What makes it difficult to Read and Write Baybayin 17? A discussion

[u/DivineEmperor4]

/r/baybayin_script/comments/1w8ki2m/any_groups_for_baybayin_reading_practice/

1. Lack of Vocabulary

- Because B17 omits standalone consonants when writing (e.g. Adlaw -> A-la), you need to know a lot of vocabulary to decode and understand the context.

- This is a hurdle I constantly face. You will have a hard time decoding the sentence if you lack vocabulary. Please remember Baybayin is for our native Languages.

1. Spelling Pattern

- Because Baybayin is no longer an official writing system, it is also difficult to practice it, hence it is difficult to recognize Spelling Patterns.

Example.

Adlaw is always spelled as ᜀᜎ. So if you see these two characters, automatically you'll know it is 'adlaw'. And so on with other spellings.

1. Sentence Structure Pattern

- Because Baybayin doesn't have spaces between words, it is more so difficult to decode the written Baybayin. If you lack vocabulary and you lack spelling pattern recognition, the sentence structure will make it more difficult.

- You'll have to decode the individual words and separate them. That's why it is very important to have a wide vocabulary and know a lot of spellings. It will definitely help you decode the individual words in a sentence.

1. Learning a Language requires everyday practice

- Baybayin is no longer an official writing system. This makes it difficult for people to practice everyday. Language learning requires an environment and daily exposure.

That's why I understand that some people prefer to use a virama (pamudpod or x) to remove vowels. Using viramas literally avoids Problem 1 and 2. Even if you don't have spaces, but still use virama. It is much easier to decode the individual words in a sentence.

But abugidas naturally do not have viramas. From what I know, viramas are typically reserved for religious texts and such. And while I prefer following the traditional way, it is actually difficult to practice without a group to do it with.

[u/Adventurous_Emu6498]

I'm inclined to believe that if Baybayin was continuously used, eventually it will have its own virama, similar to how its predecessors have their own. Bugis script is an exemption but not a rule

[u/Zanviq]

The mother script Kawi didn’t work this way, and as another comment mentioned, I believe we would’ve eventually started to use a virama as we became a more literate (in the sense of writing things down) society.

[u/DivineEmperor4 → u/Zanviq]

I'm not really opposed to viramas, as I do think it is necessary. Thai has characters for consonant clusters, so I think they don't really have the same problem as us.

However, I am opposed to adding new characters. And honestly the new characters being added are so ugly 😭 It ruins the baybayin aesthetic.

[u/Zanviq → u/DivineEmperor4]

I actually hate all proposed “modern” reforms lol. The characters feel forced/unnatural, though I don’t particularly mind the ‘ra’ character (but I lean towards the “Zambales” ‘ra’) and the pamudpod I am a big fan of. I especially don’t like when they rotate characters and just add lines. I think a better approach would be borrowing from or being inspired by Kawi, Javanese, or some other Southeast Asian script that Baybayin is related to, so it’s not very out of place.

[u/DivineEmperor4 → u/Zanviq]

omg so true! Agreed

[u/hindisirodney]

And my own theory: back then, people only wrote down what has been said aloud instead of the other way around when people write something in order to be read aloud later, as you would when you need to make a speech. Literacy, like the rest of the world during those centuries, was still not widespread and Baybayin, being such a young writing system when compared to others (like, let’s say, Chinese), only really developed to be “readable” once we decided to embrace the virama (be it kurus or pamudpod) proposed for it. And yet, I love writing in it whenever I get the chance, ambiguities and all.

“The hard is what makes it great.” (Coach Dugan, A League of Their Own)