshua	hshui	hsh
ht	hta	htaa	htai	hte	htau	hto	hti	htii	htia	htia	htu	htuu	htua	htui	ht
hth	htha	hthaa	hthai	hthe	hthau	htho	hthi	hthii	hthia	hthia	hthu	hthuu	hthua	hthui	hth
hv	hva	hvaa	hvai	hve	hvau	hvo	hvi	hvii	hvia	hvia	hvu	hvuu	hvua	hvui	hv
jd	jda	jdaa	jdai	jde	jdau	jdo	jdi	jdii	jdia	jdia	jdu	jduu	jdua	jdui	jd
jdh	jdha	jdhaa	jdhai	jdhe	jdhau	jdho	jdhi	jdhii	jdhia	jdhia	jdhu	jdhuu	jdhua	jdhui	jdh
jr	jra	jraa	jrai	jre	jrau	jro	jri	jrii	jria	jria	jru	jruu	jrua	jrui	jr
jv	jva	jvaa	jvai	jve	jvau	jvo	jvi	jvii	jvia	jvia	jvu	jvuu	jvua	jvui	jv
kl	kla	klaa	klai	kle	klau	klo	kli	klii	klia	klia	klu	kluu	klua	klui	kl
ks	ksa	ksaa	ksai	kse	ksau	kso	ksi	ksii	ksia	ksia	ksu	ksuu	ksua	ksui	ks
ksh	ksha	kshaa	kshai	kshe	kshau	ksho	kshi	kshii	kshia	kshia	kshu	kshuu	kshua	kshui	ksh
lch	lcha	lchaa	lchai	lche	lchau	lcho	lchi	lchii	lchia	lchia	lchu	lchuu	lchua	lchui	lch
lh	lha	lhaa	lhai	lhe	lhau	lho	lhi	lhii	lhia	lhia	lhu	lhuu	lhua	lhui	lh
lj	lja	ljaa	ljai	lje	ljau	ljo	lji	ljii	ljia	ljia	lju	ljuu	ljua	ljui	lj
lq	lqa	lqaa	lqai	lqe	lqau	lqo	lqi	lqii	lqia	lqia	lqu	lquu	lqua	lqui	lq
lr	lra	lraa	lrai	lre	lrau	lro	lri	lrii	lria	lria	lru	lruu	lrua	lrui	lr
ls	lsa	lsaa	lsai	lse	lsau	lso	lsi	lsii	lsia	lsia	lsu	lsuu	lsua	lsui	ls
lsh	lsha	lshaa	lshai	lshe	lshau	lsho	lshi	lshii	lshia	lshia	lshu	lshuu	lshua	lshui	lsh
lt	lta	ltaa	ltai	lte	ltau	lto	lti	ltii	ltia	ltia	ltu	ltuu	ltua	ltui	lt
lv	lva	lvaa	lvai	lve	lvau	lvo	lvi	lvii	lvia	lvia	lvu	lvuu	lvua	lvui	lv
lz	lza	lzaa	lzai	lze	lzau	lzo	lzi	lzii	lzia	lzia	lzu	lzuu	lzua	lzui	lz
mb	mba	mbaa	mbai	mbe	mbau	mbo	mbi	mbii	mbia	mbia	mbu	mbuu	mbua	mbui	mb
mf	mfa	mfaa	mfai	mfe	mfau	mfo	mfi	mfii	mfia	mfia	mfu	mfuu	mfua	mfui	mf
mn	mna	mnaa	mnai	mne	mnau	mno	mni	mnii	mnia	mnia	mnu	mnuu	mnua	mnui	mn
nd	nda	ndaa	ndai	nde	ndau	ndo	ndi	ndii	ndia	ndia	ndu	nduu	ndua	ndui	nd
nr	nra	nraa	nrai	nre	nrau	nro	nri	nrii	nria	nria	nru	nruu	nrua	nrui	nr
ns	nsa	nsaa	nsai	nse	nsau	nso	nsi	nsii	nsia	nsia	nsu	nsuu	nsua	nsui	ns
nt	nta	ntaa	ntai	nte	ntau	nto	nti	ntii	ntia	ntia	ntu	ntuu	ntua	ntui	nt
nth	ntha	nthaa	nthai	nthe	nthau	ntho	nthi	nthii	nthia	nthia	nthu	nthuu	nthua	nthui	nth
nz	nza	nzaa	nzai	nze	nzau	nzo	nzi	nzii	nzia	nzia	nzu	nzuu	nzua	nzui	nz
