# What's your favorite written language to look at (not necessarily read)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 9, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483 "2012-11-09T15:06:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/1 "2012-11-09T15:06:32Z")
I love to look at [Thai.](http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Thai+Calligraphy&FORM=RESTAB&adlt=strict) It makes me feel introspective and peaceful. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/2 "2012-11-09T15:57:24Z")
Hebrew and Finnish. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/3 "2012-11-09T16:25:01Z")
Devanagari does it for me. Also partial to southeast Asian writing systems. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/4 "2012-11-09T16:57:33Z")
[Georgian](http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4104/5173925033_fe44cbf087_z.jpg) ([Georgian calligraphy](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Georgian_calligraphy_Georgian_alphabet2.jpg/650px-Georgian_calligraphy_Georgian_alphabet2.jpg)), and one from Asia that I’m totally blanking on now but looks sort of like Georgian but is fatter horizontally. Edit: It might be [Telugu](http://www.ancientscripts.com/telugu.html). ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/5 "2012-11-09T17:06:52Z")
[Rongorongo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rongorongo) ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/6 "2012-11-09T17:42:13Z")
The traditional [Mongolian script](http://www.mongolian-art.de/mongolian_artist/art_sukhbaatar_lkhagvadorj/mongolian_calligraphy.jpg). Unfortunately, it’s not used much any more, as it’s been replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/7 "2012-11-09T17:43:44Z")
1. Chinese 2. Mayan 3. Egyptian Hieroglyphics Alphabets are OK, but I like pretty pictures. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/8 "2012-11-09T17:45:18Z")
Farsi. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/9 "2012-11-09T17:47:05Z")
Finnish, definitely. I have a Finnish friend on Facebook, and her status updates always make me laugh. It looks almost, but not entirely unlike a language. ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/10 "2012-11-09T18:00:16Z")
[Arabic calligraphy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calligraphy#Gallery). Not only do I think it’s stunningly beautiful, but it’s written right to left, so my lefthanded self might have a chance of writing it without smearing the ink. > [@Kiyoshi](#): > > The traditional [Mongolian script](http://www.mongolian-art.de/mongolian_artist/art_sukhbaatar_lkhagvadorj/mongolian_calligraphy.jpg). Unfortunately, it’s not used much any more, as it’s been replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet. Wow, I’ve never seen that before. That’s spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/11 "2012-11-09T20:17:03Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > [Arabic calligraphy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calligraphy#Gallery). Not only do I think it’s stunningly beautiful, but it’s written right to left, so my lefthanded self might have a chance of writing it without smearing the ink. This. Wish I had the time to learn to read/write it. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/12 "2012-11-09T21:28:16Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Devanagari does it for me. Also partial to southeast Asian writing systems. I was looking for that earlier, couldn’t come up with the name. Another favorite. > [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > [Georgian](http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4104/5173925033_fe44cbf087_z.jpg) ([Georgian calligraphy](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Georgian_calligraphy_Georgian_alphabet2.jpg/650px-Georgian_calligraphy_Georgian_alphabet2.jpg)), and one from Asia that I’m totally blanking on now but looks sort of like Georgian but is fatter horizontally. > > Edit: It might be [Telugu](http://www.ancientscripts.com/telugu.html). Wow, I’ve never seen this before. Wonderful! > [@cmkeller](#): > > [Rongorongo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rongorongo) Very cool > [@Kiyoshi](#): > > The traditional [Mongolian script](http://www.mongolian-art.de/mongolian_artist/art_sukhbaatar_lkhagvadorj/mongolian_calligraphy.jpg). Unfortunately, it’s not used much any more, as it’s been replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet. It certainly is striking. Spent a little time on Google images looking at other examples as well. This is cool 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/13 "2012-11-09T21:52:45Z")
I can write Arabic calligraphy, and I love it. But my favorite of all is [Javanese](http://www.omniglot.com/writing/javanese.htm). It’s the most elegant. Looking at it, I feel every line of Javanese is a work of art. The only other thing approaching Javanese in beauty, besides Arabic, is the Tengwar. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/14 "2012-11-09T21:55:26Z")
I love Arabic calligraphy, but I’m with Johanna: Javanese looks simultaneously like art, Escher and a believable alien language. Nothing else like it. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/15 "2012-11-09T21:58:07Z")
…now. If Windows didn’t feel that every single one of us needs 47 obscure Asian alphabets on our systems… I mean, rah rah for multiculturalism but I will NEVER need to write or display anything in Uighur. And it’s next to impossible to remove the fonts; they’re embedded at a system level. End of rant apologies for any hijack exit stage left ---
**Author:** ![RockytheflyingS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RockytheflyingS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RockytheflyingS)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/16 "2012-11-09T22:01:48Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > [Arabic calligraphy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calligraphy#Gallery). Not only do I think it’s stunningly beautiful, but it’s written right to left, so my lefthanded self might have a chance of writing it without smearing the ink. This! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/17 "2012-11-09T22:28:40Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > The only other thing approaching Javanese in beauty, besides Arabic, is the Tengwar. [Indeed.](http://www.danielreeve.co.nz/LOTR/Calligraphy/images/RingVerse.jpg) I am very fond of Tengwar. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/18 "2012-11-09T22:31:46Z")
Another vote for [Devanagari](http://www.sindhilanguage.com/images/sindhi_dev.gif). I like the way the upper lines create a [sense of unity](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rishida/scripts/eghindi.gif) in the words. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/19 "2012-11-09T23:01:43Z")
An as-yet unsolved mystery: [The Voynich Manuscript.](http://archive.org/stream/TheVoynichManuscript/Voynich_Manuscript#page/n23/mode/2up) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483/20 "2012-11-09T23:20:08Z")
Telugu script looks to me like a plate of scrambled eggs. I’ve been to Andhra Pradesh and formed that impression while surrounded by Telugu script every day. When I made up a curry scrambled eggs recipe, I gave it a Telugu name for that reason: **కూర కోడి గుడ్డు** _kūra kōḍi guḍḍu_. Incidentally, Kannada script is very closely related to Telugu. If you know one, you can mostly read the other. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-written-language-to-look-at-not-necessarily-read/640483.md?page=2)