Somali Language Featural Alphabet Design
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
Project Brief: Design a Featural Script for the Somali Language
1. Project Title: Creation of a 52-Symbol Featural Alphabet for the Somali Language
2. Project Overview:
We are commissioning the creation of a completely new writing system for the Somali language. This project involves designing 52 unique symbols from scratch where each symbol's shape visually represents how its sound is physically produced in the mouth (tongue position, lips, jaw, etc.). This is a "featural" script, similar in concept to Korean Hangul.
The project includes three main components:
· Design of all symbols according to phonetic principles
· Creation of a functional font file
· Development of a keyboard layout
The script will be written from right to left, and all deliverables must be practical for actual use in writing Somali.
3. Core Design Philosophy:
The script must be systematic and consistent. Visual elements serve as building blocks that combine to form letters. The designer must strictly adhere to the phonetic rules and visual grammar outlined below.
4. The Visual Grammar & Design System
A. Core Consonant Shape: A vertical line | represents the vocal tract
B. Place of Articulation (The "Where"):
· LABIAL (Lips): Horizontal bar – at the top
· ALVEOLAR (Tongue Tip): Simple dot • at the top
· RETROFLEX (Tongue Curled Back): Downward-curling hook ⸰ at the top
· PALATAL (Tongue Body): Forward-leaning accent ´ at the top
· VELAR/UVULAR (Back of Tongue): Solid, thick dot ● at the mid-point
· PHARYNGEAL (Throat): Deep notch V at the bottom
C. Manner of Articulation (The "How"):
· PLOSIVE: Straight, solid line |
· NASAL: Integrated small, open loop O
· FRICATIVE: Zigzag or wavy line ~
· APPROXIMANT: Soft, curving line )
· IMPLOSIVE: Small inward hook at bottom
D. Voicing:
· VOICED: Rounded ends and soft shapes
· VOICELESS: Sharp, angular, pointed ends
E. Vowel System:
· Base Shape: Horizontal line –
· Height: High (tick above), Mid (tick through), Low (tick below)
· Backness: Front (left), Central (center), Back (right)
· Rounding: Upward curve for rounded vowels
· Length: Single mark (short), Double mark (long)
5. The 52 Symbols: Detailed Specifications
PART 1: CONSONANTS
1. B /b/: Voiced Labial Plosive
2. M /m/: Voiced Labial Nasal
3. F /f/: Voiceless Labial Fricative
4. W /w/: Voiced Labial-Velar Approximant
5. D /d/: Voiced Alveolar Plosive
6. T /t/: Voiceless Alveolar Plosive
7. N /n/: Voiced Alveolar Nasal
8. S /s/: Voiceless Alveolar Fricative
9. L /l/: Voiced Alveolar Lateral Approximant
10. R /r/: Voiced Alveolar Trill
11. DH /ɖ/: Voiced Retroflex Plosive
12. TR /ʈ/: Voiceless Retroflex Plosive
13. J /dʒ/: Voiced Palatal Affricate
14. SH /ʃ/: Voiceless Palatal Fricative
15. Y /j/: Voiced Palatal Approximant
16. G /g/: Voiced Velar Plosive
17. K /k/: Voiceless Velar Plosive
18. Q /q/: Voiceless Uvular Plosive
19. KH /χ/: Voiceless Uvular Fricative
20. GH /ɣ/: Voiced Velar Fricative
21. C /ʕ/: Voiced Pharyngeal Fricative
22. X /ħ/: Voiceless Pharyngeal Fricative
23. ' /ʔ/: Glottal Stop
24. H /h/: Glottal Fricative
PART 2: VOWELS (Short & Long)
25-34. A, AA, E, EE, I, II, O, OO, U, UU - Following vowel system rules
PART 3: DIPHTHONGS & SYMBOLS
35-40. AW, AY, EW, EY, OW, UW - Fused vowel+consonant combinations
PART 4: SPECIAL SYMBOLS
41-52. Syllabic N, Syllabic M, Gemination Marker, Pharyngealization Diacritic, Ejective Marker, Word-Final Glottal Stop, Schwa, Intonation Markers, Punctuation
6. Deliverables:
Phase 1: Symbol Design
· All 52 symbols as vector files (SVG and AI formats)
· Style guide PDF showing symbols with IPA and Latin equivalents
· Visual examples of words written in the script
Phase 2: Font Development
· Functional TTF/OTF font file with proper right-to-left support
· Font includes all symbols, punctuation, and necessary OpenType features
· Testing documentation showing font functionality
Phase 3: Keyboard Layout
· Keyboard layout file for Windows/Mac
· On-screen keyboard reference image
· Installation instructions
7. Technical Requirements:
· Script must support right-to-left writing direction
· Font must include proper Unicode mapping
· Keyboard layout should be intuitive and phonetically organized
· All symbols must be clearly distinguishable at small sizes
· The system should allow for efficient typing speed
8. Skills Required:
· Graphic Design and Symbol/Icon Creation
· Vector Illustration (Adobe Illustrator)
· Font Creation (FontLab, Glyphs, or similar)
· Keyboard Layout Development
· Understanding of Linguistics (preferred)
· Typography and RTL Script Experience
9. How to Apply:
Please submit:
1. Portfolio showing symbol/icon design work
2. Brief description of your understanding of this project
3. Preliminary sketch for "DH" /ɖ/ (Voiced Retroflex Plosive)
4. Estimated timeline and budget for all three phases
We are excited to create a practical, linguistically grounded writing system that serves the Somali language community.