qr	qra	qraa	qrai	qre	qrau	qro	qri	qrii	qria	qria	qru	qruu	qrua	qrui	qr
qs	qsa	qsaa	qsai	qse	qsau	qso	qsi	qsii	qsia	qsia	qsu	qsuu	qsua	qsui	qs
qsh	qsha	qshaa	qshai	qshe	qshau	qsho	qshi	qshii	qshia	qshia	qshu	qshuu	qshua	qshui	qsh
qt	qta	qtaa	qtai	qte	qtau	qto	qti	qtii	qtia	qtia	qtu	qtuu	qtua	qtui	qt
qv	qva	qvaa	qvai	qve	qvau	qvo	qvi	qvii	qvia	qvia	qvu	qvuu	qvua	qvui	qv
rd	rda	rdaa	rdai	rde	rdau	rdo	rdi	rdii	rdia	rdia	rdu	rduu	rdua	rdui	rd
rdh	rdha	rdhaa	rdhai	rdhe	rdhau	rdho	rdhi	rdhii	rdhia	rdhia	rdhu	rdhuu	rdhua	rdhui	rdh
rth	rtha	rthaa	rthai	rthe	rthau	rtho	rthi	rthii	rthia	rthia	rthu	rthuu	rthua	rthui	rth
rv	rva	rvaa	rvai	rve	rvau	rvo	rvi	rvii	rvia	rvia	rvu	rvuu	rvua	rvui	rv
rz	rza	rzaa	rzai	rze	rzau	rzo	rzi	rzii	rzia	rzia	rzu	rzuu	rzua	rzui	rz
sn	sna	snaa	snai	sne	snau	sno	sni	snii	snia	snia	snu	snuu	snua	snui	sn
sq	sqa	sqaa	sqai	sqe	sqau	sqo	sqi	sqii	sqia	sqia	squ	squu	squa	squi	sq
st	sta	staa	stai	ste	stau	sto	sti	stii	stia	stia	stu	stuu	stua	stui	st
sth	stha	sthaa	sthai	sthe	sthau	stho	sthi	sthii	sthia	sthia	sthu	sthuu	sthua	sthui	sth
shn	shna	shnaa	shnai	shne	shnau	shno	shni	shnii	shnia	shnia	shnu	shnuu	shnua	shnui	shn
shq	shqa	shqaa	shqai	shqe	shqau	shqo	shqi	shqii	shqia	shqia	shqu	shquu	shqua	shqui	shq
sht	shta	shtaa	shtai	shte	shtau	shto	shti	shtii	shtia	shtia	shtu	shtuu	shtua	shtui	sht
shth	shtha	shthaa	shthai	shthe	shthau	shtho	shthi	shthii	shthia	shthia	shthu	shthuu	shthua	shthui	shth
ts	tsa	tsaa	tsai	tse	tsau	tso	tsi	tsii	tsia	tsia	tsu	tsuu	tsua	tsui	ts
tsh	tsha	tshaa	tshai	tshe	tshau	tsho	tshi	tshii	tshia	tshia	tshu	tshuu	tshua	tshui	tsh
vd	vda	vdaa	vdai	vde	vdau	vdo	vdi	vdii	vdia	vdia	vdu	vduu	vdua	vdui	vd
vdh	vdha	vdhaa	vdhai	vdhe	vdhau	vdho	vdhi	vdhii	vdhia	vdhia	vdhu	vdhuu	vdhua	vdhui	vdh
vr	vra	vraa	vrai	vre	vrau	vro	vri	vrii	vria	vria	vru	vruu	vrua	vrui	vr
vz	vza	vzaa	vzai	vze	vzau	vzo	vzi	vzii	vzia	vzia	vzu	vzuu	vzua	vzui	vz
ych	ycha	ychaa	ychai	yche	ychau	ycho	ychi	ychii	ychia	ychia	ychu	ychuu	ychua	ychui	ych
yd	yda	ydaa	ydai	yde	ydau	ydo	ydi	ydii	ydia	ydia	ydu	yduu	ydua	ydui	yd
ydh	ydha	ydhaa	ydhai	ydhe	ydhau	ydho	ydhi	ydhii	ydhia	ydhia	ydhu	ydhuu	ydhua	ydhui	ydh
yh	yha	yhaa	yhai	yhe	yhau	yho	yhi	yhii	yhia	yhia	yhu	yhuu	yhua	yhui	yh
