zompist bboard

We know of the following writing systems:

• Cadhinorian/Verdurian alphabet
  Barakhinei alphabet
  Demoshi alphabet
  Jippirasti alphabet
  Nanese syllabry
  Sevrise syllabry
  Skourene syllabry - I imagine this has become rather different in Gurdago to the homeland version?
  Xurnese logo-syllabry - I note that in the 1750 Historical Atlas map, the Jeori script is listed seperately, but not in the modern map. Is that because it has become assimilated by the standard Xurnese?
  Cuolese logo-syllabry

I've probably missed a few.

Given that Belesao and Uytai make labelled maps, I assume they're literate too.

And now a question: are there any Almean scripts that write from right-to-left? (or, for that matter vertically)?

Given that the flaids and Kebreni both use the Verdurian version of the alphabet, isn't it a bit Verduro-centric to call it znakora etaldei?

And now, for the non-humans.

• Elcarin featural code
  Eteodaole writing

The Count of Years wrote: The ktuvoks press carved knobs into clay.

Does this mean that for centuries the ktuvoki were literate while their human subjects were not? Wouldn't it have been useful to teach them writing, since their opponents had use of it?

What about the murtani? Are they literate?

So Haleza Grise wrote:

The Count of Years wrote:The ktuvoks press carved knobs into clay.

Does this mean that for centuries the ktuvoki were literate while their human subjects were not? Wouldn't it have been useful to teach them writing, since their opponents had use of it?

In China, one of the Emperors, had all books burnt because he knew literacy could undermine his authority.

Not quite.... Qin Shi Huang burned all books except for the ones that he felt weren't a threat (i.e. books supporting Legalism, officially sanctioned history, books dealing with medicine, divination, etc). He also buried alive dissident scholars who objected to the burning of books. Many later emperors (a few recent ones inclusive) also had similar policies.

China (and most other premodern civilizations) were greatly dependent on maintaining a literate elite --- you need to run the country somehow, after all. Of course, in the context of the ktuvoki, that might mean that only the ktuvoki (plus their most trusted human advisors) would need to know how to read and write -- it depends, I think, on how the ktuvoki administration system works.

So Haleza Grise wrote:We know of the following writing systems:

Skourene syllabry - I imagine this has become rather different in Gurdago to the homeland version?

Yes, probably dramatically so, since contact with the homeland is sporadic.

Xurnese logo-syllabry - I note that in the 1750 Historical Atlas map, the Jeori script is listed seperately, but not in the modern map. Is that because it has become assimilated by the standard Xurnese?

Yes-- Jeori is no longer anyone's native language, though it's still learned (and written in its native script) by intellectuals.

There are certainly writing systems on Arc?l... I have no idea what they're like, I'm afraid. The Bekkayin states on the north coast of Erel?e are also literate.

And now a question: are there any Almean scripts that write from right-to-left? (or, for that matter vertically)?

Elcarin writing is vertical; the Skourene script is right-to-left.

Given that the flaids and Kebreni both use the Verdurian version of the alphabet, isn't it a bit Verduro-centric to call it znakora etaldei?

Sure, though no more than calling our alphabet Roman.

Does this mean that for centuries the ktuvoki were literate while their human subjects were not? Wouldn't it have been useful to teach them writing, since their opponents had use of it?

I was unclear there; the human elite among the Munhk?shi used the same system. Beretos witnessed the system being used during an excursion into Munkh?sh.

What about the murtani? Are they literate?

Yes; they have a variant of the elcarin system.

The sylabic scripts interest me most