Appendix:Chakobsa orthography
The Dinlih writing system is an abugida comprised of 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.
This appendix explains characters written in the Dinlih script.
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 |
Punctuation
Orthographic Form |
English Name(s) |
English Mark(s) |
---|---|---|
. | period | . |
? | question mark | ? |
! | exclamation point | ! |
, | comma | , |
| ||
" | 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).