Hey guys, I have invented my own con-script for a language I am working on, but I'm a bit confused as to exactly what kind of writing system it would be classified as. I'd say it's most similar to an alphabet, but it has one interesting feature that normal alphabets don't have. Basically, every consonant has a one-to-one correspondence ('s' has it's own symbol, 't', 'h', etc...). But the vowels are all shared by one symbol that uses different diacritics to designate which vowel is being used.

What would you say this system is called? A mix, or more of a abjad? (sorry if that is misspelled)

I guess its just an alphabet. If all the consonants are written and you have a separate symbol for a vowel that is only being modified by diactrics to represent different vowels, then I would say it is just some type of an alphabet.

I agree with Delodephius.

Must say I'm getting curious about that writing system! Will you show us some samples?

Absolutely, however, I haven't the time right now. Off to work. When I get back though I'll try posting some images of it. Maybe someone should move this over into con-scripts now though. That's probably where it should have been in the first place.

If the vowels are written as diacritics, isn't it an abugida?

But the vowels aren't technically diacritics. There is one vowel symbol, short vertical line. The symbol by it's self represents 'ah' and 'oh'. With one right accent (The accent that runs bottom-left to top-right), it represents 'ih' and 'ee', and with two it represents 'eh' and 'oo'. Also, accents can be placed over consonants symbols to labialize or palatenize them. For example, the symbol for 'k' with one accent represents 'ky' and with two accents, it represents 'kw'. I hope that isn't too confusing.

Yeah, that's exactly what an abugida is. Hindi works much the same.

But when you write a word, does only that vowel symbol have the diactrics or are the diactrics written over the consonant symbols?

A word like 'gone' would have a symbol for /g/ without diacritics, a vowel symbol without diacritics for the /ah/ sound, and a symbol for the /n/ sound. However, in a word like 'quick', there would be a symbol for /k/ with diacritics for over it adding the /w/ sound, making it /kw/. There would then be a separate symbol for the /ih/ vowel with one accent over it and the final symbol for /k/. Does that make sense?

This sounds like an interesting writing system. Keep it up. I would like to see some more details of this script.