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N'Ko Sigil Semantics

The N'Ko Inscription System uses 10 sigils as **operator markers**—single characters that encode both computational meaning and embodied experience. Each sigil is not arbitrary: it carries visual weight, semantic density, and gestural resonance.

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N'Ko Sigil Semantics

> Mapping the 10 CC-Inscription sigils to UI affordances and semantic meaning

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Overview

The N'Ko Inscription System uses 10 sigils as operator markers—single characters that encode both computational meaning and embodied experience. Each sigil is not arbitrary: it carries visual weight, semantic density, and gestural resonance.

This document maps each sigil to its:
- Visual representation — The character and its typographic qualities
- Semantic meaning — What the sigil encodes conceptually
- UI affordance — What interaction patterns it suggests
- Motion signature — The gesture that invokes or embodies it

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The Ten Sigils

1. Stabilization — ߛ (U+07DB)

Aspect	Description
Visual	Open curves settling into a point. The character suggests convergence—like streams meeting.
Semantic	The trajectory is contracting. Variance is dropping. The system is settling into coherence.
Detects	Dispersion decreased measurably within a time window
UI Affordance	Lock/Confirm — Tap-and-hold to confirm selection. The action commits, stabilizes choice. Visual: elements contract toward touch point.
Motion Signature	Closing grip — Fingers drawing inward, palm settling. Like grasping something precious.
Examples	Coming to rest, focusing, completing a gesture, saving work, confirming navigation

N'Ko Form: `ߛ ⟦t0–t1⟧ : z(σ) ↓ ; ⟦place⟧ ; c=⟦conf⟧`

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2. Dispersion — ߜ (U+07DC)

Aspect	Description
Visual	Radiating strokes, energy moving outward. The character embodies expansion, reaching.
Semantic	The trajectory is expanding, exploring more state space. Variance is rising. The system is opening.
Detects	Spread/entropy increased within a time window
UI Affordance	Expand/Explore — Pinch-outward to reveal options. The action opens possibility space. Visual: elements bloom from center.
Motion Signature	Opening hands — Fingers spreading, palms lifting. Like releasing seeds to wind.
Examples	Starting movement, searching, agitation, browsing, exploring menus

N'Ko Form: `ߜ ⟦t0–t1⟧ : z(σ) ↑ ; ⟦place⟧ ; c=⟦conf⟧`

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3. Transition — ߕ (U+07D5)

Aspect	Description
Visual	A pivot point, stroke changing direction decisively. The character marks a boundary crossed.
Semantic	A boundary has been crossed. The trajectory moved from one basin to another. A change point.
Detects	Discrete change point — curvature spike in z-trajectory
UI Affordance	Switch/Navigate — Swipe to change context. The action crosses a threshold. Visual: content slides away, new content arrives.
Motion Signature	Quick swipe — Decisive horizontal movement, the hand committing to direction. Like turning a page.
Examples	Changing activity, switching context, phase boundary, screen transition, mode change

N'Ko Form: `ߕ ⟦t*⟧ : ⟦B_from⟧ → ⟦B_to⟧ ; κ=⟦sharp⟧ ; c=⟦conf⟧`

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4. Return — ߙ (U+07D9)

Aspect	Description
Visual	A loop closing back on itself. The character embodies memory, the path home.
Semantic	The trajectory has returned to a previously visited basin. This is memory manifest—the body remembers.
Detects	Re-entry to known basin after absence
UI Affordance	Back/Home — Swipe-return or back gesture. The action revisits familiar ground. Visual: elements reassemble from memory.
Motion Signature	Circling back — Hand drawing an arc that returns to origin. Like rewinding, retracing steps.
Examples	Coming home, resuming task, cyclical behavior, navigation history, undo

N'Ko Form: `ߙ ⟦t*⟧ : ↺ ⟦B⟧ ; last=⟦Δt⟧ ; d=⟦dist⟧`

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5. Dwell — ߡ (U+07E1)

Aspect	Description
Visual	A grounded stroke, weighted at the bottom. The character sits, abides, remains.
Semantic	The trajectory is remaining in the current basin longer than expected. Presence sustained.
Detects	Sustained stay in basin beyond threshold
UI Affordance	Long-press/Linger — Hold position to trigger secondary action. The action rewards patience. Visual: ripples emanating from stillness.
Motion Signature	Palm down, settled — Hand at rest, weight transferred. Like sitting meditation.
Examples	Focused work, rest, waiting, reading deeply, contextual menus from hover

N'Ko Form: `ߡ ⟦t0–t1⟧ : stay(⟦B⟧)=⟦τ⟧ ; ϕ=⟦stab⟧`

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6. Oscillation — ߚ (U+07DA)

Aspect	Description
Visual	Wave-like, alternating strokes. The character embodies rhythm, the dance between states.
Semantic	The trajectory is bouncing between states. Not settling, not exploring—cycling. The rhythm of indecision or dance.
Detects	Rapid alternation between basins
UI Affordance	Toggle/Compare — Rapid tap to alternate views. The action enables comparison, A/B switching. Visual: cross-fade, flip animation.
Motion Signature	Waving hand — Side-to-side motion, like saying no/maybe. The hand hesitates productively.
Examples	Indecision, pacing, rhythmic movement, toggling settings, comparing options

N'Ko Form: `ߚ ⟦t0–t1⟧ : ⟦B1⟧ ⇄ ⟦B2⟧ ; f=⟦freq⟧ ; a=⟦amp⟧`

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7. Recovery — ߞ (U+07DE)

