Different ways to write the same words

Hieroglyphic words were written in the form of groups of signs for space and artistic reasons, for example the title mAa-xrw“true of voice”can be written in different ways:

𓐙𓐰𓊤︂ , 𓐙𓐰𓂝𓊤 , 𓌳𓐙𓐰𓂝𓊤 , 𓌶𓐰𓂝𓐍𓐰𓂋𓊤𓅱𓀁

Although the words are written in different ways, but the two main words 𓐙 mAa and 𓊤 xrw exist in all the forms of the title.

We should notice that the word mAa was only written in the unilateral signs 𓅓𓄿𓂝

Abbreviations

Abbreviations are common in the hieroglyphic inscriptions, mainly in titles and adjectives.

Examples of abbreviations

𓄂𓐰𓂝𓀀
HAty-a
mayor or local prince. Literally (foremost in position)

It was written using the sign 𓄂 HAt above the sign 𓂝 a with no phonetic complements.

𓎛𓌨𓃀
Xry-Hbt
Lector priest

The words 𓌨𓐰𓂋𓏭 Xry and 𓎛𓃀𓎱𓐰𓇳𓀀 Hbt were abbreviated and written using the signs 𓌨 Xr and 𓎛𓃀 Hb, and we notice that the vertical signs were written on the right and left of the sign 𓌨 Xr.

Graphic Transpositions

Sometimes signs were transposed in order to give a better appearance

Ddw was written 𓊽𓂧𓐰𓊖𓅱 instead of 𓊽𓂧𓐰𓅱𓊖
Ddw was written instead of

mAA was written 𓌳𓐰𓁹𓄿𓄿 instead of 𓌳𓄿𓄿𓁹

aH was written 𓂝𓉥𓉐 instead of 𓉥𓂝𓐰𓉐

Transpositions with Honorific Intentions

There was a common tendency to write words as 𓇓𓏏𓐰𓈖𓀭 nsw “king” and 𓊹 ntr “god”, as well as the names of specific kings and gods, ahead of closely connected words which in actual speech were pronounced first.

Examples

𓇓𓂋𓐰𓐍𓐰𓏛
rx-nsw

known to the king

𓊹𓍛
Hm-nTr

servant of god (priest)

𓇋𓏠𓐰𓈖𓌸𓐰𓂋𓇋𓇋

mry Imn

beloved of god Amun

𓇳𓏇

mi-Ra

like Re

𓇓𓏏𓐰𓈖𓀭𓅭𓏤

sA nsw

son of the king

mry Imn Ra ms sw

Beloved of Amun, Re gave birth to him. (birth name of Ramses II)

We notice here that the names of the two gods Amun and Re are written at the beginning of the cartouche although they are not to be read first.

Defective and Superfluous Writings

Some words were written without some of its sound signs, probably due to calligraphic reasons

𓂋𓐰𓍿𓀀𓐱𓁐𓐰𓏥

r(m)T

People

𓎛𓈎𓐰𓏏𓏊

H(n)qt

Beer

𓊃𓐰𓏏𓐰𓈉

s(my)t

Desert

Some other words were written with redundant sound signs, that were not pronounced

𓇓𓏏𓐰𓈖

nsw

King

𓇋𓏏𓐰𓆑𓀀

Father

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