The Deseret Alphabet: A Secret Language from Brigham Young?

[Onhech]

So I have recently done research on the Mid 1800 Deseret Alphabet that was created by Brigham Young. I found it really interesting so I'm posting a link to my article. It's always fun to decipher things such as this - one of the four books published by The University of Deseret (Now University of Utah) which helps you learn the alphabet.

Thoughts? Efforts at translation?

To see the article (more of the History, an explanation of why and how, and more neat pictures) see my blog post below.
The Sign of Jonas: Church History Q&A: Did Brigham Young really try to implement a secret Deseret Language?

[MarginOfError]

My understanding was that Deseret was an attempt at making English phoenetic. It wasn't a new language, per se, just a new representation of English to make it easier for foreigners to learn to speak and read English.

[beefche]

While at BYU, I studied linguistics and we reviewed this alphabet. We translated the title page of the Book of Mormon using this alphabet. If memory serves me right, the Book of Mormon was pronounced (according to this alphabet) "Book of Marman." Changes your thinking upon hearing others talk about American Fark.....

[Loudmouth_Mormon]

I had a teacher once who was illustrating why things were hard for Joseph Smith. He called me up to look in a box. Inside the box, was what appeared to be a Book of Mormon in the Deseret alphabet. He had me describe it to the class, and as they asked questions, it was obvious that some of them thought I was 'in it' with the teacher and was making stuff up or lying for some reason. I couldn't show them the book, I could only describe it.

I thought it was a cool illustration.

LM

[mnn727]

Originally Posted by beefche

If memory serves me right, the Book of Mormon was pronounced (according to this alphabet) "Book of Marman." Changes your thinking upon hearing others talk about American Fark.....

Yeah, but them people talk funny in Utah.

[Dravin]

Originally Posted by mnn727

Yeah, but them people talk funny in Utah.

I like teasing my dad (He grew up in Utah) about the following pronunciations:

Lawyer: Laaw-yer. Okay it makes sense looking at the word but the majority of people I'm aware of pronounce it Loy-yer.

Crayon: Krinn. This one doesn't make as much sense looking at the word and we hassel him over it occasionally. More people I know pronounce it Cran.

Don't know how much of that is Utahism and how much is him though. Another funny language bit was when my Mom (from Washington/Oregon) told her RS President she was moving. She affect the accent on the name and when she said, "Americun Fark" she got a double take. I think the RS Pres heard a different four letter word starting with F.

Actually on Topic:

Calling the Deseret Alphabet a secret language seems akin to calling Esperanto a secret language.

[Onhech]

Originally Posted by MarginOfError

My understanding was that Deseret was an attempt at making English phoenetic. It wasn't a new language, per se, just a new representation of English to make it easier for foreigners to learn to speak and read English.

You are correct, it was only a Alphabet and not a language as it only used phonetic spelling of the spoken English language using a new alphabet. ( See post)

Originally Posted by Dravin

Calling the Deseret Alphabet a secret language seems akin to calling Esperanto a secret language.

True in my eyes, but there are perspectives such as the American Mormon Historian David L. Bigler who writes of this:
“[The Deseret Alphabet] demonstrated cultural exclusivism, an important consideration. It also kept secrets from curious non-Mormons, controlled what children would be allowed to read…”

I think this perspective is made because they assume no one else would bother to learn the system and assume that Mormons would use it as a code with the key being hidden which was not the case. I believe that Brigham Young, George D. Watt and Parley P. Pratt would have been thrilled at the idea of it becoming the universally written English, or even internationally, used alphabet.

[Last_Daze]

Someone ought to send a memo about this 'secret Mormon language' to all the anti-Mormon propagandists out there. I'm amazed they don't already have this in their arsenal; it seems like exactly the sort of thing they would be into.

[beefche]

It's not much of a secret if the translation key is provided....not to mention that it isn't even used today.

[Last_Daze]

Originally Posted by beefche

It's not much of a secret if the translation key is provided....not to mention that it isn't even used today.

Well, half the things that are referenced as 'Mormon beliefs' are things that are no longer taught by the church. Accuracy, as always, is beside the point.

The mere hint at the existence of a 'secret Mormon language' should be enough to throw these people into an absolute tizzy.