Aspect	Description
Visual	Rising from a dip, the stroke recovers its trajectory. The character embodies resilience.
Semantic	After a perturbation, how quickly the system returns to baseline. This is resilience made visible.
Detects	Return latency after disruption
UI Affordance	Restore/Undo — Shake or pull-to-refresh. The action recovers lost state. Visual: elements snap back into place.
Motion Signature	Regaining balance — The body's reflexive return after being pushed. A springing back.
Examples	Regaining balance, calming down, restoring focus, error recovery, pull-to-refresh

N'Ko Form: `ߞ ⟦t*⟧ : rec→⟦B⟧ ; τ=⟦lat⟧ (×⟦ratio⟧)`

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8. Novelty — ߣ (U+07E3)

Aspect	Description
Visual	A stroke venturing into new space, no return loop. The character explores unknown territory.
Semantic	A basin has been encountered that doesn't match any in history. Discovery. The system needs a new word.
Detects	New basin — region not covered by existing tokens
UI Affordance	Create/New — Draw or inscribe to create. The action brings something into being. Visual: sparkle/bloom on creation.
Motion Signature	Reaching forward — Hand extending into space not yet touched. The first mark on blank paper.
Examples	New place, new movement, learning, creating document, entering unknown territory

N'Ko Form: `ߣ ⟦t⟧ : new⟦P⟧ ; d=⟦dist⟧ ; k=⟦support⟧`

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9. Place-Shift — ߠ (U+07E0)

Aspect	Description
Visual	A character with clear directionality, moving through space. The stroke travels.
Semantic	The trajectory has moved in physical or semantic place space. Context has shifted.
Detects	Location class change coupled to dynamics
UI Affordance	Move/Drag — Drag-and-drop repositioning. The action relocates something. Visual: object follows finger with physics.
Motion Signature	Carrying gesture — Hand moving while holding. Translation through space with care.
Examples	Moving rooms, changing environments, contextual shift, moving files, reordering

N'Ko Form: `ߠ ⟦t*⟧ : ⟦P_from⟧ → ⟦P_to⟧ ; ↪ ⟦claim_sigil⟧ ; c=⟦conf⟧`

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10. Echo — ߥ (U+07E5)

Aspect	Description
Visual	Doubled strokes, reflection implied. The character sees itself in the past.
Semantic	A temporal pattern has repeated. Not just returning, but replicating a sequence. Memory recognizing memory.
Detects	Pattern match to prior episode
UI Affordance	Recall/Suggest — System offers similar from history. The action surfaces déjà vu. Visual: ghost overlay of past pattern.
Motion Signature	Rhythmic repetition — The same gesture again, like tapping a beat. The body as metronome.
Examples	Routine, habit, rhythmic pattern, autocomplete, "recently used"

N'Ko Form: `ߥ ⟦t0–t1⟧ : ≈ ⟦E#⟧ ; sim=⟦s⟧ ; refs=⟦n⟧`

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Sigil Quick Reference

Sigil	Name	Detects	UI Affordance	Gesture
ߛ	Stabilization	Dispersion ↓	Lock/Confirm	Closing grip
ߜ	Dispersion	Spread ↑	Expand/Explore	Opening hands
ߕ	Transition	Change point	Switch/Navigate	Quick swipe
ߙ	Return	Re-entry	Back/Home	Circling back
ߡ	Dwell	Sustained stay	Long-press	Palm settled
ߚ	Oscillation	Alternation	Toggle/Compare	Waving hand
ߞ	Recovery	Return latency	Restore/Undo	Regaining balance
ߣ	Novelty	New basin	Create/New	Reaching forward
ߠ	Place-Shift	Location change	Move/Drag	Carrying gesture
ߥ	Echo	Pattern repeat	Recall/Suggest	Rhythmic repetition

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Design Principles

### 1. Sigils Are Operators, Not Decorations
Each sigil has precise computational meaning. They are not aesthetic choices but typed markers in a formal system.

### 2. Motion Grounds Meaning
Every sigil connects to a human gesture. This isn't metaphor—it's the origin. The z-trajectory that triggers a claim was produced by a body in motion.

### 3. UI Echoes Embodiment
When you perform a "closing grip" gesture and see a Stabilization sigil, the interface acknowledges what your body already knows.

### 4. Sigils Are Stable
The 10 operator sigils are locked. They will not change. This allows the system to be learnable and the corpus to remain coherent.

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Implementation Notes

Unicode Points

typescript

const SIGILS = {
  stabilization: '\u07DB',  // ߛ
  dispersion: '\u07DC',     // ߜ
  transition: '\u07D5',     // ߕ
  return: '\u07D9',         // ߙ
  dwell: '\u07E1',          // ߡ
  oscillation: '\u07DA',    // ߚ
  recovery: '\u07DE',       // ߞ
  novelty: '\u07E3',        // ߣ
  placeShift: '\u07E0',     // ߠ
  echo: '\u07E5',           // ߥ
} as const;

### Font Requirements
N'Ko requires proper font support. Recommended:
- Noto Sans NKo — Good coverage, clean rendering
- Ebrima — Windows system font with N'Ko support
- Harmattan — Designed for N'Ko specifically

### Directionality
N'Ko is right-to-left. When embedding sigils in LTR contexts, use Unicode bidirectional controls or CSS `direction: rtl` on containing elements.

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Part of the N'Ko Digital Ecosystem — Comp-Core

Promotion Decision

Attach run IDs, datasets, metrics, and reproduction commands.

Source Anchor

Comp-Core/docs/nko-ecosystem/SIGIL_SEMANTICS.md

Detected Structure

Method · Evaluation