The main goal of Tyl-Sjok writing is to provide for fast reading. It was decided to have a writing system that is similar to Chinese. This basically means the following things.
However, Chinese writing is very hard to learn, while Tyl-Sjok writing should be easy to learn. It was thought about Korean writing which writes the pronunciation of syllables into a square, but it was decided that semantic information is important. Therefore, Tyl-Sjok writing contains both pronunciation for easy learning, and additional semantic information. This redundancy is assumed to be solved with the aid of computers, i.e., semantics are added to the writing by a computer from a large data base. So being able to read the semantics is not necessary for learning to read. It is hoped that the design of the semantic parts is easy enough to be managed by learners after a while of studying in order to get the profits of fast reading.
In short, the following design decisions where taken for Tyl-Sjok writing:
The letters of Tyl-Sjok writing have already been introduced in Chapter 2.
In some cases, the semantics are left out (e.g. in polysyllabic foreign words). In that case, the pronunciation column are either centered or stretched inside the character, depending on the font properties.
Semantic hints are stacked on the left side of a character. Between 0 and 3 parts can be used.
Semantic parts are designed to always use a third of a character's height. They will be centered if fewer that three parts are put into a character. This is in contrast to the pronunciation, which is squeezed and stretched to fit into the character.
According to Chinese terminology, the semantical hints are called radicals. If a meaning is (loosely) tied to another radical, that radical is given in parentheses. The one in parenthesis will usually appear on top of the one that changes its meaning, but may occasionally be left out.
Please note that the radical system does not need to describe everything shade of the meaning since the pronunciation can (and must) be used to interpret a stem, too. Therefore, the tendency is to use few radicals. Three radicals are seldom.
The columns on the following pages are as follows:
Please also note that many radicals are composed of other radicals, so they usually do not have to be learned as atoms. Some frequent radicals used to compose others are `hand', `water', `head', `not', `earth', `self' etc.
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Example(s) | |
| * | <large> | large | great, power word (number), | |
| old (age), much, many (number) | ||||
| tall (line), large (space), | ||||
| heavy (mass), long (time) | ||||
| * | <huge> | huge | huge | |
| * | <tiny> | tiny | tiny | |
| * | <small> | small | small, young (age), few (number), | |
| ...(see large) | ||||
| * | <abstract> | abstract | abstract, imaginary (opinion) | |
| * | <good> | good | good, lucky (feeling), evenly, even | |
| * | <bad> | bad | bad, unlucky (feeling), unevenly, odd | |
| * | <long> | long | long, high, thin | |
| * | <short> | short | short, shallow (but not flat), thick | |
| * | <flat> | flat | flat | |
| * | <open> | open | open | |
| * | <close> | close | close | |
| * | <middle> | middle, centre | middle, center, central, medium | |
| * | <presence> | presence | presence | |
| * | <absent> | absent, absence | absent, absence, missing | |
| * | <tight> | tight | tight | |
| * | <loose> | loose | loose | |
| * | <kind> | kind | kind, sort, category |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <water> | water | water, liquid, wet, humid | tee |
| * | <fire> | fire | fire, warm, hot, dry | burn |
| * | <earth> | earth | earth, dust, dirt | sand |
| * | <air> | air | air, wind, fresh | gas |
| * | <sun> | sun | sun, bright (light), white (colour) | day, photon |
| * | <moon> | moon | moon, dark (light), black (colour) | night |
| * | <mountain> | mountain | mountain, climax |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <mass> | mass | mass, weight, gravity (attraction) | gram |
| * | <space> | space, 3d | space, three-dimensional | liter |
| * | <line> | line, 2d | line, two-dimensional, | meter |
| one-dimensional (point) | ||||
| * | <time> | time | time | now |
| * | <speed> | speed | speed | fast |
| * | <location> | loc, location | location | here |
| * | <force> | force | force | violent |
| * | <energy> | energy | energy | electricity |
| * | <self> | self | self, oneself, for oneself | we |
| * | <others> | others | others, for others | you |
| * | <intern> | intern | internal, inclusive | and, also |
| * | <extern> | extern | external, exclusive | only, but |
| * | <light> | light | light | candle |
| * | <colour> | colour | colour | red |
| * | <distance> | distance | distance, part, stretch, | liter |
| passage (through), finity | ||||
| * | <point> | point | point, dot | moment |
| * | <drug> | drug | drug, halucinate | vision, foresee |
| * | <truth> | truth | truth | judge |
| * | <contrary> | contrary | opposite, contrary | whereas, but |
| * | <aggregate> | aggregate | aggregation | to take the power (huge, finite), |
| flock, herd, group | ||||
| * | <infinite> | infinite | infinite | water |
| * | <sentient> | sentient | sentient, conscious | human |
| * | <symbol> | symbol | symbol, representation, reference | (wedding) ring |
| * | <relevance> | relevance | relevance, key, leading | important |
| * | <animate> | animate | animate | human, animal, robot |
| * | <relation> | relation | relation | but, friend, comperative particle |
| * | <interpret> | interpret | interpretation | read, watch |
FIXME: Perhaps there will be special particles that can be used in a sentence for some of the following radicals.
