Speech is fleeting; writing needs conventions. Orthography is the standardized system of spelling, punctuation, and related written conventions for a language.

Orthographies may be closely phonemic or highly historical, preserving older pronunciations in the spelling. Choices about digraphs, diacritics, and word division affect literacy learning. Reform movements periodically attempt to simplify irregular systems, with mixed political success.

Consistent orthography enables shared literature, administration, and digital encoding. When a language is first written, designing an orthography becomes a community and linguistic negotiation. Users treat correct spelling as a social signal even when multiple spellings would be phonetically transparent.

• Conventional spelling and writing norms of a language
• Ranges from phonemic to historically conservative
• Affects literacy and technology
• Subject to reform and standardization debates