Why West Africa keeps inventing writing systems
NativLang NativLang
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 Published On Apr 30, 2021

These dozens of modern African scripts are adding a brand new chapter to the history of writing!

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~ Briefly ~

Meet Adlam, N'ko, Vai and over twenty more scripts that capture West African linguistic features and give new visual representation to native West African tongues.

Topics covered:
- backstories of Adlam and N'ko
- list of many other scripts
- examples of African scripts beyond West Africa
- prenasalized stops like ᵐb
- labiovelars like g͡b
- vowel length in Fula
- length and tone in N'ko
- nasalization as an areal feature
- older visual codes like N'sibidi and Adinkra
- sociolinguistics of script creation

See the sources doc below for much more information.

~ Credits ~

Art, narration, animation and four pieces of music by Josh from NativLang

Sources for claims made, plus credits for music, fonts, sfx:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v...

~ Music ~

Please see my doc above for full credits. Public domain credits:

Teko, song of nostalgia, traditional music of Burkina Faso, Tuasgo & Gouama accompanied by Kondé:
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt...

Creative Commons credits:

Monkoto by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Thinking Music by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Kumasi Groove by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Silver Flame by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Infados by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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