subtleties - pannous/hieros GitHub Wiki

Egyptians loved confusing subtleties and puns.

Some of the subtleties are purely the result of our ignorance, others are intended:

Subtleties can serve in representing two words with very similar meanings but different (sometimes similar) phonetics.

Pairs

𓀀𓀂
𓅨 𓅩 Ɣwal/Ɣver swallow
𓅪 𓅫 ⲭⲏⲗ ⇔ cul smaller sparrow spare
𓌢 𓄥 kin con ⲥⲛⲁⲩ syn sym soma scam
𓍿 𓎀 c /tse/ t /toe/
𓌳 𓌴 maw mew new
𓌻 𓌼 #mr #m
𓃹 𓃺 been waren sein
𓈗 •𓈗 mar water
𓂝 𓂣 𓂢 arm elle
𓄞 𓎔 𓎕 𓄓 nord flood shat?
𓌹 𓌺 𓌸 amicare amore amur #mr •hammer
𓏙 𓏚 𓇮 ⚠️ Don Dorn
𓎽 𓎼 𓎾 Kübel Giebel
𓈉𓈊 Шkара karst #ḫst 𒆳 kur 3 cird
𓂸 𓂺 𓂹
𓈎 𓏘 TAR ⋍ QAR
𓍶 𓍲 𓍵 𓍱 ɣ γ sch…
𓃀 𓂾 pod bein pair …
𓂽 𓂻 𓂼
𓎛 𓎝
𓋊 𓋉 𓄫 𓄪 𓄩 𓄦
𓄛 𓄜 Tier tail deer der
𓄿 𓅂 ᵀh₃érō tɕiau Tier
𓄂 𓄇 𓄃 𓄄 𓄅 𓄆
𓃓 𓃒 𓃔 Taur Cow Gaw calf
𓃔 𓃙 𓃚 gaw goat kid cattle
𓃵 𓃶
𓃷 𓃸
𓄔 𓄕
𓄗 𓄘
𓄀 𓃾 𓃿 :
𓄈 𓄉 𓄊 𓄾
𓃹 𓃺 Hasen Haben
𓅪 𓅫 macro micro
𓅨 𓅩 megalo gale
𓂋 ≠ 𓂋 ellipse 𓂂 erbse 𓎫 lens ⚠️
𓏇 𓄡
𓋭 𓊃
𓈇 𓊔 𓊕 𓊖 𓊗

potentially lost subtleties:

𓆑 ≠ 󳷝 󳷞 󳷟 󳷠 𓅱 ≠ 󳰎 󳰏 󳰐 󳰑 󳰒 󳰓 󳰔 similar to 𓃹≠𓃺 ?

