[ABANDONED] ABCs Not Enough?

[Thal Dorthat]

Title: ABCs Not Enough?
Validity: None?

The Issue: Many indigenous people across @@NAME@@ have come to your office for permission to institute a new writing system for their languages.

OPTION 1: "All we want is a writing system that fits us." says @@RANDOM_NAME@@, a famous indigenous linguist and professional alphabet creator. "I have created a writing system that fits our language better than the normal @@DEMONYM@@ alphabet, and I'd like to use it on local government documents, road signs, etc. While teaching it to the speakers may not be easy, I and many others think this is the right way to write for us."
effect: indigenous languages are rarely seen using the ABCs

OPTION 2: "What's wrong with the ABCs?" asks @@RANDOM_NAME@@, prideful winner of his elementary school's 'Who can sing the ABCs the fastest?' competition. "First of all, speakers familiar with our @@DEMONYM@@ alphabet are going to be frustrated when they have to switch to a new one! Second, if I need to sound out a word in that language, I have to pull up a transliteration guide! Please don't let them choose the wrong way to write!"
effect: every language in the nation uses the @@DEMONYM@@ alphabet

OPTION 3: "We should take this a step further!" exclaims @@RANDOM_NAME@@, an outspoken advocate for @@NAME@@ being the most unique in the world. "We should create our own script that's different from the one everybody uses today. In my opinion, we should have a writing system where we have a unique symbol for every sound in our language. What do you think, @@LEADER@@?
effect: the new ABCs song takes hours to fully sing

Title: ABCs Not Enough?
Validity: Devolution

The Issue: Many indigenous @@DEMONYM_PLURAL@@ have come to your office for permission to switch from the @@DEMONYM_ADJECTIVE@@ alphabet to a local writing script after their proposals were rejected by their local governments.

OPTION 1: "All we're asking is for permission to use a script suitable for us." says @@RANDOM_NAME@@, holding a letter with a bunch of diacritic marks. "In my language, we have a lot of sounds, but as there are not enough symbols in the @@DEMONYM_ADJECTIVE@@ alphabet to represent all of them, we have to use a lot of diacritics, and frankly it's a pain to write with. Please, choose the right solution by letting us write with the scripts we prefer."
effect: kindergarten students ask "which one?" whenever their teacher tells them to sing the ABCs

OPTION 2: "The ABCs do just fine!" says @@RANDOM_NAME@@, one of the local governors who rejected their proposals. "Even if you have to do all this fancy schmancy stuff with your letters to make them look right, it's still better to keep them! It will be too much of a hassle to teach these scripts in school along with the normal ABCs, and documents written in these scripts could be undecipherable to the average person. Please, do what I did, and reject their proposal."
effect: indigenous alphabets are going extinct

OPTION 3: "What if we didn't write things down?" asks Helon Rusk, a major player in the voice technology and recording industry. "With all the new advances in technology, we could just record our speech without the need for all the clunky letters. Plus, there would be no more obnoxious first-grade students singing the ABCs at the top of their lungs! Writing is so last century, and it's better to keep your mind in the present day."
effect: letters are going out of style.

[Trotterdam]

Why would they need permission?

Ι καν τοταλλι ριτη Εγλις ιν θε Γρεεκ αλφαβητ ιφ Ι υαντ τω. Νοβοδι'ζ στοππιγ με.

[Thal Dorthat]

Why would they need permission?

Ι καν τοταλλι ριτη Εγλις ιν θε Γρεεκ αλφαβητ ιφ Ι υαντ τω. Νοβοδι'ζ στοππιγ με.

I should probably put in there that they need permission for government/road signage, education, etc. Thanks!

[Urine Town]

I understand the need for a “crazy third option,” but I feel like Option 3 is too off-the-rails for the issue you are proposing (would probably work better as it’s own issue). I feel like a third option could be someone proposing to change your nation’s script to have a symbol for every sound present in the nation’s language.

The fallout could be something like “just as children graduate from elementary school, they can finally memorize the @@DEMONYM@@ alphabet.”

[Thal Dorthat]

I understand the need for a “crazy third option,” but I feel like Option 3 is too off-the-rails for the issue you are proposing (would probably work better as it’s own issue). I feel like a third option could be someone proposing to change your nation’s script to have a symbol for every sound present in the nation’s language.

The fallout could be something like “just as children graduate from elementary school, they can finally memorize the @@DEMONYM@@ alphabet.”

TBH I felt that same way too. I couldn't think of a 3rd option so I just added something crazy.

[Australian rePublic]

What makes you assume that Indigenous languages aren't pre-literate?

[Thal Dorthat]

What makes you assume that Indigenous languages aren't pre-literate?

Some indigenous languages did invent their own writing system, but most didn't. Maybe I should change it from using one that has already been there to creating a new writing system for use in their languages.


Also, what language does @@NAME@@ use? I feel like there should be a customizable field for the main language, and does that language even use an alphabet,and if it does, does it use the Latin alphabet?

[Verdant Haven]

Issue 996 "Scripting a Change" basically covers this topic: it is about the use of the current domestic writing system, potential adoption of a foreign script, side-by-side usage of the two, or develop of a new home-grown one different from everybody else. I suspect the overlap may be too much.

[Thal Dorthat]

Issue 996 "Scripting a Change" basically covers this topic: it is about the use of the current domestic writing system, potential adoption of a foreign script, side-by-side usage of the two, or develop of a new home-grown one different from everybody else. I suspect the overlap may be too much.

Ah. Dang.