Quick Links
In the Shadow of the Dragons
The Dragon Lords
High Daelan Alphabet
The High Daelan alphabet consists of thirty-nine (39) characters. However, that still isn't quite enough to represent all of the sounds in the language. For a complete list of sounds in the language, see the pronunciation guide for how to pronounce the transcribed language. This page provided images of the letters that make up the High Daelan language, and how these sounds are related to the transcription. The transcription and the language generally are related where the alphabet lacks a specific letter, but these will be remarked upon as I come to them.
The first letter in the High Daelan alphabet is tes, and is
represented by
.
The character is written on the baseline. Letters are typically one
'line' high, however, certain letters extend above the top of this line,
or below the baseline. This letter represents the [t] sound.
The second letter is dae, and is represented by
.
This letter extends below the usual baseline. Where the lines cross
is usually placed on the baseline. This letter represents the [d]
sound.
The third letter is hei, and is represented by
.
This letter is one line high. This letter represents the [h] sound,
and is also used in such sounds as /gh/ to indicate breathy voiced or
frication.
The fourth letter is il, and is represented by
.
This letter is one line high. It represents the short high front
vowel [I],
as in ‘it’.
The fifth letter is ich, and is represented by
.
This letter has the top stroke taking up one line, with the bottom stroke
extending just below the line. It represents the [x] sound, the
voiceless velar fricative (not /ks/).
The sixth letter is ven, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [v] sound.
The seventh letter is oun, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the long [u] vowel .
The eighth letter is thae, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the sound /th/, as in 'Sith'.
The ninth letter is zel, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [z] sound.
The tenth letter is aul, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [au] diphthong.
The eleventh letter is oda, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the long [o] vowel.
The twelfth letter is pan, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [p] sound.
The thirteenth letter is ern, and is represented by
.
It is written within the height of one line, but usually above the
baseline. It represents the schwa vowel, the mid central vowel [@].
The fourteenth letter is seth, and is represented by
.
It is written from the top of the main line, and hangs below the baseline.
It represents the [s] sound, and is also used in representing x or /ks/.
The fifteenth letter is azh, and is represented by
.
It is generally written in one line, or with the last downstroke extending
slightly below the baseline. It represents the low front vowel [&], which is short ‘a’ in English,
as in ‘ash’.
The sixteenth letter is ien, and is represented by
. It is generally
written in one line, and frequently shorter than one entire line. It
represents the high front vowel [i], which is usually written 'ee' in
English.
The seventeenth letter is wist, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the sound [w].
The eighteenth letter is rel, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the English-like 'r' sound given
by /r/ in the transliteration.
The nineteenth letter is bel, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [b] sound.
The twentieth letter is shet, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the /sh/ sound.
The twenty-first letter is aer, and is represented by
.
It is essentially two lines high, with the downstroke extending up to an
entire line below the baseline. It represents the /ae/ sound.
The twenty-second letter is met, and is represented by
.
This letter is one line high on the right, but the downstroke may extend
well below the baseline. It represents the sound [m].
The twenty-third letter is oita, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the diphthong [oi].
The twenty-fourth letter is fen, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the sound [f].
The twenty-fifth letter is esta, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the short /e/ vowel.
The twenty-sixth letter is rhal, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the trilled 'r' sound transcribed
by /rh/.
The twenty-seventh letter is zhet, and is represented by
.
It is one line high, with the downstroke extending slightly below the
baseline. It represents the sound /zh/.
The twenty-eighth letter is ket, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [k] sound. It is also
used in representing the /kk/ sound in combination with ich.
The twenty-ninth letter is unil, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the high back vowel [U],
which is short ‘u’ in English, as in ‘put’.
The thirtieth letter is gei, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [g] sound.
The thirty-first letter is eid, and is represented by
.
It is started at the top of the main line and the downstroke extends well
below the baseline. It represents the vowel English speakers usually
think of as long ‘i’, as in ‘ice’.
The thirty-second letter is len, and is represented by
.
It is essentially three lines high, extending both above and below the
main line. It represents the sound [l] and doubled, the sound given
by /ll/.
The thirty-third letter is aa, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the [a] vowel as in English
'father'.
The thirty-fourth letter is jae, and is represented by
.
It is one line high. It represents the /j/ sound.
The thirty-fifth letter is nes, and is represented by
.
It is essentially two lines high, with the downstroke extending below the
baseline. It represents the [n] sound.
The thirty-sixth letter is dhen, and is represented by
.
It is started below the baseline, but otherwise is about one line high.
It represents the /dh/ sound.
The thirty-seventh letter is yet, and is represented by
.
It is written in the bottom half of the main line and then extends below
the baseline. It represents the /y/ sound.
The thirty-eighth letter is cel, and is represented by
.
It is written on the baseline, with the downstroke extending below.
It represents the letter transcribed as /c/, as in English 'child'.
The thirty-ninth letter is ora, and is represented by
.
It is one line high and represents the short /o/ sound, especially before
either rel or rhal.
Some examples of the alphabet in use:
Zinar-Kelco:
Draega Te Daelan:
Zal li ya vitan (so shall it be):
Li draed Ghantanthen (The Dragons' Gift):
When I've finished creating the font for these characters, I'll post it here.
Navigation
questions or comments, contact the webmistress at betsy@pewtergallery.com
Last updated: 2005 August 23