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new: sitelen pona (alternative script for tp)

Ret Samys requested to merge sp-new into master

I like documenting this stuff, so prepare for a long one. =D Previous discussions about this project were here and here

Scope

The goal of this project will be aligned with its toki pona counterpart: The core text will have the same translation and I want to sync corrections and new translations once the sitelen pona project is on the same level. I've started with all episodes in book 1. But given that this is a different script, there will be some more design goals:

  • Show off what's technically possible: with the font linja sike, a lot of things (that would otherwise only be available if written by hand) can be implemented in this font
  • Keep it legible
  • Find ways to be creative with sitelen pona, because a "language" for how to write and read a comic is still being invented

Requirements

Showing off

Here's some stuff and some oddities which are not supported by other fonts and less common:

  • extended pi-leg: By stretching the horizontal line of pi, I can indicate which part of the compound is bound to which pi. Given that the translation will conform to the toki pona project counterpart, it'll still be legible either way, but the occasional stacked pi might be easier to assign a phrase to
  • other things get extended with the same extention as well:
    • a can get stretched to represent aaaaa
    • some prepositions can get stretched to work like for pi
  • compound glyphs are used whenever compounds are very compound-y and look good
    • this also applies to names: syllables will be compounded with more important names occasionally un-compunded for bigger introductions
  • one of the biggest changes is onomatopoeia: onomatopoeia work like in the toki pona project counterpart, but additionally have a cartouche combined with the stretched "a" to spearate sounds from anything spoken

Meaning in names

Because sitelen pona spells out names by using the first sound of a word and using the word in its place, each letter of a name can potentially be read as having meaning. The exact meaning will probably not be clear, but you might be able to get a gist. So I'll explain why I chose what I chose here:

  • Characters: a "namako" will be added to each witch's "jan" whenever a non-witch talks about them or when a witch wants to stress that she's talking about a witch, because they're both "extra"/"impressive" and named after spices in English =)
    • jan Pepa: pana e pona ante (gives goodness, but that goodness is different)
    • soweli Kawa: kili anpa, wile awen (carrots are fruits that grow underground and he wants to stay with Pepper)
    • jan Sapon: seli ale pi olin nasa (she's part of Magmah, so a fire theme fits and outwardly, she presents a bit harshly, but that's also part of her charm)
    • soweli Tupe: tawa utala, pana esun (as Saffron's companion, ready to fight, and knows how to business)
    • jan Kowijana: kepeken olin, wile ilo, jan a, nasin ante (because she rules with grace, is an inventor, and comes up with new stuff)
    • waso Manko; mu ala, nasin kon, olin (knows how to behave to not make a lot of noise, is soft, likes Coriander)
    • jan Sisimi: suno ike, sewi ilo, mun insa (uses dangerous light magic, the spiritual teachings are quite instrumental, but inside, there might be something good shining in the darkness)
    • soweli Jusu: jelo, uta, suwi uta (is orange, has a big mouth, and a sweetmouth)
    • jan Kumin: kama uta, musi ina, nasa (also someone who likes food, a playful soul, and strange)
    • jan Kajen: kiwen awen, jan en nasa (tough through-and-through, strange)
    • jan Tume: toki uta, mute esun (knows how to use her voice, creating change in a lot of things is what she's good at)
  • Places (a bit modeled after how I think places present themselves to the outside)
    • ma Komona: kasi ona, mani o nasin ale (big tree inside, money is important, but also a variety of cultures)
    • ma Pini Soweli: pini ijo, nena insa; soweli olin, wile e lupa lili (the first name tries to catch the meaning of a place at a periphery, the second name refers to a lovable animal that wants a small hole)
    • ma Aken: awen kiwen e ni (wants to stay tough)
    • ma Tomopona: tomo open, meli olin, pona o nanpa ale (a welcoming house, a graceful queen, goodness should be the first priority)
    • ma Pimejama: pakala insa, ma en jan ala, ma awen (crushing forces inside, a place that's not for people, the land alone will remain)
  • Magic
    • kulupu Sona Ilo: sona olin, nasin alasa, ilo lon ona (graceful knowledge, always on the hunt for it, tools can be found there)
    • kulupu Pakalaa: pakala ante, ken ante, lawa ante, a (a different way of breaking, a different ability, a different way of control, difference - can also be read as a breaking that changes, an ability to change, a control of change and change)
    • kulupu Piponaa: pi ijo pona, o nasin awen a (good things, should stay on the path)
    • kulupu Molitawaa: moli o lon ilo tawa ante, wawa ante, a (death should go to the tools and change, a different kind of power)
    • kulupu Selilaa: seli e lili insa lon ale, a (fires the smallness of the inside everywhere)
    • kulupu Aa: awen a (unchanging)
    • kulupu Telomaa: telo en lawa o ma awen (water and the mind should be a solid place)
    • wawa Lonaa: lon open, nasa awen, a (the beginning of reality, keeps being strange)
  • Units
    • tenpo Pakalasuno: pakala ante, ken ante, lawa ante, suno uta nanpa open (see kulupu Pakalaa, plus a representation of being the day that begins the week)
    • tenpo PiniMun: here, it deviates from the toki pona equivalent, the name is read as "PM" and is pini and mun as a name
    • tenpo AnpaMun: see above, reads as "AM"
    • mani Komo: kama open, musi o (makes the fun begin)
Edited by Ret Samys

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