RE: Chromatic font research

From: Miikka-Markus Alhonen (Miikka-Markus.Alhonen@tigatieto.com)
Date: Fri Jun 28 2002 - 09:34:16 EDT


On 28-Jun-02 Marco Cimarosti wrote:
> The above statement would suddenly become false upon the discovery of a
> *writing* system where color is a *structural* element, that must be
> reproduced also in plain text.
>
> But such a writing system is so far just a theoretical *hypothesis*!

I remember reading somewhere that before the invention of the present
system, Arabic vowels were marked above/below letters with colourful
dots, each colour signifying a different vowel (probably there would be
only three of these, but still more than just the default ink). I guess
this system was abandoned because of its clumsiness in scribal work.
Can anyone verify this?

> I have brought evidence that color seems a structural element of the Aztec
> codices, but I have *not* proven that Aztec codices constitute a *writing*
> system.

If my memory doesn't fail me, ancient Arabic would be a clear example of a
writing system with meaningful colours.

Best regards,
Miikka-Markus Alhonen



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