Sitemap

A guide to all the wonderful and interesting information about writing systems and languages you can find on Omniglot.

Contents

Writing systems | Constructed scripts | Languages | Language learning | Multilingual pages | Useful phrases | Articles | Links | Offshoots of Omniglot

---

Writing Systems

Information about 371 different writing systems. Each page contains an illustration of a writing system; details of its origin, usage, notable features and the language(s) written with it; a sample text, and useful links.

This section is divided as follows:

• Introduction - definitions of writing, types of writing systems, differences between writing and speech
• Abjads / Consonant alphabets: Ancient Berber, Arabic, Aramaic, Chorasmian, Elymaic, Hatran, Hebrew, Manichaean, Nabataean, North Arabian, Pahlavi, Palmyrene, Parthian, Phoenician, Paleo-Hebrew, Proto-Sinaitic / Proto-Canaanite, Psalter, Punic, Sabaean, Samaritan, Sogdian, South Arabian, Syriac, Tifinagh, Ugaritic
• Alphabets: A-chik Tokbirim, Adinkra, ADLaM, Armenian, Avestan, Avoiuli, Bactrian, Bassa (Vah), Beitha Kukju, Berati, Beria (Zaghawa), Borama / Gadabuursi, Carian, Carpathian Basin Rovas, Chinuk pipa, Chisoi, Coorgi-Cox, Coptic, Cyrillic, Dalecarlian runes, Elbasan, Etruscan, Faliscan, Fox, Galik, Georgian (Asomtavruli), Georgian (Nuskhuri), Georgian (Mkhedruli), Glagolitic, Global Alphabet, Gothic, Greek, Hurûf-ı munfasıla, Irish (Uncial), Kaddare, Kayah Li, Khatt-i-Badíʼ, Khazarian Rovas, Koch, Korean, Latin, Lepontic, Luo Lakeside Script, Lycian, Lydian, Manchu, Mandaic, Mandombe, Marsiliana, Medefaidrin, Messapic, Mongolian, Mro, Mundari Bani, Nag Chiki, Naasioi Otomaung, N'Ko, North Picene, Novo Tupi, Nyiakeng Puachue Hmong, Odùduwà, Ogham, Old Church Slavonic, Oirat Clear Script, Ol Chiki (Ol Cemet' / Santali), Old Italic, Old Nubian, Old Permic, Ol Onal, Orkhon, Osage, Oscan, Osmanya (Somali), Pau Cin Hau, Phrygian, Pollard script, Quốc âm tân tự, Runic, Székely-Hungarian Rovás (Hungarian Runes), South Picene, Sutton SignWriting, Sunuwar, Tai Viet, Tangsa, Todhri, Toto, Umbrian, (Old) Uyghur, Vellara, Veso Bey, Wancho, Yezidi, Zoulai
