neographies

Neographies are systems of writing that are intentionally created and often designed for specific purposes. Unlike natural scripts that evolve organically over long periods, neographies are artificial constructions. They can be developed for various reasons, including artistic expression, experimentation with linguistic concepts, or as part of fictional world-building in literature, film, or games.

The creation of a neography involves defining a set of graphemes, which are the individual symbols or characters of the writing system. These graphemes may be entirely novel or derived from existing scripts, often with modifications. The design process can focus on aesthetics, aiming for a unique visual style, or on functionality, such as creating a system that is particularly efficient for a given language or purpose. Some neographies are purely visual, while others are designed to represent sounds, meanings, or even abstract concepts.

The term "neography" itself comes from the Greek words "neo" (new) and "graphy" (writing). While some neographies are created by individuals as personal projects, others are developed by groups or communities, particularly in the context of constructed languages (conlangs). The study and creation of neographies is a niche but active area of interest, often overlapping with linguistics, calligraphy, and graphic design. Their purpose can range from mere curiosity to serving as a functional, albeit artificial, writing system.