<p>If you're designing a fully new language, it's usually better to pick phonemes (sounds) before even thinking about orthography. Writing should really come after even grammar.</p>
<p>If you're just designing a new writing system, then yeah, you just make it up.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-28T06:26:47.250Z
Better still to start by considering classes of phonemes and the contrasts between them.
Anton Sherwood
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-16T14:14:52.173Z
2020-10-16T14:14:52.173Z
Curtis Sheppard
<p>There are many ways of approaching the art of language invention.  Some folks devise phonologies (sound systems) first; some people prefer to fashion logographies (writing systems) first.  Still others like to write out a snippet of a song or poem first and try to sort out what just happened...</p>
<p>Whichever way you prefer to go, the basic answer to your question, depending on your philosophy of language invention, will be either the <em>conlanger's</em> answer: you make it up -- or else the <em>glossopoet's</em> answer: you discover the relation from within the language itself.</p>
<p>For example, if you came up with this letter:</p>
<h1><strong>§</strong></h1>
<p>you could either look through your chart and say: ah! that'll do nicely as the letter for [v]. Then it's just a matter of filling in the blank.</p>
<p>Or alternatively, you could delve into the history and culture of the people who speak the language and consider the prehistory of their writing systems (if any) and consider any sound symbology that might exist, and someone from that speech community might enter your dreams one night and teach you what sound that letter makes.</p>
<p>There may perhaps be a pattern: that too is something the conlanger will create or the glossopoet will discover along the way! Or there may not be a pattern at all.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-21T02:18:45.323Z
2020-10-21T02:18:45.323Z
elemtilas
<p>I'm trying to create a new language, but I need some advice. How do you determine what a new letter sounds like? Is there a pattern, or do I just make it up?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-15T12:43:29.070Z
I'm not sure what you're asking. Usually a conlanger will think about what sounds we want before considering orthography.
OpenAI was the last straw
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-15T14:12:46.557Z
By knowing your question and comment [here](https://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/37380/how-do-you-determine-a-new-letters-sound) I infer that you want to add one more letter to the known Latin alphabet and assign a sound to it, keeping the sounds of the other letters unchanged. Just add this and every other kind of specific information to your question to make it more focussed.
Sir Cornflakes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-15T23:02:22.070Z
Please note that you can always edit your own questions and answers to improve them.
Sir Cornflakes
<writing-systems><phonology>
How do you determine a New Letter's sound?
# How do you determine a New Letter's sound?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-10-15)

I'm trying to create a new language, but I need some advice. How do you determine what a new letter sounds like? Is there a pattern, or do I just make it up?

**Tags:** writing-systems, phonology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm not sure what you're asking. Usually a conlanger will think about what sounds we want before considering orthography.  
> **username_2**: By knowing your question and comment [here](https://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/37380/how-do-you-determine-a-new-letters-sound) I infer that you want to add one more letter to the known Latin alphabet and assign a sound to it, keeping the sounds of the other letters unchanged. Just add this and every other kind of specific information to your question to make it more focussed.  
> **username_2**: Please note that you can always edit your own questions and answers to improve them.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-10-16. Score: 5

If you're designing a fully new language, it's usually better to pick phonemes (sounds) before even thinking about orthography. Writing should really come after even grammar.

If you're just designing a new writing system, then yeah, you just make it up.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Better still to start by considering classes of phonemes and the contrasts between them.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2020-10-21. Score: 3

There are many ways of approaching the art of language invention. Some folks devise phonologies (sound systems) first; some people prefer to fashion logographies (writing systems) first. Still others like to write out a snippet of a song or poem first and try to sort out what just happened...

Whichever way you prefer to go, the basic answer to your question, depending on your philosophy of language invention, will be either the *conlanger's* answer: you make it up -- or else the *glossopoet's* answer: you discover the relation from within the language itself.

For example, if you came up with this letter:

# **§**

you could either look through your chart and say: ah! that'll do nicely as the letter for [v]. Then it's just a matter of filling in the blank.

Or alternatively, you could delve into the history and culture of the people who speak the language and consider the prehistory of their writing systems (if any) and consider any sound symbology that might exist, and someone from that speech community might enter your dreams one night and teach you what sound that letter makes.

There may perhaps be a pattern: that too is something the conlanger will create or the glossopoet will discover along the way! Or there may not be a pattern at all.


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