Line #42 Main/ArtificialScript


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/StarTrek https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/klingonkeyboard2_9417.jpg]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:[[ProudWarriorRaceGuy A keyboard fit for a tlhIngan!]]]]
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7	Found mainly in {{fantasy}} settings, this trope is about fictional scripts invented by the author. Sometimes, they are used as a [[CypherLanguage fancy substitute for the letters in the work's original language]], at other times, they come along with an entire {{Conlang}}[=/=]{{Fictionary}}.
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9	An aspect of WorldBuilding. SuperTrope to CypherLanguage. Compare WingDinglish.
10	----
11	!!Examples
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13	[[foldercontrol]]
14
15	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
16	* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' contains a number of inscriptions made in not one but [[http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Deciphering_the_runes three different runic scripts]], which had to be deciphered by the fans, who discovered that the runes were used to write sentences in [[GratuitousGerman German]].
17	[[/folder]]
18
19	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
20	* ''Animation/HappyHeroes'' parodies this. The writing systems for Dog Planet and Cat Planet are both literally just normal Chinese but with the end bulbs of a StockFemurBone and fishbones, respectively, placed all over the Chinese characters. Despite the minimal differences between the two, Ambassador Miao still has trouble reading a letter from Ambassador Wang written in "dog language" until Happy S. rewrites the dog bone bulbs into fishbones.
21	[[/folder]]
22
23	[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
24	* A parallel alphabet exists in Disney's ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire''. In fact, Milo Thatch deduces that no further evidence of Atlantis has ever been found because one glyph was mistaken for an 'R', leading searchers to Ireland in vain. The glyph is rightly a 'C', because Viking raiders routinely made port in ''Iceland'', near the dormant fumarole which is the access point to Atlantis.[[note]]The mistranslated character was part of a Norse runic inscription. In Old Norse as in English, "Ireland" and "Iceland" are one letter apart -- Irland vs. Island.[[/note]]
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
28	* [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Aurebesh Aurebesh]], Ancient Sith, and Manadalorian in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' universe.
29	[[/folder]]
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31	[[folder:Literature]]
32	* Creator/JRRTolkien is, if not the TropeMaker, then definitely the TropeCodifier for this one, as he had single-handedly developed several scripts (along with [[{{Fictionary}} entire languages]]) for the peoples of his [[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium Legendarium]]. That he was a distinguished professor of linguistics has had a lot to do with this.
33	* ''{{Literature/Dinotopia}}'' has the Footprint Alphabet, whose letters are various arrangements of three-toed dinosaur prints. There’s also a bridge alphabet, the Chandaran Transitional Alphabet.
34	* ''Literature/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents'' has a pictographic rat alphabet.
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
38	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
39	** The Klingons have their own language and writing system.
40	** The franchise has also designed distinctive lettering for Bajorans, Ferengi, Cardassians, Romulans and Vulcans, but none of these are attached to a ConLang or even a CypherLanguage. (Ferengi script is based around 45 degree angles because it [[RuleOfCool looks cool]], but there's no official explanation of how that actually ''works'').
41	* [[http://timeturners.wikidot.com/circular-gallifreyan Circular Gallifreyan]] is the writing of Time Lords in ''Series/DoctorWho''.
42	* ''Series/BabylonFive''. The [[http://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/File:Minbari_script.png Minbari language]] is used a number of times throughout the show. In one case they have a small joke; Vir is sent to be ambassador on Minbar and shows up later wearing a ceremonial welcoming robe which says on the front in Minbari writing "Aloha."
43	* The Ancient language in ''Franchise/{{Stargate\|Verse}}'' has a whole [[https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/stargate/images/1/1b/Ancient_alpahabet.png/revision/latest?cb=20070103050644 alternative alphabet]]. Why they had characters for 8 and 9 when their mathematics was supposed to use base 8 is unknown.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Mythology and Religion]]
47	* Adherents of various beliefs in HermeticMagic created several "magical" or "angelic" scripts, such as the Theban script of Tritemius, the Alphabet of the Magi by Paracelsus and the Enochian script (and language!) by John Dee and Edward Kelly. Many of these scripts mimic the structure of the Hebrew script and are meant to write Hebrew words.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
51	* Subverted by the "Maraglyphs" in [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disneyland's]] [[Franchise/IndianaJones Temple of the Forbidden Eye]]: the characters look like a con script but are actually highly stylized letters of the Latin alphabet.
