Hope We Write the Same Language
Lejing Qiu
Advisor: Theo Ellin Ballew
A research on conlang and a fictional letter collection. Two childhood friends write to each other to develop a system of written language based on their thoughts and philosophical understandings towards the world.
Project Description
This project tells a story through correspondence records, showcasing the creation of a constructed written language. The two main characters: one scholar and the other poet were childhood friends. In their letters they talk about life and values, memories, and what shapes their understanding. They rebuilt the code signals they came up with as kids and developed a more systematic writing system.
They start to write to each other in their own language, which depicts a poetic yet philosophical perspective towards the world.
The writing system is based on semiotics and glyphs, as well as a similar construction to Chinese characters associative compound nature. One big characteristic of this language is that it doesn’t have phonetic elements.
Technical Details
Research, conlang writing system, typography, and web database.
This ongoing project's website will update continuously in the future.
Research/Context
This project started with my eagerness of making a constructed language, then inspired by my experience of exchanging letters and postcard to maintain connection with old friends.
Highly influenced by toki pona and other philosophical languages.
The info gained from initial research is conveyed into the characters’ discussion.
The reference list is here:
[https://lejingqiu.notion.site/Bibliography-Reference-112ed6a177b080f2898fc2ff11451fc1?pvs=4]