• Abugidas / Syllabic alphabets: Ahom, Aima, Arleng, Badagu, Badlit, Basahan, Balinese, Balti-A, Balti-B, Batak, Baybayin, Bengali, Bhaiksuki, Bhujimol, Bilang-bilang, Bima, Blackfoot, Brahmi, Buhid, Burmese, Carrier, Chakma, Cham, Cree, Dehong Dai, Devanagari, Dham Lipi, Dhankari / Sirmauri, Ditema, Dives Akuru, Dogra, Ethiopic, Evēla Akuru, Fox, Fraser, Gond, Goykanadi, Grantha, Gujarati, Gunjala Gondi, Gupta, Gurmukhi, Halbi Lipi, Hanifi, Hanuno'o, Hočąk, Ibalnan, Incung, Inuktitut, Jaunsari Takri, Javanese, Kaithi, Kadamba, Kamarupi, Kannada, Kawi, Kharosthi, Khema, Khe Prih, Khmer, Khojki, Khom Thai, Khudabadi, Kirat Rai, Kōchi, Kodava Lipi, Komering, Kulitan, Kurukh Banna, Lai Tay (Tai Yo), Lampung, Lanna, Lao, Leke, Lepcha, Limbu, Lontara/Makasar, Lota Ende, Magar Akkha, Mahajani, Malayalam, Meitei (Modern), Manpuri (Old), Marchen, Meetei Yelhou Mayek, Meroïtic, Masarm Gondi, Modi, Mon, Mongolian Horizontal Square Script, Multani, Nandinagari, Newa, New Tai Lue, Ojibwe, Odia, Ogan, Pahawh Hmong, Pallava, Phags-pa, Purva Licchavi, Qiang / Rma, Ranjana, Rejang (Kaganga), Sasak, Savara, Satera Jontal, Shan, Sharda, Sheek Bakrii Saphaloo, Siddham, Sinhala, Sorang Sompeng, Sourashtra, Soyombo, Sukhothai, Sundanese, Syloti Nagri, Tagbanwa, Tai Noi, Takri, Tamil, Tanchangya (Ka-Pat), Tani, Thaana, Telugu, Thai, Thirke, Tibetan, Tigalari, Tikamuli, Tocharian, Tolong Siki, Vatteluttu, Warang Citi
• Syllabaries: Afaka, Bamum, Caroline Island Script, Celtiberian, Cherokee, Cypriot, Dunging (Iban), Eskayan, Hiragana, Iberian, Katakana, Kpelle, Loma, Mende (Kikakui), Mwangwego, Nüshu, Nwagụ Aneke, Vai, Yi, Yugtun
• Semanto-phonetic writing systems: Akkadian Cuneiform, Ancient Egyptian (Demotic), Ancient Egyptian (Hieratic), Ancient Egyptian (Hieroglyphs), Chinese, Chữ-nôm, Cuneiform, Japanese, Jurchen, Khitan, Linear B, Luwian, Mayan, Naxi, Sawndip (Old Zhuang), Sui, Sumerian Cuneiform, Tangut (Hsihsia)
• Alternative writing/spelling systems: Alternative spelling systems, phonetic alphabets, other language-based notation and communication systems: Benjamin Franklin's Phonetic Alphabet, Deseret, Dialectal Paleotype, Interbet, Pitman Initial Teaching Alphabet, Quikscript/Read Alphabet, Shavian, Simpel-Fonetik, Unifon
• Undeciphered writing systems
• Alphabetic index of all the writing systems and languages
• Index of writing systems by writing direction
• Index of writing systems by continent