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <change> | change | change, movement, become, | |
| acceleration (speed) | ||||
| * | <state> | state | state, status, fixed, | |
| proposition (opinion) | ||||
| * | <start> | start | start, birth (age), enter | |
| * | <stop> | stop | stop, death (age), exit | cancel |
| * | <repeat> | repeat | repetition, iteration, sequence | |
| * | <reverse> | reverse, back | reverse, back | |
| * | <negate> | negate, not, no | negation, not | to refuse |
| * | <cause> | cause | be the cause | by, because |
| * | <purpose> | purpose | purpose, final interpretation | for |
| * | <induce> | induce | induce, make s.t. do s.t. | to force |
| * | <impede> | impede | impede | to prevent |
| * | <durative> | durative | continuity, durative | burn |
| * | <complete> | complete | complete, perfective aspect | ready, final, solve |
| * | <through> | through, total | through, start & stop & | |
| complete, experience | ||||
| * | <past> | past | past, before, faded | |
| * | <future> | future | future, after | |
| * | <now> | now | present, now (note: `present' | |
| is different) |
FIXME: Perhaps there will be special particles that can be used in a sentence for some of the following radicals.
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <suggestion> | suggestion | suggestion | ask s.o. to do s.t. |
| * | <imperative> | imperative | imperative | |
| * | <emphasis> | emphasis | emphasis | really, insist |
| * | <conditional> | conditional | conditional | if, may |
| * | <relative> | relative | relative | big |
| * | <absolute> | absolute | absolute | red |
| * | <necessary> | necessary | necessary | must |
| * | <sufficient> | sufficient | sufficient | whenever, if |
| * | <general> | general | general | all |
| * | <special> | special | special | some, most |
| * | <unique> | unique | unique, name | Henrik |
FIXME: Perhaps there will be special particles that can be used in a sentence for some of the following radicals.
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <wish> | wish | wish | |
| * | <achieve> | achieve | achieve (the goal of (being)...) | |
| * | <opinion> | opinion | opinion | think |
| * | <feeling> | feeling | feeling | love |
| * | <assume> | assume | suppose, assume, think, possible | may, meet (on purpose) |
| * | <assert> | assert | assert, propose | |
| * | <accidental> | accidental | accidental | random, meet (accidentally) |
| * | <percept> | percept, perceive | percept | see |
| * | <attraction> | attraction | attraction | love, magnetism |
| * | <trans> | trans | transcendence | God, Devil, believe |
| * | <learn> | learn | learn | understand |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <person> | person | person, men, people | |
| * | <male> | male | male, man | |
| * | <female> | female | female, women | |
| * | <child> | child | child | |
| * | <family> | family | family | |
| * | <age> | age | age | wise |
| * | <glory> | glory | fame, glory | win |
| * | <might> | might, mighty | power, might, mighty | King |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <house> | house | house, accomodation | |
| * | <work> | work | work, helpful/useful | |
| * | <duty> | duty | duty | work |
| * | <leasure> | leasure | leasure, free time, toy, game, art | paint |
| * | <sleep> | sleep | sleep, rest, recover | |
| * | <weapon> | weapon | weapon | |
| * | <furniture> | furniture | furniture | |
| * | <container> | container | container | |
| * | <private> | private | private | |
| * | <public> | public | public | |
| * | <together> | together | together, gather (change) | |
| * | <separate> | separate | be separate, separate (change) | |
| * | <control> | control | control, reign, influence | King |
| * | <hierarchy> | hierarchy | hierarchy, network | Boss |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <corpse> | corpse, body | corpse, body | |
| * | <mouth> | mouth | mouth | |
| * | <eyes> | eye, eyes | eyes, viewing (percept), light (sun) | |
| * | <ears> | ear, ears | ears, hearing (percept), sound (air) | |
| * | <nose> | nose | nose, smelling (percept), smell (air) | |
| * | <skin> | skin | skin, touching/being touched (percept), leather | |
| * | <arms> | arms | arms, reaching out | |
| * | <legs> | legs | legs, move ( change), walk | |
| * | <belly> | belly | belly, guts, instinct | |
| * | <brain> | brain | brain, intelligence | |
| * | <heart> | heart | heart, sensitivity | |
| * | <hands> | hand, hands | hands, touching (percept) | |
| * | <fur> | fur, hair | fur, hair, feather (air) | |
| * | <ill> | ill | ill, illness | |
