Languages by Writing System

Writing systems are a key part of a language’s identity, providing a fascinating glimpse into its history and culture. Explore our comprehensive language list organized by writing system, from Latin and Cyrillic to Arabic and Chinese.

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Writing Systems

Here’s a description of the different writing systems.

Arabic:

Arabic script is used for writing the Arabic language and several other languages in the Middle East and North Africa. It is written from right to left and features a distinctive calligraphic style.

Aramaic:

Aramaic is an ancient script that was used for writing several languages of the Middle East, including Aramaic itself, Hebrew, and Syriac. It is written from right to left and features a cursive style.

Armenian:

Armenian script is used for writing the Armenian language and has been used for several other languages in the past. It is written from left to right and features a distinctive style with rounded letters.

Avestan:

Avestan script is used for writing the Avestan language, an ancient Iranian language used in Zoroastrian religious texts. It is written from right to left and features several unique letters.

Brahmic:

Brahmic script is a family of writing systems used for writing several languages of South Asia, including Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil. It is written from left to right and features several common elements across its various scripts.

Canadian Aboriginal syllabics:

Canadian Aboriginal syllabics is a writing system used for several indigenous languages in Canada. It features symbols that represent syllables rather than individual letters.

Cherokee syllabary:

Cherokee syllabary is a writing system used for writing the Cherokee language. It features symbols that represent syllables rather than individual letters and was invented by Cherokee scholar Sequoyah in the early 19th century.

Chinese characters:

Chinese characters, also known as Han characters, are used for writing several varieties of Chinese as well as Japanese and Korean. They are logograms, meaning that each symbol represents a word or concept rather than an individual sound.

Cuneiform:

Cuneiform is an ancient script used for writing several languages of the ancient Near East, including Sumerian and Akkadian. It features wedge-shaped symbols impressed onto clay tablets.

Cyrillic:

Cyrillic script is used for writing several Slavic languages as well as some non-Slavic languages in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is based on the Greek alphabet and features several unique letters.

Ge’ez:

Ge’ez script is used for writing the Ge’ez language, an ancient Ethiopian language used in religious texts. It is written from left to right and features several unique letters.

Georgian:

Georgian script is used for writing the Georgian language and has been used for several other languages in the past. It is written from left to right and features a distinctive style with rounded letters.

Greek:

Greek script is used for writing the Greek language and has been used for several other languages in the past. It is written from left to right and features several unique letters.

Hebrew:

Hebrew script is used for writing the Hebrew language as well as several other languages in the past. It is written from right to left and features a cursive style.

Hieroglyphics:

Hieroglyphics is an ancient script used for writing the Egyptian language. It features symbols that represent objects and concepts as well as sounds.

Korean alphabet, Chinese characters:

The Korean writing system consists of an alphabet known as Hangul as well as Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese. Hangul is written from left to right and features unique letters that combine to form syllables.

Latin:

Latin script is used for writing several languages, including English, Spanish, and French. It is written from left to right and features several unique letters.

Latin, Cyrillic:

Latin and Cyrillic script are both used for writing several languages of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Cyrillic is based on the Greek alphabet and features several unique letters.

Mayan:

Mayan script is used for writing several indigenous languages of Mesoamerica, including Maya, Tzotzil, and Tzeltal. It features a combination of logograms and phonetic signs.

Old Persian:

Old Persian script was used for writing the Old Persian language, an ancient Iranian language used in the Achaemenid Empire. It is written from left to right and features several unique letters.

Pahlavi:

Pahlavi script was used for writing several Middle Iranian languages, including Middle Persian and Parthian. It is written from right to left and features several unique letters.

Phoenician:

Phoenician script is an ancient script used for writing the Phoenician language and several other languages in the Mediterranean region. It features symbols that represent consonant sounds.

Romani script:

Romani script is used for writing the Romani language, an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Roma people. It is based on the Latin script and features several unique letters.

Romanized:

Romanized script is a system of writing that uses the Latin script to represent non-Latin languages. It is often used for languages that do not have their own writing system.

Sign Language:

Sign Language is a visual language that uses a combination of hand gestures, facial expressions, and body language to communicate. There are several different sign languages used around the world.

Syriac:

Syriac script is used for writing several Middle Eastern languages, including Syriac, Aramaic, and Kurdish. It is written from right to left and features several unique letters.

Tibetan:

Tibetan script is used for writing the Tibetan language as well as several other languages of the Himalayan region. It is written from left to right and features a distinctive style with rounded letters.