| abstract
| - Words are usually denoted by brackets, though these are sometimes left off. Words that start with vowels can be marked with a "table," an underscore that serves as a placeholder for the absent consonant, but these are sometimes left off also. Because the Ai-Naidar communicate a great deal of vital information in books (see the Books of Civilization), several of which are required reading in order for someone to be a full and courteous and productive member of society, literacy is a requirement, and a writing system simple enough to be grasped quickly in childhood is important--this is why, unlike many ancient societies, Kherishdar does not have a logographic writing system. The consonantal writing style also results in words taking up very little space despite their length, which means the size of their books can be kept reasonable.
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