Blissymbols

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← Previous revision Revision as of 21:08, 2 May 2026 Line 42: Line 42: Bliss graduated as a chemical engineer at the [[Vienna University of Technology]], and joined an electronics company. After the [[Anschluss|Nazi annexation of Austria]] in 1938, Bliss was sent to concentration camps but his German wife Claire managed to get him released, and they finally became exiles in [[Shanghai]], where Bliss had a cousin. Bliss graduated as a chemical engineer at the [[Vienna University of Technology]], and joined an electronics company. After the [[Anschluss|Nazi annexation of Austria]] in 1938, Bliss was sent to concentration camps but his German wife Claire managed to get him released, and they finally became exiles in [[Shanghai]], where Bliss had a cousin.

[[File:Bliss - Bliss language.jpg|thumb|upright|Rendering of the concept of "Blissymbols language". The left character represents "language" ("mouth" + "ear") and the right represents "Blissymbols" ("sky" + "pen" + "earth")]] [[File:Bliss - Bliss language.jpg|thumb|upright|class=skin-invert-image|Rendering of the concept of "Blissymbols language". The left character represents "language" ("mouth" + "ear") and the right represents "Blissymbols" ("sky" + "pen" + "earth")]]

Bliss devised the symbols while a refugee at the [[Shanghai Ghetto]] and [[Sydney]], from 1942 to 1949. He wanted to create an easy-to-learn [[international auxiliary language]] to allow communication between different linguistic communities. He was inspired by [[Chinese character]]s, with which he became familiar at Shanghai. Bliss devised the symbols while a refugee at the [[Shanghai Ghetto]] and [[Sydney]], from 1942 to 1949. He wanted to create an easy-to-learn [[international auxiliary language]] to allow communication between different linguistic communities. He was inspired by [[Chinese character]]s, with which he became familiar at Shanghai. Line 78: Line 78:

When a symbol is not marked by any of the three grammar symbols (square, cone, inverted cone), it may refer to a non-material thing, a [[grammatical particle]], etc. When a symbol is not marked by any of the three grammar symbols (square, cone, inverted cone), it may refer to a non-material thing, a [[grammatical particle]], etc. <gallery class="center"> <gallery class="center skin-invert-image"> Bliss - mind.jpg|mind Bliss - mind.jpg|mind Bliss - think.jpg|think Bliss - think.jpg|think Line 87: Line 87:

== Examples == == Examples == The symbol [[File:Blissymbolics.svg|15px]] represents the expression "world language", which was a first tentative name for Blissymbols. It combines the symbol for "writing tool" or "pen" (a line inclined, as a pen being used) with the symbol for "world", which in its turn combines "ground" or "earth" (a horizontal line below) and its counterpart derivate "sky" (a horizontal line above). The symbol [[File:Blissymbolics.svg|15px|class=skin-invert-image]] represents the expression "world language", which was a first tentative name for Blissymbols. It combines the symbol for "writing tool" or "pen" (a line inclined, as a pen being used) with the symbol for "world", which in its turn combines "ground" or "earth" (a horizontal line below) and its counterpart derivate "sky" (a horizontal line above). <gallery class="center"> <gallery class="center skin-invert-image"> Bliss - sky.jpg|sky Bliss - sky.jpg|sky Bliss - ground.jpg|ground Bliss - ground.jpg|ground Line 97: Line 97: Thus the world would be seen as "what is among the ground and the sky", and "Blissymbols" would be seen as "the writing tool to express the world". This is clearly distinct from the symbol of "language", which is a combination of "mouth" and "ear". Thus natural languages are mainly oral, while Blissymbols is just a writing system dealing with semantics, not phonetics. Thus the world would be seen as "what is among the ground and the sky", and "Blissymbols" would be seen as "the writing tool to express the world". This is clearly distinct from the symbol of "language", which is a combination of "mouth" and "ear". Thus natural languages are mainly oral, while Blissymbols is just a writing system dealing with semantics, not phonetics. === Country names === === Country names === <gallery class="center"> <gallery class="center skin-invert-image"> Bliss - Egypt.jpg|Egypt Bliss - Egypt.jpg|Egypt Bliss - Greece.jpg|Greece Bliss - Greece.jpg|Greece Line 110: Line 110: === Abstract concepts === === Abstract concepts === The 900 individual symbols of the system are called "Bliss-characters"; these may be "[[ideographic]]" – representing abstract concepts, "[[pictographic]]" – a direct representation of objects, or "composite" – in which two or more existing Bliss-characters are superimposed to represent a new meaning. Size, orientation and relation to the "skyline" and "earthline" affects the meaning of each symbol.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.blissymbolics.org/images/bliss-rules.pdf |title = The Fundamental Rules of Blissymbolics: creating new Blissymbolics characters and vocabulary |date = September 28, 2004 |website = Blissymbolics.org |publisher = Blissymbolics Communication International (BCI) |access-date = 1 January 2014 }} (pp. 7–9)</ref> A single concept is called a "Bliss-word", which can consist of one or more Bliss-characters. The 900 individual symbols of the system are called "Bliss-characters"; these may be "[[ideographic]]" – representing abstract concepts, "[[pictographic]]" – a direct representation of objects, or "composite" – in which two or more existing Bliss-characters are superimposed to represent a new meaning. Size, orientation and relation to the "skyline" and "earthline" affects the meaning of each symbol.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.blissymbolics.org/images/bliss-rules.pdf |title = The Fundamental Rules of Blissymbolics: creating new Blissymbolics characters and vocabulary |date = September 28, 2004 |website = Blissymbolics.org |publisher = Blissymbolics Communication International (BCI) |access-date = 1 January 2014 }} (pp. 7–9)</ref> A single concept is called a "Bliss-word", which can consist of one or more Bliss-characters. <gallery class="center"> <gallery class="center skin-invert-image"> Bliss - love.jpg|love Bliss - love.jpg|love Bliss - happiness.jpg|happiness Bliss - happiness.jpg|happiness Line 116: Line 116: </gallery> </gallery>

<gallery class="center"> <gallery class="center skin-invert-image"> Bliss - mouth.jpg|mouth Bliss - mouth.jpg|mouth Bliss -ear.jpg|ear Bliss -ear.jpg|ear Line 123: Line 123: In multiple-character Bliss-words, the main character is called the "classifier" which "indicates the semantic or grammatical category to which the Bliss-word belongs". To this can be added Bliss-characters as prefixes or suffixes called "modifiers" which amend the meaning of the first symbol. A further symbol called an "indicator" can be added above one of the characters in the Bliss-word (typically the classifier); these are used as "grammatical and/or semantic markers."<ref>Rules of Blissymbolics pp. 11–18</ref> In multiple-character Bliss-words, the main character is called the "classifier" which "indicates the semantic or grammatical category to which the Bliss-word belongs". To this can be added Bliss-characters as prefixes or suffixes called "modifiers" which amend the meaning of the first symbol. A further symbol called an "indicator" can be added above one of the characters in the Bliss-word (typically the classifier); these are used as "grammatical and/or semantic markers."<ref>Rules of Blissymbolics pp. 11–18</ref>

<gallery class="center"> <gallery class="center skin-invert-image"> Bliss - I 1.jpg|I Bliss - I 1.jpg|I Bliss - want.jpg|want Bliss - want.jpg|want Line 130: Line 130: </gallery> </gallery> The sentence "''I want to go to the airport.''" shows several features of Blissymbolics: The sentence "''I want to go to the airport.''" shows several features of Blissymbolics: {| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable skin-invert-image" |- |- !symbol !!explanation !symbol !!explanation