Two Talk

01 Introduction

Two Talk is a concise semantic shorthand system designed for rapid, objective observation. Unlike traditional shorthand, it captures meaning rather than phonetics. It is a structured micro-language that is fast to write and can be interpreted at a glance.

• Clarity: By mapping symbols to semantic states rather than sounds, notes are easier to scan for data points. You see the concept immediately without needing to decode phonetic representations.
• Portability: Designed for plaintext, it is fully compatible with tools like Obsidian, Notion, or CLI environments. No specialized fonts or hand-drawn strokes are required.
• Precision: The modular Subject + State framework provides a logical structure that eliminates the guesswork often found in minimalist languages, making old notes easy to interpret.

Example:

02 Rules

• Symbols: Every word is exactly two characters. 1st symbol = Subject (What); 2nd symbol = State (How).
• Stacking: Combine pairs with a dot (.) to narrow meaning (General + Specific). e.g., #~.!* (Food + Fast = Fast Food).
• State\Flow: Use (/) for positive/negative states and </> for past/future timing.
• Headers: Start notes with ## followed by the project or category name for immediate context.
• Literals: Use raw numbers for amounts/dates and capital initials for names. Use : after a symbol to label a specific entity.
• Essence: Capture meaning, not words. Use the Standard Structure (WHO + DOING + DETAIL) to translate intent.
• Breaks: An empty line signals a new topic or shift in the thought block.

05 Stacking

Combine two pairs with a . dot to build a refined meaning. This expands Two Talk from 400 standard meanings to 160,000 refined meanings. The first pair sets the broad domain, the second pair narrows it. Read as: General → Specific.

06 Dictionary

07 Learn

Practice reading and writing Two Talk. Choose a mode below.