I've thinking about the Cardassian script as shown on screen and in beta canon and such and like. Is it just me or would it be very difficult to write by hand?? Like.
I traced some of this image for a recent drawing I did and like. The varying line thicknesses?? The little rectangular holes?? It's not at all intuitive to write by hand. Even if you imagine, like, a different writing implement—I suppose a chisel-tip pen would work better—it still seems like it wasn't meant to be handwritten. Which has a few possible explanations.
Like, maybe it's just a fancy font for computers, and handwritten text looks a little different. Times New Roman isn't very easily written by hand either, right? Maybe the line thickness differences are just decorative, and it's totally possible to convey the same orthographic information with the two line thicknesses of a chisel-tip pen, or with no variation in line thickness at all.
A more interesting explanation, though, and the one I thought of first, is that this writing system was never designed to be handwritten. This is a writing system developed in Cardassia's digital age. Maybe the original Cardassian script didn’t digitize well, so they invented a new one specifically for digital use? Like, when they invented coding, they realized that their writing system didn’t work very well for that purpose. I know next to nothing about coding, but I cannot imagine doing it using Chinese characters. So maybe they came up with a new writing system that worked well for that purpose, and when computer use became widespread, they stuck with it.
Or maybe the script was invented for political reasons! Maybe Cardassia was already fairly technologically advanced when the Cardassian Union was formed, and, to reinforce a cohesive national identity, they developed a new standardized national writing system. Like, y'know, the First Emperor of Qin standardizing hanzi when he unified China, or that Korean king inventing hangul. Except that at this point in Cardassian history, all official records were digital and typing was a lot more common than handwriting, so the new script was designed to be typed and not written. Of course, this reform would be slower to reach the more rural parts of Cardassia, and even in a technologically advanced society, there are people who don't have access to that technology. But I imagine the government would be big on infrastructure and education, and would make sure all good Cardassian citizens become literate. And old regional scripts would stop being taught in schools and be phased out of digital use and all the kids would grow up learning the digital script.
Which is good for the totalitarian government! Imagine you can only write digitally. On computers. That the government can monitor. If you, like, write a physical letter and send it to someone, then it's possible for the contents to stay totally private. But if you send an email, it can be very easily intercepted. Especially if the government is controlling which computers can be manufactured and sold, and what software is in widespread use, etc.
AND. Historical documents are now only readable for scholars. Remember that Korean king that invented hangul? Before him, Korea used to use Chinese characters too. And don't get me wrong, hangul is a genius writing system! It fits the Korean language so much better than Chinese characters did! It increased literacy at incredible rates! But by switching writing systems, they broke that historical link. The average literate Chinese person can read texts that are thousands of years old. The average literate Korean person can't. They'd have to specifically study that field, learn a whole new writing system. So with the new generation of Cardassian youths unable to read historical texts, it's much easier for the government to revise history. The primary source documents are in a script that most people can't read. You just trust the translation they teach you in school. In ASIT it's literally a crucial plot point that the Cardassian government revised history! Wouldn't it make it soooo much easier for them if only very few people can actually read the historical accounts of what happened.
I guess I am thinking of this like Chinese characters. Like, all the different Chinese "dialects" being written with hanzi, even though otherwise they could barely be considered the same language. And even non-Sinitic languages that historically adopted hanzi, like Japanese and Korean and Vietnamese. Which worked because hanzi is a logography—it encodes meaning, not sound, so the same word in different languages can be written the same. It didn’t work well! Nowadays, Japanese has made significant modifications and Korean has invented a new writing system entirely and Vietnamese has adapted a different foreign writing system, because while hanzi could write their languages, it didn’t do a very good job at it. But the Cardassian government probably cares more about assimilation and national unity than making things easier for speakers of minority languages. So, Cardassia used to have different cultures with different languages, like the Hebitians, and maybe instead of the Union forcing everyone to start speaking the same language, they just made everyone use the same writing system. Though that does seem less likely than them enforcing a standard language like the Federation does. Maybe they enforce a standard language, and invent the new writing system to increase literacy for people who are newly learning it.