| * | <sex> | sex | sex, reproduction |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <swallow> | swallow | swallow, eat (corn), drink (water) | |
| breathe (air), throw up (back), ingest | ||||
| * | <wine> | wine, alcohol | wine, alcohol | |
| * | <corn> | corn, meal | corn, meal | |
| * | <bread> | bread | bread | |
| * | <fruit> | fruit | fruit, vegetable | |
| * | <sour> | sour | sour, acid | |
| * | <salt> | salt, hurt | salt, salty, hurting, injuring | |
| * | <sweet> | sweet, pleasant, | sweet, sugar, pleasant, | |
| pleasant | advantageous, profitable | |||
| * | <bitter> | bitter, unpleasant | bitter, unpleasant, | |
| disadvantageous, unprofitable |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <gold> | gold | gold, money | |
| * | <metal> | metal | metal, silver, having a flaw | |
| * | <count> | count, amount | amount, degree, enumeration, | |
| counting ( number), measuring | ||||
| * | <own> | own | ownership | |
| * | <material> | material | material |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <tool> | tool | tool, use, usage | hammer |
| * | <put> | put | put, attach, mount | |
| * | <create> | create | creation | build, cook |
| * | <destruct> | destruct | destruction, decompose | divide |
| * | <artifact> | artifact | artifact |
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <animal> | animal | animal, microorganism (tiny), | |
| fish (water), bird (air) | ||||
| * | <plant> | plant | plant, fungus (earth), fruit (water) |
These are used for marking categories of words or other grammatical aspects.
| Tyl-Sjok | Name | Meaning(s) | Examples(s) | |
| * | <comma> | comma | binary particle | |
| * | <question> | question | question | which, why, JN |
| * | <number> | number | number | 1, 2, 100 |
| * | <abbrev> | abbrev, abbreviation | abbreviation | |
| * | <onom> | onom, onomatopoeia, | onomatopoeia | buh!, beep |
| * | <foreign> | foreign | foreign word, split into | |
| several syllables |
Please note that `comma', i.e. that thing that usually separates two (auxiliary) sentences, is meant quite general in Tyl-Sjok since virtually all saturated phrases can be analysed as sentences. Accordingly, when a particle puts together two obvious, single stem nouns (like the word `and' in `tea and coffee'), the particle is marked with this radical. So a better name is `binary particle'. But the radical name `binary' was reserved. All clausal conjunctions (conjunctive particles) have this radical, so the name `comma' has some right to exist.
When using LaTeX, Tyl-Sjok words are put into a macro called
\circum. This will be parsed by the Tyl-Sjok preprocessor to
insert the necessary characters.
Characters are written in Roman transcription. Characters are separated by spaces or dashes. Spaces separate words, dashes separate syllables of polysyllabic foreign words that have to be split into several characters.
The computer will automatically add semantic information from the
pronunciation alone if possible. Should there be ambiguities (e.g.
for the number 10 which may either be a digit or a power word), a
radical name (from the list above) that is unique to one of the
ambiguous words shall be added after a dot. To state that a
radical does not occur, a dash (meaning minus) may be prefixed. E.g.
\circum{kjox.-count} generates kjox.-count while
\circum{kjox.count)} generates kjox.count. If there
are two stems a<b.c> and a<c.b>, then a constraint
selects the one that is found first when checking the constraints from
left to right, i.e., a.b selects a<b.c>.
If the author of a document wants to specify the radicals all by themself, pointed brackets may be used to specify 0-3 radicals separated by dots.
Furthermore, radicals may be added and removed using the operators
- for removal, + for addition on top, ++ for
addition on the bottom and -+ for replacement of a radical by
another one, where the two are separated by a dot. The full grammar
specification for the character composition is given in
Figure 13.1.
FIXME: write an Emacs mode that does the selection (kjox.-c should be enough to be expanded to kjox<number>).
Figure: BNF-grammar of Tyl-Sjok words in the lexicon and LaTeX
The typeset preprocessor recognises non-words like single consonants
or vowels and typesets them accordingly. E.g. \circum{ei}
will appear as ei. In the same way, pure semantics are
recognised: \circum{<np>} appears as
FIXME: continue.
FIXME: Changing Tyl-Sjok font properties will be provided in a later version.
Tyl-Sjok is typeset with several font styles. The main distinctions are as follows.
Additionally, the lines themselves can be rounded or square at their ends.
FIXME: The script has to be designed.
There are no italicized fonts.