Fonetyka
Fonetyka is a memorization game for those English speakers who are attempting to learn the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet. The International Phonetic Alphabet can be a valuable tool when learning the phonetics of the Ukrainian alphabet. However, It can quickly become confusing if an individual is not familiar with all the symbols. Fonetyka is a fun and engaging way for English speakers to learn how to read and pronounce Ukrainian Cyrillic letters. By introducing a gaming element to the learning process, the intimidation is taken away from learning Cyrillic alphabets.
Game Design
The visuals for this project were loosely based on Slavic folk motifs. The final card design depicts a common Tree of Life motif in Slavic folk art. This motif evokes a sense of stability and comfort. In many Slavic cultures, this motif represents the foundations of life and death as well as the creation of all things. The Tree of Life is also used interchangeably with the Goddess symbol, which often has a similar meaning.
By using a primary color palette, a sense of stability and fundamental learning is reinforced. This idea is also represented in the primary typeface choice, which is a serif font with softened edges.
The full deck of cards includes 33 Cyrillic alphabet cards, accompanied by 33 phonetic counterparts. Each phonetic card includes the romanization, transliteration, and IPA version of the Cyrillic letter. An example of how the letter may sound in an English word is also included on each card. Some cards contain a notation that indicates the letter has a unique treatment. In the top right corner of each card, there is a point value indication, if the player chooses to use the point system available in the rulebook.
The rulebook contains a phonetic table, a diagram of the cards, and gameplay instructions.