And I can imagine it being a kind of purely digital language for some people? Like if you’re living on a colonized planet lightyears away from Cardassia Prime and you never have to speak Cardassian, but your computer’s interface is in Cardassian and if you go online then everyone there uses Cardassian. Like people irl who participate in the anglophone internet but don’t really use English in person because they don’t live in an anglophone country. Except if English were a logographic writing system that you could use to write your own language. And you can’t handwrite it, if for whatever reason you wanted to. Almost a similar idea to a liturgical language? Like, it’s only used in specific contexts and not really in daily life. In daily life you’d still speak your own language, and maybe even handwrite it when needed. I think old writing systems would survive even closer to the imperial core (does it make sense to call it that?), though the government would discourage it. I imagine there’d be a revival movement after the Fire, not only because of the cultural shift away from the old totalitarian Cardassia, but because people realize the importance of having a written communication system that doesn’t rely on everyone having a padd and electricity and wifi.
apologies in advance for any problems with its language, English is not my home language but I think this is okay :)))
Something that I’ve noticed when watching ds9 is the vastly different looks of Cardassians and the different and inconsistent standards of beauty for them. This got me thinking about cardassian beauty standards because surely they like us must have different kinds of attractiveness. I want to explore the ideas of cardassian beauty standards and preferred aesthetics through the characters we know and love and use them as examples of what I believe aspects of cardassian beauty are and how they are viewed. Of course here’s my ususal disclaimer, this is not canon but simply an exercise in starting to explore my interpretation of what we are presented with.
Something that I believe was once very important and is still prominent today in cardassian beauty standards are the ideas of class, where certain traits are associated with people from different classes, making them more or less appealing, much like in human societies. However I also want to explore how this may have changed since the militarisation of cardassia and since the cardassians old spiritual beliefs were largely lost.
I think historically and up until modern times, someone like Dukat would be the aristocratic idea of beauty and thus the ideal that was for a significant period strived towards by cardassians of all classes in an effort to seem more noble and of better lineage. When one looks at Dukat, he is tall and lithe, and exudes an almost serpentine energy through his elongated limbs and neck. This seems like a frame that would be suited to nobility as it does not seem to lend itself to heavy labour. I believe that historically Dukat would have been the model of beauty due to his long and slender limbs, and sharp features. However, he also lacked a certain bulk that was present in cardassians like Damar, Mila and Garak. His body also has a inverted triangle and his shoulders and by extension ridges were large and prominent. This would indicate a beauty standard of wide and prominent shoulders being considered attractive being carried forward as can be seen in the aesthetically driven choices of military armour. Military armour in cardassians, while somewhat functional also expose a large portion of their shoulders while following a tapered and inverted triangular silhouette, perhaps to mimic the standard of beauty present in individuals like Dukat and to allow the body of the wearer to seem closer to this shape. I believe that while the standards on cardassia are changing to favor more bulky and solid shapes suited to a soldier, many cardassians still hold in equal regard this standard of beauty as it represents a good lineage and with this comes power.
Additionally, this standard is more prevalent also in men than in women with women being considered attractive (for marriage) when they have a frame more suited to childbearing, with wider hips and a more solid frame. This lends itself to the family oriented ideals followed by most cardassians. However the lither frame is still prized among cardassian women as it is considered a sign of grace and elegance as well as one of higher intellect as historically higher class women would have been more educated than their lower class counterparts. Cardassian beauty standards for women vary more than that of their male counterparts with urban women being considered attractive with a slimmer frame and those who are from more rural areas being considered attractive with a solid frame with examples of these two standards being Natima Lang and Ulani Belor.
Contrasting to this historical beauty standard, one can safely assume that Damar is the perfect example of changing beauty standards on cardassia, as he follows the newer standard of solidity and bulk that became synonymous with the soldiers of the cardassian military (and the lower classes that often served as active officers rather than beurocracts..?) It would not be unreasonable to assume that with the militarisation of cardassia and the glorification of duty and servitude to state, a frame associated with those who were historically in duty to the state rather than rulers of it would gain popularity and been seen as desirable. Additionally, Damar who stands as an exemplar of this standard is the only male cardassian described as attractive at any point during DS9. Damar’s frame; unlike Dukat’s; is much more solid, his neck is thicker and shorter, his entire frame contains a bulkier appearance and seems more heavyset. Damar also seems to have less prominent and yet still bulkier ridges on his face and neck. Damar’s build seems the sort that would lend itself to hard labour as he seems more solid and grounded in his build than someone like Dukat. This newer beauty standard prioritises the idea of a soldier and a servant of the state as attractive. However I do think that this idea is still rejected by the families of higher class and status and they continue to prize a “Dukat frame” while looking down on those with a “soldiers build” as imposters in the upper echelons of cardassian society and seeing them as less refined, thus treating them to some extent as outsiders within the higher military and governmental ranks.
