Writing T'eaj (Part 1): Conscript
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A tutorial on the writing system of T'eaj, a signlang
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 29 Aug 2019, 10:02.
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This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
This article is a work in progress! Check back later in case any changes have occurred.
[top]Introduction
T'eaj is an orally supported signlang, or sign language, spoken almost exclusively by Eshka males, although all sexes are taught to understand it. Words that are spoken orally use the 
Azra writing system, while words that are signed use the T'eaj writing system (both of which were primarily developed by bearers, Eshkas' third sex). This writing system is mostly used for dialogue where it's writing what/how something was actually (or fictionally) said. Most writing, including narration, would generally use Azra's writing system.T'eaj writing is representational, not instructional. Similar to English and other language alphabets, its components do indicate specific things, but it's not as exact as something like IPA. While you can often figure out how a sign is written, it's a little harder to know how a written word is signed. You'll generally need to learn how each word is written/signed.
T'eaj uses a grid/guide for arranging different components (which hands are used, pronouns, handshapes, position, movement, tenses and aspect/mood). The guides aren't usually printed, but will be included here for clarity.
[top]Hands
The Eshka have 4 hands, and each corner indicates whether that hand/arm is used. If there's a mark, it's used. Upper left generally indicates the upper dominant hand (usually left for Eshka), and upper right the upper non-dominant hand. The lower hands continue this (So if your right hand is your dominant hand, then the upper left mark will indicate your upper right hand, and lower left will indicate your lower right hand). Most signs will use the upper hands, sometimes also including lower hands if necessary. Signs that only involve the lower hands are mostly for more taboo/private words (like sex positions), or things below the waist (like "walk").
[top]Handshapes
Depending on how many different handshapes are used, and which hands are using them, the handshape can be in different places and sizes. The large left section(s) are reserved for handshapes, but handshapes can also replace the position and movement components if their information is more important/necessary. If only one handshape is used (even if it's used by multiple hands), a large version will take up the entire left section.
[top]Position
The upper right section (usually) indicates where the sign is positioned in relation to the body. Currently there are two positions indicated: the head/face, represented by a circle, and the shoulders/torso, represented by a horizontal bracket.
In the future more positions may be added, or marks next to the position to give more detailed location.
[top]Movement
The lower right section (usually) indicates movement. For curved and straight movements, a hook on the end indicates which direction the movement is. An 8 or infinity sign ∞ indicates some kind of interlocking. Depending on where each circle is indicates which hands/arms are interlocking (so if they're on top of each other, the upper and lower hand will be interlocked. If they're next to each other the left and right hands will be interlocked). Moving towards the self is represented by up, and away from the self is represented by down. So sometimes a movement written down will mean down, and sometimes it will mean away.
[top]Pronouns
Sometimes pronouns are signed separately, and sometimes they're included in the sign based on movement direction (ie. moving from the subject to the object) or palm orientation. Often pronouns that aren't incorporated in a sign will be signed simultaneously with other hands (so you might sign "male" with your dominant hand while your non-dominant hand signs "I"). Pronouns are almost always written as a detail with the sign they relate to (even if they're signed separately) as opposed to being written as their own sign. Note: Don't mark extra hands used to simultaneously sign pronouns. Only mark the hand(s) used for the primary/central sign.
Because males are the tallest, they often sign at a downward angle to the person they're addressing. This is reflected in writing by the top being for first person pronouns, and the bottom being for second person pronouns (this pattern is also used in Movement to show movement in the third axis toward the speaker or addressee). The sides are used for third person pronouns. When signing, people and things in the third person are usually established as being referenced in the left or right signing space. So for example, I might establish "John" on my left (and "Jane" on my right). If that signing space is only referencing one person/thing, then I can just use that signing space to indicate things about John, without needing to re-establish that I'm referring to John each time. If you want to talk about John in the same conversation, you would continue using that signing space (my left meaning your right). When written it should be based on the speaker's perspective, so dialogue may switch between referencing the same character on the left and right, depending on who's speaking.
Subject pronouns (I, we, they, she, etc.) use a line (or 2 for plural) pointing out from the central section. With verbs this indicates who's doing the action ("I love"). With nouns and adjectives, it indicates they are that thing ("I [am] male", "I [am] cute").
Object (me, us, them, him, etc.) and possessive (your, my, their, etc.) pronouns use a line (or 2 for plural) parallel to the central section. With verbs this indicates who the action is being done to ("I love you") and with nouns it indicates who the noun belongs to ("my coat").
These can be combined in different ways to create reflexives ("he loves himself").
Note that some plurals are written as multiple singular and/or plural pronouns. For example "we" (I + you (sg)) would be written as a single mark in both the 1st and 2nd person places.
[top]Tenses/Aspect/Mood
The remaining side spaces are used to indicate tense, aspect and mood. The right side is for past, top is for present, and left is for future. Each of these has a primary space (top or right) and secondary space (bottom or left). On the bottom side, the left is used to negate the verb ("I don't practice").
The primary slot is used to indicate tense (past, present, future), and on its own makes the simple aspect. The bottom right slot (next to the negative slot) is used to indicate continuing action; if just combined with the primary slot, it's progressive ("I'm practising (right now)"), if it's also combined with the secondary slot, it's habitual ("I practice (regularly; it's how I'm so good)"). Just the primary and secondary slots together forms the imperative ("Practise!").
[top]Final
When you combine it all, you can get something like this. Roughly translated it means "Left is my bearer," (establishing the bearer in the left space) "I love left (him/my bearer)". Because the sign for "love" is directional (it moves from the subject toward the object), it means when signing, any third person subject or object would need to be established in the left or right signing space.
If there aren't any signs that rely on direction or palm orientation, then you don't necessarily need to sign establishing where they're referenced, and therefore don't need to write it. ie 'I-hug my-bearer' still uses two (written) signs, one for the verb "hug" and one for the noun "bearer". It attaches the subject pronoun "I" to the verb, and possessive pronoun "my" to the noun without establishing a signing space/reference for the noun/object.
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