1. Project Title: Creation of a 52-Symbol Featural Alphabet for the Somali Language
2. Project Overview:
We are commissioning the creation of a completely new writing system for the Somali language. This project involves designing 52 unique symbols from scratch where each symbol's shape visually represents how its sound is physically produced in the mouth (tongue position, lips, jaw, etc.). This is a "featural" script, similar in concept to Korean Hangul.
The project includes three main components:
· Design of all symbols according to phonetic principles
· Creation of a functional font file
· Development of a keyboard layout
The script will be written from right to left, and all deliverables must be practical for actual use in writing Somali.
3. Core Design Philosophy:
The script must be systematic and consistent. Visual elements serve as building blocks that combine to form letters. The designer must strictly adhere to the phonetic rules and visual grammar outlined below.
4. The Visual Grammar & Design System
A. Core Consonant Shape: A vertical line | represents the vocal tract
B. Place of Articulation (The "Where"):
· LABIAL (Lips): Horizontal bar – at the top
· ALVEOLAR (Tongue Tip): Simple dot • at the top
· RETROFLEX (Tongue Curled Back): Downward-curling hook ⸰ at the top
· PALATAL (Tongue Body): Forward-leaning accent ´ at the top
· VELAR/UVULAR (Back of Tongue): Solid, thick dot ● at the mid-point
· PHARYNGEAL (Throat): Deep notch V at the bottom
C. Manner of Articulation (The "How"):
· PLOSIVE: Straight, solid line |
· NASAL: Integrated small, open loop O
· FRICATIVE: Zigzag or wavy line ~
· APPROXIMANT: Soft, curving line )
· IMPLOSIVE: Small inward hook at bottom
D. Voicing:
· VOICED: Rounded ends and soft shapes
· VOICELESS: Sharp, angular, pointed ends
E. Vowel System:
· Base Shape: Horizontal line –
· Height: High (tick above), Mid (tick through), Low (tick below)
· Backness: Front (left), Central (center), Back (right)
· Rounding: Upward curve for rounded vowels
· Length: Single mark (short), Double mark (long)
5. The 52 Symbols: Detailed Specifications
PART 1: CONSONANTS
1. B /b/: Voiced Labial Plosive
2. M /m/: Voiced Labial Nasal
3. F /f/: Voiceless Labial Fricative
4. W /w/: Voiced Labial-Velar Approximant
5. D /d/: Voiced Alveolar Plosive
6. T /t/: Voiceless Alveolar Plosive
7. N /n/: Voiced Alveolar Nasal
8. S /s/: Voiceless Alveolar Fricative
9. L /l/: Voiced Alveolar Lateral Approximant
10. R /r/: Voiced Alveolar Trill
11. DH /ɖ/: Voiced Retroflex Plosive
12. TR /ʈ/: Voiceless Retroflex Plosive
13. J /dʒ/: Voiced Palatal Affricate
14. SH /ʃ/: Voiceless Palatal Fricative
15. Y /j/: Voiced Palatal Approximant
16. G /g/: Voiced Velar Plosive
17. K /k/: Voiceless Velar Plosive
18. Q /q/: Voiceless Uvular Plosive
19. KH /χ/: Voiceless Uvular Fricative
20. GH /ɣ/: Voiced Velar Fricative
21. C /ʕ/: Voiced Pharyngeal Fricative
22. X /ħ/: Voiceless Pharyngeal Fricative
23. ' /ʔ/: Glottal Stop
24. H /h/: Glottal Fricative
PART 2: VOWELS (Short & Long)
25-34. A, AA, E, EE, I, II, O, OO, U, UU - Following vowel system rules
PART 3: DIPHTHONGS & SYMBOLS
35-40. AW, AY, EW, EY, OW, UW - Fused vowel+consonant combinations
PART 4: SPECIAL SYMBOLS
41-52. Syllabic N, Syllabic M, Gemination Marker, Pharyngealization Diacritic, Ejective Marker, Word-Final Glottal Stop, Schwa, Intonation Markers, Punctuation
6. Deliverables:
Phase 1: Symbol Design
· All 52 symbols as vector files (SVG and AI formats)
· Style guide PDF showing symbols with IPA and Latin equivalents
· Visual examples of words written in the script
Phase 2: Font Development
· Functional TTF/OTF font file with proper right-to-left support
· Font includes all symbols, punctuation, and necessary OpenType features
· Testing documentation showing font functionality
Phase 3: Keyboard Layout
· Keyboard layout file for Windows/Mac
· On-screen keyboard reference image
· Installation instructions
7. Technical Requirements:
· Script must support right-to-left writing direction
· Font must include proper Unicode mapping
· Keyboard layout should be intuitive and phonetically organized
· All symbols must be clearly distinguishable at small sizes
· The system should allow for efficient typing speed
8. Skills Required:
· Graphic Design and Symbol/Icon Creation
· Vector Illustration (Adobe Illustrator)
· Font Creation (FontLab, Glyphs, or similar)
· Keyboard Layout Development
· Understanding of Linguistics (preferred)
· Typography and RTL Script Experience
9. How to Apply:
Please submit:
1. Portfolio showing symbol/icon design work
2. Brief description of your understanding of this project
3. Preliminary sketch for "DH" /ɖ/ (Voiced Retroflex Plosive)
4. Estimated timeline and budget for all three phases
We are excited to create a practical, linguistically grounded writing system that serves the Somali language community.