For your consideration. . .
Jan. 30th, 2020 01:07 pmIn the default Traveller setting of the Third Imperium, written Galangic is a Logosyllabic script, with each symbol representing morphemes, often polysyllabic morphemes, but when extended phonetically represent single syllables.
This would allow written Galangic to be a truly universal language, as any literate sophont would be able to read it no matter what their spoken tongue, which for some aliens would be none at all.
This gives me the wonderful idea of "chat tables" at all your better Startown bars and hotels. It's a table with multiple handcomp ports. You plug in, choose your spoken language from the table's menus, and once everyone is in, you start speaking. The table transcribes your speech to Galangic and displays it as a hologram in front of you. Or on your comp's screen is discretion is necessary. These kinds of speech to universal text programs might be very common.
Just another bit of worldbuilding.
This would allow written Galangic to be a truly universal language, as any literate sophont would be able to read it no matter what their spoken tongue, which for some aliens would be none at all.
This gives me the wonderful idea of "chat tables" at all your better Startown bars and hotels. It's a table with multiple handcomp ports. You plug in, choose your spoken language from the table's menus, and once everyone is in, you start speaking. The table transcribes your speech to Galangic and displays it as a hologram in front of you. Or on your comp's screen is discretion is necessary. These kinds of speech to universal text programs might be very common.
Just another bit of worldbuilding.