Series

𓏏 𓇤 𓇮 𓏚 𓏙 𓍑 𓏐 𓂂 𓏸 𓋪 〇 líng ring
𓎥 𓇷 𓇸 lune moon
𓂂 𓏸 iris 𓆇 Eier eye® 𓂋 𓇳
𓏖𓏖 𓏗𓏗 𓊘𓊘 𓊙𓊙 𓐎 𓐏 𓎤 𓎦 𓏐 𓏑 𓆇 𓈑 𓌆 𓄹 𓄽 𓁹 𓁺 𓁻 𓁼 𓂀 𓂁 𓂂 𓂃 𓂄 𓂆 𓂇 𓂅
𓍒 𓍑 𓍖 𓍘 𓌃 pyro fire / zünder tinder kindle צ…
𓍒 𓍑 𓍖 𓍘 𓌃 Tűz dz tz ts צ #ḏ mat mot
𓏁 𓎿 𓍛
𓍊 𓍋 𓍌 𓌐 𓍛 𓉼 𓌃
𓍎 𓍍 𓍏 𓍐 𓋺
𓋏 𓋃 𓋽 𓌂 𓇅 𓍙 𓌉 𓎗 𓎘 𓏞
𓋁 𓋂 𓋃 𓋄 𓋈 𓋇 𓌈 𓌉 𓌌
𓌇 𓉻 𓉼 𓇕 𓄥 𓌣 𓍋 𓌢
𓉶 𓉺 𓎨 pillar palace flute polis pole post
𓐓 𓐔
𓍡 [𓉽] 𓏱
𓍢 𓏲 𓂅 𓏯 wr/wn
𓄲 𓄳 𓄴 𓄵 𓄶 𓄷
𓄛 𓄜 𓄝 𓌕
𓎡 𓎢 𓎟 Kuhle Kelle kall quell
𓈟 𓈞
𓎺𓎻𓐐
𓏯 𓏰 -cul -al -l (little ligatures)
𓈘 𓈐 rod road रोड roḍ river
𓈙 𓊌 𓊬 𓈚 𓋱 𓋷 𓐚 𓏝 shadᵒⁿ stone
𓊔 𓏕 𓋰 𓏳 𓈀 𓆷 ⚠️
𓋊 𓋉 𓋭 𓌓 𓌔 𓌒 𓉿 𓎚 𓎙 𓎷 𓎣 𓋩 𓎃 𓎄 𓇪 𓐪 𓊧 𓌱 𓌰
𓊧 𓌱 𓌪 𓌫 𓌭 𓌮 𓌯
𓋾 𓋿 𓌀 𓌁
𓌄 𓌅
𓌽
𓌾
𓌿
𓍀
𓆅 𓆄 𓇋
𓊎 𓊍 𓊨
𓇱 𓇰 ⚠️ negro night
𓇦 𓇧 ⚠️
𓇑 𓇓 𓇔 𓇗 𓇖
𓇐 𓇏 𓆷
𓇐 𓃃 𓃄 𓃅
𓃡 𓃥 𓃦 𓃢 𓃫 𓃩
𓃮 𓃬 𓃭
𓃘 𓃙 𓃚 𓃶 𓃵 𓃲 𓃴 χmārā szamár 𐎈𐎎𐎗 ḥmr ܚܡܪܐ ḥmārā 𒄿𒈨𒊒 ᶜi-me-ru χίμαιρα χίμαρος chimera
𓄿 𓅀 𓅁 𓅂 𓅃 𓅄 𓅅 𓅆 𓅇 𓅈 𓅉 𓅊
𓅌 𓅎 𓅏
𓅐 𓅑 𓅒
𓅜 𓅝 𓅞
𓅢 𓅡 𓅜
𓅬 𓅭
𓅮 𓅯
𓅸 𓅹
𓆍 𓆊 𓆌 𓆋
𓆓 𓆔 𓆕
𓆗 𓆘
𓆛 𓆟 𓆜 𓆝 𓆞
𓆹 𓆺
𓇛 𓇜 𓇟 𓍵 𓍳 𓍲 𓍱 𓍲 𓎃 𓎄 𓍴 𓋹 󴤬 𓐪 𓇪 𓐫 𓇩 𓏜
𓊵 𓏛 𓏝 𓐚 𓇿 𓈀 𓏕 𓇾 𓊔 𓏒
𓈅 𓈄 𓈆
𓇬 𓏶
𓇷 𓇸
𓇹 𓇺
𓈔 𓈕 ⚠️
𓊏 𓊐
𓊒 𓊓
𓊦 𓊤 𓊥
𓊝 𓊞 𓊛 𓊜 𓊠
𓎅 𓐡 𓎆
𓎙 𓎚
𓎤 𓎦 𓎯 𓎰
𓎱 𓎲
𓎸 𓎹
𓏃 𓏅
𓏄 𓏆
𓏞 𓏟
𓏴 𓏵
𓐎 𓐏
𓐘 𓐙 𓐝 𓐞 𓐛 𓐜
𓐩 𓊮

Note: Often there is a resolved extra form with 𓋴

Postulated dialectic forms:

𓆙 ⋍ 𓆑 ≠ 𓆑 snake schnecke
𓇋𓇋 𓇌 𓇋 𓇋 𓆄𓆄

auf 𓂝 & ab 𓂣 arm
up 𓂝 & down 𓂣 & 𓂢

Organic series of sign simplification / rotation / ligatures
𓁹 𓁺 𓁻 𓁼 𓁽 𓁿 𓂀
𓄹 𓄼 𓄺 𓄻
𓇢 𓇠 𓇡