yj	yja	yjaa	yjai	yje	yjau	yjo	yji	yjii	yjia	yjia	yju	yjuu	yjua	yjui	yj
yn	yna	ynaa	ynai	yne	ynau	yno	yni	ynii	ynia	ynia	ynu	ynuu	ynua	ynui	yn
yq	yqa	yqaa	yqai	yqe	yqau	yqo	yqi	yqii	yqia	yqia	yqu	yquu	yqua	yqui	yq
yr	yra	yraa	yrai	yre	yrau	yro	yri	yrii	yria	yria	yru	yruu	yrua	yrui	yr
ys	ysa	ysaa	ysai	yse	ysau	yso	ysi	ysii	ysia	ysia	ysu	ysuu	ysua	ysui	ys
ysh	ysha	yshaa	yshai	yshe	yshau	ysho	yshi	yshii	yshia	yshia	yshu	yshuu	yshua	yshui	ysh
yt	yta	ytaa	ytai	yte	ytau	yto	yti	ytii	ytia	ytia	ytu	ytuu	ytua	ytui	yt
yth	ytha	ythaa	ythai	ythe	ythau	ytho	ythi	ythii	ythia	ythia	ythu	ythuu	ythua	ythui	yth
yv	yva	yvaa	yvai	yve	yvau	yvo	yvi	yvii	yvia	yvia	yvu	yvuu	yvua	yvui	yv
yz	yza	yzaa	yzai	yze	yzau	yzo	yzi	yzii	yzia	yzia	yzu	yzuu	yzua	yzui	yz
zd	zda	zdaa	zdai	zde	zdau	zdo	zdi	zdii	zdia	zdia	zdu	zduu	zdua	zdui	zd
zdh	zdha	zdhaa	zdhai	zdhe	zdhau	zdho	zdhi	zdhii	zdhia	zdhia	zdhu	zdhuu	zdhua	zdhui	zdh
zv	zva	zvaa	zvai	zve	zvau	zvo	zvi	zvii	zvia	zvia	zvu	zvuu	zvua	zvui	zv

Double Consonants

There is one last wrinkle to the system that involves doubled consonants. Just as Chakobsa distinguishes between long and short vowels, so does Dinlih distinguish between long and short consonants. If b  is ba (with a single ba), then bba  is bba (a doubled b followed by a).

b  + ba  b+ba	>	bba  bba
t  + ti  t+ti	>	tti  tti
f  + fuu  f+fuu	>	ffuu  ffuu

Numerals

Like many languages, Chakobsa uses a base-10 number system. Here's a summary of the numerals in Dinlih:

Orthographic Form	English Numeral(s)
0	0
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7
8	8
9	9
10	10
20	20
100	100
1000	1000
1344563	1,344,563

To indicate a number, there’s a special number symbol used before numerals. The monetary symbol for local currency is derived from this symbol. They both are shown below:

Orthographic Form	English Numeral(s)
23  || 23
$23	$23

Punctuation

Orthographic Form	English Name(s)	English Mark(s)
.	period	.
?	question mark	?
!	exclamation point	!
,	comma	,
|| long comma || ; or or —
"	quotation mark	"
..	final period	no equivalent

The quotation mark has broader usage than simple quotation. It can be used to set off any text (e.g. for emphasis or as a parenthetical comment).