LINGUIST List 23.854 Mon Feb 20 2012 Calls: Writing Systems/ Writing Systems Research (Jrnl) Editor for this issue: Brent Miller <brentlinguistlist.org> LINGUIST is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new feature: Easy Abstracts! Easy Abs is a free abstract submission and review facility designed to help conference organizers and reviewers accept and process abstracts online. Just go to: http://www.linguistlist.org/confcustom, and begin your conference customization process today! With Easy Abstracts, submission and review will be as easy as 1-2-3! Directory         1.     Vivian Cook , Writing Systems Research Message 1: Writing Systems Research Date: 20-Feb-2012 From: Vivian Cook <Vivian.Cookncl.ac.uk> Subject: Writing Systems Research E-mail this message to a friend Full Title: Writing Systems Research Call Deadline: 30-Jun-2012 Invitation to Contribute to a Special Issue of Writing Systems Research on Writing Systems at Play Writing Systems Research (now published by Taylor and Francis) are still inviting contributions to a special issue on Writing Systems at Play. The special issue will deal with a range of aspects of the writing system at play. The following are suggested topics, with some web-links to examples; other ideas within this topic will be welcome. - Eye dialect attempts to convey the flavour of dialect speech rather than the actual pronunciation, e.g. English < wot >. To what extent is this tradition still alive in different languages? Does it discriminate against non-standard speakers? http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SpellingNovel/EyeDialect.htm - Typographical layout. The writing system can be used to convey meaning in unorthodox ways in concrete poetry, for example Herbert's Easter Wings in the shape of angels' wings, or the Arabic calligraphic versions of the Bismillah, say as a bird. http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/herbert/wings.htm - Advertisement (commercial function). Some advertisements trade on the form of letters, for example the < K > of 'Kellogg's' or the < M > of 'McDonalds', an exploitation of Frith's logographic principle. How does this vary cross-culturally? - Conventional spelling neologisms. Some writing systems have conventional alternative spellings for particular genres and identities, e.g. the traditional < k > for < c > spelling in < Krusty the Clown > and < Kwikfit >. Are these cross- linguistic conventions? Have they changed at all say for Twitter? http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SpellingNovel/NovelK.htm - Human letter forms. From the Devil's Alphabet in which letters take the form of devils to police advertisement where < KNIVES > is shaped from knives to barbers' signs incorporating scissors, it is a tradition to make letter shapes out of other objects. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SpellingNovel/ShapesAsLetters.htm - Calligraphy. In some places calligraphy is art, in others it is religion. The decorative aspects of writing symbols are a vital part of many cultures. - Text in art. A subgenre in contemporary art uses a motif of text, for example Jenny Holzer's Redaction Paintings LED installation using declassified texts from the Iraq War. What are the characteristics of such texts, for example the overwhelming use of capital letters? Is it language, meta-language, or what? - 'Lishes' is one name for the use of one script to depict another, such as Greeklish, Arablish, Chinglish (but not the meaning of ungrammatical display English also known by these names). This emerging transferred uses of scripts for the internet and for public notices across many countries needs documenting. - Ambigrams - the stylized depiction of letters or word illusions, e.g., a given word when rotated reveals another word, etc. http://www.johnlangdon.net/ambigrams/. Those who would like to contribute to these special issues on these lines are invited to contact Vivian Cook, joint editor of WSR, Vivian.Cookncl.ac.uk Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue Page Updated: 20-Feb-2012       About LINGUIST    |   Contact Us       While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.