Much of the gardiner A,B,C series (man, women, gods) naturally seems subtly related:
𓀗 𓀘 𓀙 𓀚 𓀛

Often these signs carry micro ligatures :
𓆵 𓆶 𓆴 𓂋 𓊪 𓏏 presumably pointing to diverged but related (dialectic) forms and meanings.
𓇈 𓇊 𓇇 𓇉
𓂞 𓂠 𓂟 𓂦 𓂥 𓂡 𓂢
𓌺 𓌹 𓌸 𓌻 𓌼 𓍁
𓌼 𓐝 𓐛 𓐙
𓌷 𓌶 𓌵 𓌳 𓌴
𓏶 𓇬
𓍕 𓄰 𓄱 𓍡 𓉽
𓍊 𓍐 𓌇 𓌈 𓌉
𓌞 𓌟 𓌠
𓌚 𓌙 𓌘 𓍟
𓆵 𓆶 𓆴 𓆳
𓇑 𓇒 𓇓 𓇔 𓇗
𓍢 𓏲 𓍬
As in sumerian many similar signs developed through natural evolution and simplification
𓄟 𓄠
𒂡 𒂦𒆟 ḫir < šir₃ < gir₁₁ ≠ 𒔁
𒄭 𒄭 𒊮 𒁲 𒆠 ḪI® ŠAR₂ SA® ŠÀ® KI® KUR

Ligature series may look like subtleties but are straightforward:
𒌫 𒌳 𒌬 𒌭 𒌮 𒌯 𒌰 𒌱 𒌲
𒄭 𒊮 𒁲 𒆠 𒄲 𒄳 𒄴 𒄵 𒄶 …
𒔁 => 𒒭 𒔂 𒔃 𒔄 𒔅 𒔆 𒔇 𒔈 𒔉 𒔊 𒔋

Others come from different time periods, languages and scribal traditions:
𒐈 ≠ 𐎍
𒈫 ≠ 𐎕
𒉺 ⋍ 𐀞
𒁁 BÀD ⋍ 𓄋 PART but ⋍ Bote
𐎀 ≠ 𒐀 DIDLI
𒄊 < 𒀲𒆳𒊏 kur+ra 𓃗 घोड़ा ghoṛā 𒄊 GÌR Gir 𓅐 Geier 𓂻𓂾𓃀
𒂉 DUR ⇔ ᴰray 日 rì 𓇳 ri •duri 𓇳 dura 𓇶 dry 3
𒍗𓏱 mūtu muert “death”
𒄭 ḪI •HEL ≠ 𒆸 Kuhle KUR
𒉺 ⋍ 𒄑 ⋍ π => 𒄑𒉈𒂵𒈩 Bilgameš “Pilger”
𒋗 šu 手 shǒu 𐀮 se 𒅆 ši ≠ 𒂠 EŠ ≠ 𒍵 ≠ 𒅖 iš 𒂠 Sam Sein
𒍗 𒁁 BÀD 𓃀 pod 𒁇 bar 𐎁 BETA 𓉔 beith 𐎄 •BRD BLD 𓉐
𓇑 𓇒 𓇓 𓇔 𐀭 sa 𒐼 𒀸𒐼 𒃻 𒋩 𒉻 šar Ashur Assyr 𒀸𒃻 aš.šá® 𒃻 GAR 𓆰 grass 𒊸 SHAR 𒊺 SHE 𒉻 ŠUK

