Tunic Script

All signs, messages, conversations and Instruction Booklet content in *Tunic* is in English. However, while ordinarily English is written using the English alphabet, most text in Tunic is written using a unique script we will call **Tunic Script**. Tunic Script is a phonetic script, meaning that each symbol represents a sound. English words are written by writing the symbols for the sounds that make up the word when spoken aloud. Like conventional English writing, lines are written from left-to-right and read top-to-bottom. The consonant sound precedes the vowel sound unless there is a circle at the bottom of the character which switches the order.

## Structure

### Symbols

Tunic Script symbols demonstrate the hexagon motif that is present throughout the world of Tunic. Symbols are formed using 5 of the 6 edges of a hexagon, 6 radial lines going from the center of the hexagon to each of its vertices, and a dot/circle mark on the bottom of the symbol. Symbols are oriented such that there is a vertex of the hexagon at the top and bottom, and a straight edge of the hexagon on the left. The edge that would be on the right side is omitted, so that there is no ambiguity between neighboring symbols in a word.

Tunic Script is a phonetic script. Edge lines are used to represent vowel sounds, with different combinations representing different vowels. Not all combinations are valid – there are a total of 18 different vowel sounds represented in the script. Similarly, radial lines are used to represent consonant sounds. There are 24 different consonant sounds represented in the script. Where the script represents voiced and unvoiced consonant pairs (e.g., "g" and "k", "d" and "t"), the representation of one is the representation of the other, flipped vertically.

Since consonant and vowel representations do not overlap, symbols may represent just a consonant, just a vowel, or both. When a symbol includes both, ordinarily the consonant sound precedes the vowel sound. However, A small circle mark can be added at the bottom vertex of the symbol to indicate that the vowel should come first.

Individual symbols may be rendered within the form of a regular hexagon, but in most cases are rendered within a hexagonal form that is about twice as tall as it is wide. Regardless of the form used, Tunic Script is monospaced – all symbols have the same width. In print, they are typically divided into top and bottom parts at a point slightly below the midpoint of the symbol. These parts are rendered above and below a by a solid horizontal line that runs the width of the symbol. The top portion touches the line, while the bottom portion is spaced slightly below the line, creating a visible break in the symbol. In handwriting, the horizontal line and break is sometimes omitted.

### Numbers

Numbers in Tunic Script may be sounded out (akin to writing "two" instead of "2") or represented using Arabic numerals.

### Words

Words are composed of a series of symbols representing the sounds that form the word when spoken aloud, in order from left-to-right. Each symbol slightly overlaps the symbol before it, such that the second symbol's left-hand edge lines up with where the first symbol's right-hand edge would be. As a result lines from one symbol often flow smoothly into lines in the next symbol. When a horizontal line is rendered, it is rendered as a solid line through all symbols in a word. The horizontal line is broken between words, but not within a word, helping to delineate word boundaries.

### Sentences

Sentences are written as strings of words, with spaces (about half the width of a symbol) between them. Sentences are terminated by periods, which may be rendered as small circles instead of simple dots. Some other punctuation is carried over from conventional English writing (e.g., commas), however punctuation that occurs in a word (e.g., apostrophes denoting possessive or contractions) is always omitted.

### Mixed Script

Words written in the English Alphabet are freely intermixed with words written in Tunic Script, though the two representations are never mixed within one word. However it is not clear whether this reflects a true aspect of the world of Tunic, or is simply a way to make aid the player in understanding and perhaps help them begin to decode the script.

## Translation Key

Phonemes organized counter clockwise visually for easy translation.

### Consonants

First position contiguous

First position with gap

Second position

Third and fourth position

### Vowels

First position contiguous

n**or**th, h**or**se
h**ur**ry, c**our**ier

First position with gap

Second position

m**er**ry, squ**ar**e

Third, fourth, and fifth position