Both ideals interestingly share height as an attractive characteristic among men and this suggests that someone like Garak who falls much shorter than both Damar and Dukat. Garak, seems to me to be an example of unconventional beauty. Garak’s frame falls into neither ideal, rather verging on the border of both while simultaneously being shorter than ideal. Facially Garak also takes on a softer and more feminine shape which falls into mind that of ulani belor, rather than the sharp and angular features possessed by individuals like Dukat and the broader and thicker features possessed by those like Damar, Rusot, Mila, and many of the Cardassians seen in the military. Garak as a model of unconventional attractiveness also fits with his characterization as someone who has never quite fit into the expected as is illustrated in ‘A Sitch in Time’.
In terms of cosmetics, it would not be far-fetched to assume the blue seen on the “spoons” of most female Cardassians was a form of cosmetic enhancement, the purpose of which remains unknown to us but which due to not being seen on all Cardassian women and no Cardassian men can be presumed to not be naturally occurring. It is interesting to note that this form of cosmetics is placed the same on all who wear it, suggesting perhaps a deeper cultural or historical reasoning behind the marking of the ‘spoon’ and ridge. However, it may play a role in mating and could detonate societal standing, marital status, age, occupation, or even simply exist as a form of enticement.
Not nearly as good as the other ideas on this but Cardassi may have become the form of choice in some groups because not everyone’s keyboard can do the accent in the word Cardasa? Like the closest I can get on my English keyboard is this: Cardâsa
full disclosure I copy-paste the accent, because I have no idea where (if?) it is on my keyboard either. I get it, it’s not the most intuitive of spellings for people who don’t have that layout.
also definitely not knocking fanon favourite versions here, just wanna be clear, I just didn’t realise it was fanon for awhile, so was surprised.
I know it doesn't make a lot of sense for Cardassians to lay eggs but humor me for a second here because imagine the culture that could evolve around it.
You know how reptile eggs shouldn't be rotated during incubation otherwise the baby will die, so breeders will often mark the top of an egg so they know the proper orientation? What if Cardassians do this too. And what if it's evolved from simple markings to, like, auspicious sigils. Like, you can wish your baby health/prosperity/filial piety/etc. by painting or stamping the corresponding symbol on top of their egg. Of course it's superstition that this actually affects the baby's fate, but even non-superstitious people do it anyway, just because it's tradition.
The substance that the symbol is painted with also supposedly affects the baby. This is a bit more scientifically sound, since chemicals can penetrate the shell and influence the fetus's development. Traditionally you'd use different kinds of herbal dye, but in modern times people are getting more scientific about it and using dyes imbued with chemicals that are proven to be beneficial to fetal development.
There are established symbols that signify different well-wishes, but of course people get creative with it. You can incorporate multiple symbols in your design, or hire a fortune teller to come up with a personalized design for your baby, or just add your own little flourishes. The designs can get quite elaborate. In modern times, parents who don't believe in the superstition of it have started painting other things on their eggs. A pretty design incorporating the baby's name, writing a letter to their baby, drawings with sentimental but not spiritual importance.
If the baby hatches in a way that doesn't damage the design, parents will often preserve the portion of the shell that has the design on it as a keepsake. If the baby does damage the design when they hatch, it's considered a bad omen, and a sign that the baby's fate will be the opposite of whatever the design symbolized.
When you walk into a Cardassian hospital's incubator room, you'll see eggs with all sorts of different designs—and some unmarked eggs, too. Those are probably orphans or bastards, babies without parents who care enough to wish them well. Sometimes hospitals will stamp those eggs with a generic, simple design wishing health. Usually not, though.
