# Who makes custom alphabets

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 11, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812 "2009-01-11T18:20:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phi2dao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@phi2dao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phi2dao)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812/1 "2009-01-11T18:20:59Z")

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I am creating a language and thought it would be cool if it had its own alphabet.

My question is: who would make that sort of thing? Who can I pay to make an alphabet for me?

Also, does anyone know of any really cool alphabets?  
I hope all of this makes sense…

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**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812/2 "2009-01-11T18:25:59Z")

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Why would you need someone else to make an alphabet for you?

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**Author:** ![KnitWit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KnitWit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KnitWit)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812/3 "2009-01-11T18:30:57Z")

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I think what you mean is that you want a font. I believe the people who usually do that are now graphic artists, but you could also look for a calligrapher. Probably.

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**Author:** ![Crescend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Crescend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crescend)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812/4 "2009-01-11T18:31:08Z")

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Do you mean creating a script (an encoding of the spoken language into symbols), or creating a set of glyphs (pictures that represent those symbols)? The latter is done by a font designer, while the former is normally done by a linguist.

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**Author:** ![phi2dao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@phi2dao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phi2dao)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812/5 "2009-01-11T18:41:10Z")

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> [@Crescend](#):
>
> Do you mean creating a script (an encoding of the spoken language into symbols), or creating a set of glyphs (pictures that represent those symbols)? The latter is done by a font designer, while the former is normally done by a linguist.

I mean creating a set of glyphs. I would ask a font designer? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-makes-custom-alphabets/480812/6 "2009-01-11T20:25:36Z")

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Three Islands Press, at [www.3ip.com](http://www.3ip.com), is an example of a company that designs and sells fonts. I’ve given some of their antique script looking fonts as gifts and also had a couple of completely fascinating and pleasant conversations there with a designer - the designer? - well, they seem like a fine little outfit.

I have no interest in their success, just passing on information.