[top]

---

Constructed scripts

Alphabets and other writing systems invented by visitors to this site, and that appear in books, TV programmes, films and computer games.

Constructed scripts for: Ainu | Arabic | Chinese languages | Dutch | English | Hawaiian | Hungarian | Japanese | Korean | Lingala | Malay & Indonesian | Persian | Tagalog / Filipino | Russian | Sanskrit | Spanish | Taino | Turkish | Vietnamese | Welsh | Other natural languages | Colour-based scripts | Tactile scripts | Phonetic/universal scripts | Constructed scripts for constructed languages | Adaptations of existing alphabets | Fictional alphabets | Magical alphabets | A-Z index | How to submit a constructed script

Constructed and adapted scripts by language

• Ainu: Ainu Nuye (애누이닥 누여), Ainu Apukita, Ainurillic (Аинукириру), Aynu Apcat (אַינֻ אַףצַת), Aynukana, Indogana (इन्दोगन), Manjikana
• Arabic: Arabindi (अल्‍अ़रबिन्दियः॑), Bariz, Greek Arabic (Αλ-γ̲αραπυιιατȣ λ-ιωνάνυιιαχ̌), Kajarte, Kalamiy, Kalamiy (L'Ɛarabijjatu l'Látienijjah), Modern Standard Alphabet, Sharjastani, Simplified Arabic Alphabet,
• Chinese: Arabo-Chinese, Cantonese Grid Script, Cantonese Phonetic Symbols, Cǎo Yīn Zì, Géyīnzì, Hàn Yīnbīao, Hanyinwen, Hanyinzi, Phags-Pa for Modern Mandarin, 井卜文 (Jǐngbǔ script), Jyutcitzi, Lóngwén, New Hanyu Pinyin, Phonemic Pīnyīn Third-round Simplified Chinese, Taichuan alphabet, Tàiguó pǔtōnghuà, Tangish, Tiāojīnjiào, Touq Tsh'c, Xiě Yùn, Yuht Tai Sé Fòng Faat, ZhongHua Yu Zi
• Dutch: Jaru, Kraaienveer, Mandrakard, Peperklips
• English: Aceri Halit, Avestan for English, Aketal, American Hangul, Amethyst, Anglo-Arabic, Anglograms, Angrezi, Applebeech, Arkaedian, Artist's Neo-English, Astanari, A-tom-tom Code (/-\\/\-\\/\ ////\//////\), Awyis, Baal, Bāgha, Betacap, Betadel, Betamaze, Bine, Block Script, Boksript, Brittish, Burmish, Caps, Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics for English, Chartograph, Christish, Cibara, Ciijan, Code Script, colorAlphabet, ColorHoney and ColorTokki, Conway Script, Chromaphonoglyphics, Curvetic, Cwaethra Cyrenglish, Cyrillisch, Dameshon A, Dn'alan, Dotsies alphabet, Dscript, English Featural Alphabet, Eigana, Elburujimad, Elian Script /Conceptual Calligraphy, Empisava, Enganagri, English Code, Engul, Voynich Script for English, Europaphon, Expressive English Alphabet, Exprish, Faer, Falandril, Friendship Cube Script, Fingers, Fishscales, Fontok, Gammadel, Genesis, Gernreich, Graph Script, Gryirhanli, Habeck, Hangulized English, Hellerican, Heptal, The Hermit Runes, Hexahue, Hookscript, HVD, Hwayih Woen, iAlphabet, Inhglærantow, Ineon, Ingari, Inglith, Inspired, Iqleut, Jierimse, Kalis Script, Kapunuan, Katakana Eigo, Keltic, Kerigal, Compact Phonetic Glyphs, Knot alphabet, Konder, Krul, Kummalli, Ladowshand, Langerian, Latinagari, Library Linglese, Liron, Living Script, Lovecraftian, Lumpa, Marulipi, Mesa, Midwest Script, Minngeul "Minnesota-Script", Minimal Stacking Alphabet, Mystic, Nail Script, Neetia, Neo-Gothic, Neoideograms / Ids, Neorunic, New Ceigean, Newcursive, New English, Nirichaen, Nitalha, Nortish, Notae, Ogham for English, Ogibára, Latin Partabet, Pattern Script, Phono Braille, Phonogic, Phonographics, Pipeline 3D, Pixel Script, Plutonian, Posiga, Pulmis, Puzzle Code, Rangtunga, Reality, Rencem, Renglish, Rohal, Romanabic, Rotor Script, Remorian piksyl, Revised Shaw Abjad, Runtrikha, Ryonic, Ryszalean, Sarin, Scryptic II, Simple English Alphabet, Sequoia, Sherman's Gallifreyan, Similis, Simplebet, Trevor's Super Long Hand, SoundSpel, Spintype, Spiraling Syllabics, Streyauthe, Suritanyo, Square Word Calligraphy, Sympol, Tactile Rila Sign System, Takeluma, Tanar, Tano, Tengo, Tengwarpt, Tennent, Tersive, Thengic, Thoorsha, Timescript, ToCha'r, Tower Orthography Tung Script, Unifon, Utruscan, Verical, Vertical "B", Verticont, Vibro Script, Westonian, Yivga, Younger Futhorc, 21E™, Six-Color Alphabet, 6-Color Binary Alphabet