Principles toward Optimization of Characters in a Semantic-Writing System

Semantic characters such as for ‘skiing’ represent meaning rather than sound. For centuries, great minds Descartes, Leibniz, Francis Lodowyck, and Rev. John Wilkins have called the creation of a writing-system comprised completely semantic characters. Such must possess enough to universe; But too many will pose challenge users learn remember. This article argues principles limiting number basic, non-derived (“radicals”) while maximizing expressive power coaxed from them. I advance three primary strategies here: First, use arrow or other selector derive related meanings one radical (e.g., ‘skier’ opposed (no arrow) ‘skiing’); Second, series “radical-disqualifiers” requiring most concepts notions be derived more radicals, being represented by radical. Finally, constructing radicals smaller elements whose are consistent across them if we designate single-shafted mean ‘change’, then it should appear with that in all dealing change.). Ample visual examples illustrating these points given, applying Egyptian, Chinese, Mayan some modern constructed systems.