Tall
Rise above the body line. Most represent voiceless obstruents such as /p/, /t/, and /k/.
Tool 02 Sound has a shape
Click any character to hear its example, inspect the sound, and discover how Shavianβs paired shapes fit together.
The complete set
Click a letter card to select it and hear the example word. Use the controls to narrow the chart.
Try a broader sound, shape, or example word.
A system you can see
Shavianβs vertical proportions make word silhouettes distinctive and connect related sounds.
Rise above the body line. Most represent voiceless obstruents such as /p/, /t/, and /k/.
Drop below the baseline. Many are rotated partners of tall letters and represent voiced sounds.
Sit within the body of a line. This group contains vowels plus four liquid and nasal consonants.
Eight single characters efficiently capture frequent diphthongs and r-colored vowel sequences.
Ready to use the letters?