Eorzean Alphabet

See also: Languages

The Norvrandt standard alphabet, Eorzean alphabet, and postulated proto-alphabet as described in Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III. The red dashed box denotes lowercase characters in the Norvrandt alphabet that are incorrect.

The Eorzean Alphabet is a writing system used for in-game map labels, signage, and other written media.

In the Third Astral Era, the people of Allag were all well learned and well written. Following the Fourth Umbral Calamity, these letters and learnings were seen as a sin, and were rejected by the people. Only the clergy were taught their letters, in an effort to keep the people uneducated and maintain the status quo. Though based on the letters of Allag, they were altered and changed so only those within the church knew how to fully read and write. By the end of the Fourth Astral Era, almost the entire population was illiterate and the alphabet had evolved significantly. In the Fifth Astral Era, the education of letters became more widespread, and the modern Eorzean Alphabet began to take shape.

There was still much confusion about the origins of the language and the language used by the Allagans, until audio recordings from the Allagan Empire were discovered, shedding light on the similarities between the two languages,and it was hypothesized that during The Forgotten Age, all knowledge of written language was forgotten.

In modern times, the Eorzean Alphabet consists of twenty-six letters, and are written in both upper and lower case. The way some letters are written, as well as the shape of them have given rise to the theory that the language used to read from right to left instead of left to right. Currently, it is estimated that just over half of the population is literate, however there is little to no consensus as to how things should be spelled, capitalized, or punctuated, leading to a wide variance in written material.

Units of Measure

Distance

Malm = mile
Yalm = yard
Fulm = foot
Ilm = inch

Weight

Tonze = ton
Ponze = pound
Onze = ounce

Time

See also: Eorzea Time

Winters/Summers = years
Moon(s) = Month(s)
Turn(s) of the Sun = day(s)
Bells = hours

Numerals

Related alphabets

Norvrandt Standard Alphabet

A correct depiction of the Norvrandt Alphabet. The symbol for j is unknown.

“

A preternatural power known as the Echo is said to allow the Source's champion to understand—and be understood by—any sentient being, regardless of language. But how was it that the Scions, lacking their comrade's intuitive ability, were able to communicate with the residents of the First?

To answer that question, one must first consider Norvrandt's standard alphabet, an example of which is scribed below. While the shapes are unfamiliar, every single letter has a matching counterpart in Eorzea's alphabet. This revelation is far less surprising when one learns that, despite a number of regional differences, the common tongue of both Eorzea and Norvrandt is essentially the same language.

An incredible coincidence? This author would contend otherwise. Twelve thousand years ago, there was but one world. It stands to reason that whatever language the ancients spoke before the sundering, it would have survived in some form in the reflections. The centuries of divergent history have left their mark, of course, but the uncanny similarities—and relative ease with which the Scions adapted to their new linguistic environment—are easier to accept when one considers the likelihood of a common ancestry.

— Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, p. 52

Norvrandt has its own alphabet, also consisting of 26 letters in both upper and lowercase. Most lowercase alphabets in the Vrandtic script are very similar to the corresponding uppercase letters, but smaller.

It is believed that the Eorzean and Vrandtic alphabets originated from a common ancestor—the "Proto-Alphabet"—prior to the Sundering.

Proto-Alphabet

This alphabet can be observed in zone maps in the World Unsundered and in Pandæmonium raids. While similar to the Eorzean Alphabet (the letters for J, I, j, and i are identical), most letters have minor stylistic differences.

The Proto-Alphabet can also be seen in signage in Solution Nine, a city introduced in Dawntrail.

Trivia

Thavnairian sign

• The Eorzean alphabet is little more than a custom font for the standard Latin alphabet. This is also known as a simple Substitution cipher. All in-game "Eorzean" text converts to plain English.
• "No Entry" signs in Radz-at-Han appear to be in a different font than used in the standard Eorzean alphabet. It is unknown whether Thavnair uses its own alphabet. All Thavnair-associated maps are in Eorzean alphabet.
• In Encyclopaedia Eorzea Volume III, several lowercase letters in the Norvrandt Standard Alphabet are identical to the Eorzean Alphabet. This appears to be an error.