I also think that the Berber scripts write but the consonants. I
didn't know that 'abjads' are distinguished from consonantic scripts.

Marco Cimarosti wrote:

> > > Well, Tengwar had mandatory vowel points from the beginning, and
> > > later was used in a fully alphabetic way, but never went
> > > through a _mater lectionis_ stage, FWIW. The vowel point
> > > for /a/ is sometimes omitted, but it would be a stretch to call
> > > it an abugida.
> >
> > Inherent vowel and virama, what else makes an abugida?
>
> I thought that the main feature of an abugida was having mandatory
> vowel marks, possibly graphically merged with the bearing consonant
> letter.

Like that, this special use of the tengwar is an abugida.

> As for the inherent vowel, couldn't it be considered as a "zero"
> vowel grapheme?

Generally speaking or only in that special tengwar use? Generally
speaking, I'd innocently affirm. However, I don't see any benefit of
it, so I wouldn't do it. It'd only destroy the concept of abugida.

---------------------------
j. 'mach' wust
http://machhezan.tripod.com
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