HUGH TRAN

I am a self-taught linguaphile and independent scholar specializing in the history of classical languages and writing systems. My work integrates formal training in Classical Latin with autodidactic research in languages such as Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Classical Chinese.

I am currently developing The Word, an educational project that explores the philosophical and historical foundations of humanity's oldest languages and scripts.

My linguistic repertoire includes native proficiency in English and Vietnamese, conversational ability in Mandarin Chinese and Latin, and studied knowledge of several other ancient and modern languages.

I am a classicist and independent scholar with a focus on the active methodology for acquiring Classical languages.

My research applies this spoken, participatory approach—using phonologically reconstructed pronunciations—to both Latin and Ancient Greek, deepening engagement with primary texts.

My current studies extend this method to the work of reconstructing the phonological system of the Egyptian, based on the examples from academics like Loprieno (1995) and Peust (1999).

I am interested in Latin composition and the meter of classical poetry.

My current work involves the creation of a digital typographic revival based on the cursive hieroglyphic hand found in documents such as the Papyrus of Ani (The Book of Coming Forth by Day, c. 1250 BCE) and other source papyri. This project addresses a typographic challenge in Egyptology: the issue of legibility of standard hieroglyphic fonts at small optical sizes.

Utilizing OpenType features, the typeface is engineered to maintain clarity at small sizes, making it suitable for both personal use and academic publishing in the field of Egyptology.

Furthermore, by accurately reflecting a specific manuscript hand, it serves as a valuable pedagogical tool, providing learners with a crucial intermediary step towards understanding the relationship between monumental hieroglyphs and the hieratic script.

Due to the niche nature of the greater Egyptological field—and therefore lack of funding—I'm motivated to publicly fund this project through my Patreon and direct donation through The Word in order to release the final product to the public for free.

I am particularly interested in the scribal traditions of major classical languages and the material conditions that shaped the development of their scripts.

My primary focus is on the processes of graphic reduction and transformation in logographic writing systems. This involves tracing the progrssion of forms from monumental inscriptions and titling characters—such as the Chinese small seal script 篆書 and Egyptian hieroglyphs.

A major portion of my research is in the field of comparative metaphysics and classical religious thought. My work aims to compare underlying similarities in ancient philosophical systems and provide a cross-cultural analysis of these concepts.

One of central lines of inquiry investigates the notable similarities among Egyptian, Taoist, and Platonic traditions.

This work extends to a specialized study on the metaphysical power given to language and writing. Through my project The Word, I analyze the intersection of linguistics, magic, and philosophy in ancient civilizations. I compare the Egyptian concept of heka (magical utterance), the Chinese tradition of Taoist scribal talismanic magic, and the Greek concept of the Logos to construct a cross-cultural understanding of how ancient scholars attributed a divine creative power to the spoken and written word.

I'm part of the living community of modern astrologers practicing a tradition of horoscopic astrology dating from the Hellenistic period and earlier from authors such as Vettius Valens and Dorotheus of Sidon's Carmen Astrologicum.

My current focus within this field are evolving to devote more time time towards curating high-quality design in the field.

I have had the pleasure of doing design work for the Celestial Arts Education Library (CAELi), a 'member-supported astrological library, archive and research institute located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, in the historic town of Tumwater.'

I was a former design director and board member of the Association for Young Astrologers (AYA) and served for over two years. My work has been seen on The Astrology Podcast, and my typeface Physis, is used by a number of practitioners in the field and on iOS apps like CUSP and in published works such as the independently-published book The IC: An Astrology of Coming Home by Pallas K. Augustine.