52	[[/folder]]
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54	[[folder:Video Games]]
55	* The ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'' series had the default [[http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Runic_Alphabet Runic]], [[http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Gargish_Alphabet Gargish]], and [[http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Ophidian_Alphabet Ophidian]] Alphabets. Its CreatorDrivenSuccessor, the ''VideoGame/ShroudOfTheAvatar'' series has its own artificial runic script, as well.
56	* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series has the [[http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Daedric_Alphabet Daedric Alphabet]], the [[http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Alphabet Dragon Alphabet]], the [[http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dwemer_Alphabet Dwemer Alphabet]], the [[http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Falmer_Alphabet Falmer Alphabet]], and they yet-untranslated [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Elder_Alphabet Elder Alphabet]].
57	* The ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'' series has the [[http://thief.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Glyph Keeper Glyphs]] of the [[MysteryCult Order of]] [[TheWatcher the Keepers]]. Public signs in the [[VideoGame/ThiefDeadlyShadows third game]] also hints at the world of the series using a different script to any real world one, even though all in-game texts and readables are rendered in Latin scrip to the reader.
58	* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'' the Hylian language appears in text as a Artificial Script. In the [[NewGamePlus second playthrough]], Link can comprehend the Hylian language, or it becomes legible to the player at the very least. Or you can take the time to [[http://zeldawiki.org/Hylian_Language_Translations translate them yourself]]. ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' also have their own Hylian scripts, while ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' has an Ancient Sheikah script.
59	* Not an alphabet, but in ''VideoGame/{{Riven}}'', you have to learn the base-25 D'ni numerals to solve some puzzles.
60	* The [[ClassicalTongue Ancient Language]] in ''VidoeGame/FireEmblemTellius'', spoken mostly by the Heron tribe, which uses a highly stylized writing. It's actually English in a font that's so fancy as to be unrecognizable. Translations can be found [[http://serenesforest.net/fe9/galldr.html here]] and [[http://serenesforest.net/fe10/ancient.html here]].
61	* ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' has an alien script but if you can translate it, the words are in English.
62	* Many ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games have artificial scripts for the in-game languages, sometimes more than one in the same game. They tend to be substitution cyphers for English. Details can be found [[http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Language#Final_Fantasy_XIII on the Final Fantasy wiki]].
63	* ''VideoGame/ChantsOfSennaar'' has five different {{Conlang}}s, each with their own logographic scripts that the player has to teach themselves through context clues. Most of them are inspired in aesthetics (but not always in mechanics) by real-world writing systems.
64	[[/folder]]
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66	[[folder:Webcomics]]
67	* For the various comics set in ''Webcomic/{{Overside}}'', Evan Dahm created [[http://wiki.rice-boy.com/wiki/Writing_systems a number of different scripts and alphabets]] for the different societies. Some of them are just scribbles, but others are fully functional writing systems, such as Seen Script (from ''Webcomic/RiceBoy''), Machine Script (mainly used in ''Webcomic/OrderOfTales''), and Sahta Script (from ''Webcomic/{{Vattu}}'').
68	* In ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'', several ghosts and spirits speak in a script that's actually a modified Latin alphabet. [[spoiler:Each letter is a rough trace of the negative space in the corresponding Latin letter, then the whole sentence is rotated 90 degrees.]]
69	* ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'': {{Magical Incantation}}s in the Old Tainish LanguageOfMagic are rendered in a unique script that goes untranslated. Depending on the circumstances and the spellwright's style, it's sometimes rendered in [[https://www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/comic/ch08/ch08_14.html printed text,]] as calligraphy, or [[https://www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/comic/ch05/ch05_18.html rushed and irregular.]]
70	[[/folder]]
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72	[[folder:Western Animation]]
73	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has an alien script which the writers threw in to amuse and bewilder their audience, but the script was solved fairly quickly. So they made up another whole alien script.
74	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ArtificialScript