How to Write the Deseret Alphabet

Introduction | 𐐆𐑌𐐻𐑉𐐬𐐼𐐲𐐿𐑇𐐲𐑌

Scriptura Quadrata Forms | 𐐝𐐿𐑉𐐮𐐹𐐻𐐮𐐳𐑉𐐪 𐐗𐐶𐐱𐐼𐑉𐐱𐐻𐐪

Begin with the formal printed shapes. These square, separated forms are the safest model for students because they preserve the distinctions among similar characters.

Practice: Copy the printed form first, using the numbered arrows as a guide to stroke order and placement. You may find that a different stroke order works better for you. Focus initially on producing clear, recognizable letterforms. Only after the character can be written consistently and legibly should you begin reducing hand movement and combining strokes for greater speed and efficiency.

General Writing Principles | 𐐖𐐯𐑌𐐲𐑉𐐲𐑊 𐐡𐐴𐐻𐐮𐑍 𐐑𐑉𐐮𐑌𐑅𐐮𐐹𐑊𐑆

1. Write by sound. Choose the Deseret character that corresponds to the pronunciation, not to traditional English spelling.
2. Keep letters separate at first. Do not join characters until you can produce each one accurately.
3. Preserve contrast. Similar forms must remain visibly distinct, especially in rapid handwriting.
4. Use consistent height. Regular proportions make Deseret text much easier to read.
5. Prefer legibility over ornament. Decorative hands are useful only after the basic forms are secure.

Character Chart for Copying | 𐐗𐐰𐑉𐐰𐐿𐐻𐑉 𐐕𐐪𐑉𐐻 𐑁𐐫𐑉 𐐗𐐱𐐹𐐨𐐮𐑍

Use this chart as a copying model. The sound values are approximate and are included to remind writers that the alphabet is phonemic.

Note: Deseret Alphabet sound values and symbols varied across time, writers, and publications. This chart is intended as a practical aid for writing and copying.

The following characters are often confused by beginning writers because of their similar shapes. Practice them together and associate each character with its keyword.

Writing Practice | 𐐡𐐴𐐻𐐮𐑍 𐐑𐑉𐐰𐐿𐐻𐐮𐑅

Practice these words:

How to Write in Cursive | 𐐐𐐵 𐐻𐐭 𐑉𐐴𐐻 𐐮𐑌 𐐗𐑉𐑅𐐮𐑂

Cursive Deseret is not a separate alphabet but a handwritten adaptation of the printed script. Like other cursive scripts, it is intended to facilitate rapid, fluent writing while retaining the essential identities of the scriptura quadrata characters. Although printed Deseret materials circulated widely during the nineteenth century and helped stabilize the appearance of the scriptura quadrata letterforms, no standardized cursive system was ever adopted. Instead, individual writers developed their own connected and abbreviated styles. The forms presented here synthesize features found in surviving manuscripts with conventions that have proven practical in modern use. For detailed studies of individual hands and manuscript traditions, see Davis and Shosted (2026), Deseret Paleography (Mormon History Association, 2026).

There is no single mandatory cursive standard. Historical manuscript practice varied, and modern writers may develop a personal hand. A good cursive Deseret hand should nevertheless follow several constraints.

1. Keep the phonemic letters identifiable. A cursive simplification should not make one character look like another.
2. Join only where the join is natural. Do not force connections that obscure the letterform.
3. Round angular transitions. Corners may become curves, but the basic skeleton of the letter should remain visible.
4. Use a consistent slant. A regular slant helps cursive text cohere visually.
5. Retain capitals as display forms. In formal writing, capitals may remain closer to scriptura quadrata while lowercase forms become more connected.

A practical method is to begin with separated scriptura quadrata letters, then connect only the exit stroke of one letter to the entrance stroke of the next. The result should resemble an efficient manuscript hand, not an ornamental script.

Cursive Exercises | 𐐗𐑉𐑅𐐮𐑂 𐐇𐐿𐑅𐑉𐑅𐐴𐑆𐐮𐑆

Use the following sequence to develop a cursive hand:

1. Write each word in separated print forms.
2. Rewrite the same word with slightly rounded strokes.
3. Join pairs of letters where the join feels natural.
4. Compare the result with the printed model and correct any ambiguous forms.

𐐔𐐯𐑅𐐨𐑉𐐯𐐻

𐐐𐐨 𐐮𐑆 𐐵𐑉 𐑁𐐪𐑄𐐯𐑉 𐐰𐑌𐐼 𐐵𐑉 𐐘𐐱𐐼

Further Resources | 𐐙𐑉𐑄𐑉 𐐡𐐨𐑅𐐬𐑉𐑅𐐯𐑆

After practicing the letterforms, compare your writing with original Deseret texts in the digitized corpus, including the New Testament manuscript, and the Historical Department Office Journal. These pages contain links to the scanned originals, hosted by the Church History Library, as well as our transcribed versions.

Those interested in the history, language ideology, and cultural legacy of the script may wish to read Shosted and Davis’ study, The Deseret Alphabet: A Fixed and Unalterable Sound (University of Illinois Press, 2026).