As a multilingual speaker, I explored how three languages, English, Japanese, and Korean can combine in a fun and engaging way. Through JQuery, I tested how Korean and Japanese vowels or consonants can replace the 26 letters of the alphabet.
My Role
Research
Creative Coding
Interactive Design
Passion Project
Tools
Sublime Text
Github
Timeline
10 weeks
Phonetics and Consonants
The Japanese language is formed with 14 consonants and 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u), and the Korean language is made up of 14 consonants and 5 double consonants. Through vowels, I found similarities in the English alphabet through phonology. I used the English alphabet as the foundation to create a multilingual typer keyboard.
Phonetics and Consonants
Finding phonetic similarities between English, Korean, and Japanese, I first listed out all the alphabets and matched them with Japanese and Korean characters that are phonetically similar.
Design
The index page splits into two sides where the English translation is visible on the right.
When the keys are pressed, certain characters are replaced by Korean or Japanese characters.
The teenager’s request for a ride is redesigned with the implementation of the rides approved by a guardian and ride permission from the parent. Before the teenager’s ride request, the parent filters out the kind of cars the teenager can take. Additionally, if the teenager requests a ride to a new unapproved location, the parent must first approve the new location.
In designing the index page, I kept a simple and minimalistic approach, making sure that the translation was legible. I also used Noto Sans because it is the global font for over 1,000 languages.
Retrospective
This Typer project was an exploration to understand the various ways of bridging more than one language. I researched and compared Japanese, Korean, and English languages through creative coding. If I had another opportunity to iterate, I would prioritize refining the presentation design and delve deeper into exploring the visual similarities between Korean and Japanese typography.