Cardassian hairstyles, Nal and Eyal's mommy issues, and Pythas is here too
In my mind, Cardassians don't have the same "long hair = feminine, short hair = masculine" convention as we do. Because that would be lame. I think the distinction for them is that women wear their hair up, and men wear their hair down. Of course, this means that women have to have hair long enough to put up, but I think in general it's unusual for any Cardassian to have hair shorter than, like, chin-length. It's considered improper for a woman to be seen in public with loose hair, as if it's a state of undress. This, of course, also leads to a woman's loose hair being seen as sensual, since it's only seen in intimate settings. With the popularity of the gelled-back military hairstyle, it's somewhat uncommon to see men with loose, unstyled hair either. Anyway, with this established, the fun part is the Implications for my characters.
Nal never got to be a little girl. She'd watch from the doorway as her mother carefully braided her baby sister Eyal's hair, wishing it were her instead. In a way, the desire to be loved and the desire to be feminine are inextricably linked for Nal. The love that their mother gives to Eyal is something Nal will never get to experience, precisely because Eyal is a daughter and Nal is a son.
Decades later, her husband Pythas gets into the habit of doing her hair for her, initially with the excuse of using it as practice to regain dexterity and sensation in his hands after his burn injury. But it becomes a routine for them, a quiet ritual that makes Nal feel so, so loved. His first attempts are clumsy, but Nal wears them with pride anyway. He gets good at it eventually, braiding her hair into elaborate styles every morning and gently brushing it out every night before putting it in a simple braid so it won't tangle while she sleeps.
Meanwhile, Eyal, lightyears away, has long since buzzed her hair short. What Nal saw as love and care felt like suffocation to little Eyal. She'd squirm in her seat as her mother tugged her hair into styles she had no choice in, waiting for it to be over. Her mother had had 20 years to hope for a daughter, 20 years to form a fantasy of who her perfect little girl would be. And Eyal was broken and bent into the shape of that fantasy, with no regard for who she was. An adult now, on a different planet orbiting a different sun, she chooses to shear off her hair, destroying the means of her mother's control.
Pythas grew up a little girl, but his mother never braided his hair for him. In this, as in so many other things, he was on his own. The summer before he's sent to Bamarren, he hacks at his hair with a pair of dull scissors until it resembles the typical military hairstyle. He wants to blend in as much as possible. When he becomes an agent of the Order, though, he's given a specific role to play---he's always been a particularly pretty young man, and a good spy will use that to his advantage. He grows out his hair to look the part, lets it flow loose past his shoulders, looking youthful and charming and irresistible. When he becomes head of the Order, he chops it off again. Now that he has the power to say no, he won't let anyone jerk him around by his hair anymore. Over the years, he gets into the habit of gelling it back like a good Cardassian soldier, paralleling how he becomes deeper and deeper entrenched in the ideology of the Order. He loses most of his hair in the Fire, and half of it won't grow back. As he heals, he chooses to keep it in a buzz cut. He's not a soldier dutifully playing his part in the machine, he's not a pretty boy obeying orders to let himself be used, he's a person with autonomy.
if i posted my 1000+ word analysis of cardassian beauty standards presented throughout the star trek series and what i think they mean as well as their origin and precedent in modern cardassia would anyone be interested
about cardassian skull. I found this (look for "star trek skull studies" by tin-plated-dictator at deviantart) very long ago and I still like it. but is there any canonic (or at least -ish) thing? for science :) i only found one cardassian corpse but it still covered in skin so you can't say anything on the skull itself.
That’s a neat skull study! I like it, it hints at the possibility of them being able to unhinge their jaws a bit or something, gosh that would look scary... Could they literally bite someone’s head off? I’m sure they think that’s a very gauche/uncivilized thing to do and so no one does it anymore...
I think some actual forensic anthropologist or someone did a big breakdown/takedown post about the fact that the one dead Cardassian we saw in the episode ‘Empok Nor’ was ridiculous and unrealistic and clearly something they threw together quickly with leftover prosthetic bits because it didn’t make sense from a biology standpoint.
I just see it as everyone being free to Make Shit Up as necessary. For example: I’m kind of fond of the idea of Cardassians having a few hollow teeth towards the front for venom delivery that’s a leftover from their prehistoric ancestor..
