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Bassa Vah alphabet
Bassa Vah (Bassa: 𖫔𖫧𖫳𖫒𖫨𖫰𖫨𖫱 𖫣𖫧𖫱, romanized: ɓǎsɔ́ɔ̀ và), also known as simply Vah (𖫣𖫧𖫱), meaning 'throwing a sign' in Bassa, is an alphabetic script for writing the Bassa language of Liberia. As an old system nearing extinction in the 1900s, it was rediscovered among Bassa in Brazil and the West Indies, then revived in Liberia, by Thomas Flo Lewis. Type was cast for it, and an association for its promotion was formed in Liberia in 1959. It is not used today and has been classified as a failed script.
Vah is written from left to right. It is a true alphabet, with 23 consonant letters, 7 vowels, and 5 tone diacritics.
A full-stop/period is represented with 𖫵.
The letter 𖫔 is pronounced as /ɓ/ <ɓ> when followed by an oral vowel, for example 𖫔𖫧𖫴 <ɓâ> (friend). However, it's pronounced as /m/ <m> when followed by a nasal vowel - 𖫔𖫨𖫰𖫐 mɔ̃ (to want, wish).
The letter 𖫕 is pronounced as /dʲ/ <dy> when followed by an oral vowel, for example 𖫕𖫪𖫰 <dyú> (child). However, it's pronounced as /ɲ/ <ny> when followed by a nasal vowel - 𖫤𖫭𖫲𖫐𖫕𖫫𖫲𖫐 <hĩnyɛ̃> (four).
The letter 𖫝 is pronounced as /ɡ͡b/ <gb> when followed by an oral vowel, for example 𖫝𖫧𖫳 <gbǎ> (to lock). However, it's pronounced as /ŋ͡m/ <gm> when followed by a nasal vowel - 𖫝𖫧𖫲𖫐 gmã (law).
The letter 𖫞 is pronounced as /ɾ/ when written after 𖫗 /d/ or 𖫡 /t/ - 𖫡𖫩𖫳𖫞𖫩𖫳 /to˧ɾo˧/ (mountain), and is pronounced as /ɺ/ when written after any other consonants - 𖫓𖫪𖫰𖫞𖫪𖫰 /fu˦ɺu˦/ (to float). This letter is never immediately followed by a nasal vowel.
The letter 𖫦 is rarely used. It represents the sound /ɾ/, which is an allophone of /ɗ/, and appears only after /t/ or /d/ in a syllable initial 'cluster'. But this is usually written with the letter 𖫞.
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Bassa Vah alphabet AI simulator
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Bassa Vah alphabet
Bassa Vah (Bassa: 𖫔𖫧𖫳𖫒𖫨𖫰𖫨𖫱 𖫣𖫧𖫱, romanized: ɓǎsɔ́ɔ̀ và), also known as simply Vah (𖫣𖫧𖫱), meaning 'throwing a sign' in Bassa, is an alphabetic script for writing the Bassa language of Liberia. As an old system nearing extinction in the 1900s, it was rediscovered among Bassa in Brazil and the West Indies, then revived in Liberia, by Thomas Flo Lewis. Type was cast for it, and an association for its promotion was formed in Liberia in 1959. It is not used today and has been classified as a failed script.
Vah is written from left to right. It is a true alphabet, with 23 consonant letters, 7 vowels, and 5 tone diacritics.
A full-stop/period is represented with 𖫵.
The letter 𖫔 is pronounced as /ɓ/ <ɓ> when followed by an oral vowel, for example 𖫔𖫧𖫴 <ɓâ> (friend). However, it's pronounced as /m/ <m> when followed by a nasal vowel - 𖫔𖫨𖫰𖫐 mɔ̃ (to want, wish).
The letter 𖫕 is pronounced as /dʲ/ <dy> when followed by an oral vowel, for example 𖫕𖫪𖫰 <dyú> (child). However, it's pronounced as /ɲ/ <ny> when followed by a nasal vowel - 𖫤𖫭𖫲𖫐𖫕𖫫𖫲𖫐 <hĩnyɛ̃> (four).
The letter 𖫝 is pronounced as /ɡ͡b/ <gb> when followed by an oral vowel, for example 𖫝𖫧𖫳 <gbǎ> (to lock). However, it's pronounced as /ŋ͡m/ <gm> when followed by a nasal vowel - 𖫝𖫧𖫲𖫐 gmã (law).
The letter 𖫞 is pronounced as /ɾ/ when written after 𖫗 /d/ or 𖫡 /t/ - 𖫡𖫩𖫳𖫞𖫩𖫳 /to˧ɾo˧/ (mountain), and is pronounced as /ɺ/ when written after any other consonants - 𖫓𖫪𖫰𖫞𖫪𖫰 /fu˦ɺu˦/ (to float). This letter is never immediately followed by a nasal vowel.
The letter 𖫦 is rarely used. It represents the sound /ɾ/, which is an allophone of /ɗ/, and appears only after /t/ or /d/ in a syllable initial 'cluster'. But this is usually written with the letter 𖫞.