Yet others are harder to explain
𒋰 𐎔 DU/BI 2 TAB double
𒆪 𒂉 KUR DUR ⚠️
𒃮 ≠ 𒂃 TUḪ, DU8 tits (𐎔𒊺 DUDŠE )
𒁲 𒌆 𒉇 𒑥 DI TU TUG₂ Tuch
𒋗 šu 𒂠𒋠 SÍG SIK silk/Zeug
𒋼𒀀 KAR ⇔ 𒆪 KU ⋍ 𒋼 Qú guerre
𒀀 ᵕA ≠ A 𓄿 𒂊 E 𒀁 𒀀𒅆 ÉR ligature 𒀝
𒂊 E ⇔ 𒂍 E ⇔ 𐎍 ≠ 𒐈 eš₅ ?
𒄨 ≠ KAL 𒆗𒂵 kräftig ⇔ GAL 𒃲 Kurio 𒅈 ĝuruš 𓂓
𒀊𒆯 KUD good 𓇜 ⇔ cod carp
𒄭 ŠAR2 𒐬 ŠARU 𒄮 SUR 𒊹 ŠÁR 60*60 𓐍 CHR •circle KUR 𓊖
𒃻 𒐼 𒍝 šá ṣa za
𒍗 𒁁 uš₂ ᵟésHr̥ 𒍗 𒁁 BÀD "blood"
𒇲 LAL 𒇳𒊓
𒍝 𒋂 za ṣa ça ča
𒌨 UR ⇔ 𒌷 URU
𒋫 taur ≠ cattle CUT 𒄞 gaw gaul 𒄢 GUL/fool/foal/fowl 𒌌
𒌋𒌋 niš ≠ meš 𒈨𒌍
𒌀 𐎙 GHAIN kein ¬ 𒉡 non ⋍ 𐎙 nong 牛年农
𒊺𒌍 ŠE EŠ 𒐈 ᵗʳeš₅ 𒌍 ušu₃ mes
𒊑 RI 𒅕 IR 𒉅 𒉣
𒆨𒀖 AB AP Apis alpha bull 𓃒
𒆨𒉏 NIM 𓆛 namak
𒈦𒑏 = 1/2 𓏶 meso/semi/demi/middle part
𒁁 ⋍ 𒍗 ÚŠ ⋍ 𒌀 ⋍ 𒅂 (Alternative forms) ≠ 𒑘 EŠE3 𒑙 EŠEMIN₅ 𒁇
𒈪 𒌋𒐓 𒌋𒊺 𒌋𒐆
𒄀 GI 𒄄 ≈ 𒄀 ≠ 𒊑
𒁉 ⇔ 𒉌 ?

Many look similar in Akkadian but not in their sumerian base form, which can yield insights:
If it looks similar it likely sounds similar.

Some look similar by accident:
𓄤 𓄥
𒄑𒀶
𒋫 TA ≠ 𒀴 ÌR
𒇷 𒌅 LIˢ ≠ TU
𒋆𒁉 𒋫 gunu
𒆦 gunû ≠ 𒃲 gal
𒀖 AP ≠ 𒆕 DU 𓏚 DIU 𓏙 duo Delta ≠

Many are components of each other (reverse ligatures)
𒄱 AR2 ≠ 𒋼 TE/TEĜ3/TEN

Interestingly the more complicated original form often has a more simple phonetic value and may even be used as alphabetic/syllabic sign dispite its higher complexity, presumably to alleviate ambiguity.
E.g. 𓐠 vs 𓈙 in Darius inscriptions.

Often these carry similar sounds / meanings, despite their temporal distance.

Ablauts, Umlauts

It is possible that some of the ligatures represented Ablauts: change of vowels to change cases or semantics:

𓈘 𓈐 rod road रोड roḍ river ὁδός hodós (corruption when?)

π-forms versus µ-forms

Baum 𓏮 => Bäume 𒐀 Tüttel

zarʿ zard Saat seed 𓍁𓏏𓈒𓏥
zarʿ zart subtle,tender,green

Linear A, B, C
𓄱 ⋍ 𐁒 ⋍ 𐂉 ⋍ 羊 (⺶,⺷)

Extended confusion 󴟴 󴟵 󴟶 󴟷 󴟸 󴟹 󴟺 󴟻 󴟼 󴟽 󴟾 󴟿 󴠀 󴠁 󴠂 󴠃 󴠄 󴠅 󴠆 󴠇 󴠈 󴠉 󴠊 󴠋 󴠌 󴠍 󴠎 󴠏 󴠐 󴠑 󴠒 󴠓 󴠔 󴠕 󴠖 󴠗 󴠜 󴠝 󴠞 󴠟 󴠠 󴠡 󴠢 󴠣 󴠤 󴠥 󴠦 󴠧 󴠨 󴠩 󴠪