Tullsymbol

Tullsymbol is a term used in the fictional Tull language to denote a class of glyphs in its writing system. The name combines tull, the language's name, with symbol, signaling its function as a graphic sign that carries meaning. In the imagined tradition, tullsymbols serve as the basic building blocks of the script, appearing as logograms, syllabic signs, or diacritic markers that modify other signs.

Tullsymbols are commonly categorized into three classes: logograms that convey whole morphemes or semantic units; syllabic signs that encode syllables; and modifiers or determinatives that refine meaning without adding independent phonetic content. Some signs function ideographically, while others are purely phonetic or derivational.

Glyph design ranges from angular to curved forms, often incorporating a central motif with a dot or stroke. Dialectal variants exist across northern versus southern scripts; calligraphic and block-style variants appear in different texts.

Digital representation in the fictional corpus is handled with font glyphs or vector images. Because there is no universal encoding for the Tull script in this setting, publishers typically render tullsymbols via custom fonts or private-use code points within electronic editions.

History and usage: The concept was introduced by a worldbuilder in the Tull project and has since appeared in consonant grammars, dictionaries, and encoded sample texts within the fiction. It is used to illustrate script design, script teaching, and worldbuilding methodologies.

See also: Tull language, tullscript, logogram, syllabary, constructed language.