1. Overview

Maþal is written in two parallel forms: an original runic script used as the primary native writing system, and a Latin-based transcription used for accessibility, teaching, and reference. Both systems are phonemic in design, meaning that graphemes correspond consistently to phonemes and pronunciation remains stable across contexts.

2. The Maþal Runic Script

The primary script of Maþal is written from left to right and from top to bottom. Visually, it combines angular runic features with more flowing elements, including horizontal strokes and symmetrical curved forms. Although it evokes a runic aesthetic, the script is entirely original and is not derived graphically from any historical alphabet.

The script is phonemic in structure. Each grapheme corresponds to a single phoneme, and there are no silent letters. Pronunciation does not shift according to neighboring letters.

Several orthographic principles govern the script:

• Voicing is marked by a dot placed inside the consonantal circle or curved form.

• Long vowels share the same base letter as their short counterparts but are distinguished by a dot placed above the stem.

• Diphthongs are written as separate letters

For teaching, analysis, and broader readability, Maþal may also be written in Latin letters. This transcription remains close to the phonemic structure of the language and is designed to resemble IPA where practical, while still functioning as an ordinary writing system.

The main conventions are as follows:

• Long vowels are marked with an acute accent rather than with the dot used in the runic script.

• Diphthongs are written as sequences of letters rather than as ligatures.

• þ can be written as th and ð can be written as dh.

3 . Consonants

The consonants of the runic script correspond directly to the phonemic consonant inventory of the language.

4. Vowels

The runic script distinguishes short and long vowels systematically. In this system, long vowels are marked by a dot above the base stem, while short vowels remain unmarked.

5. Diphthongs

Because they function as single phonological units, they are represented as unified orthographic forms rather than as independent adjacent vowel letters.