Ogham is the usual spelling for the written script found in Ireland and Wales... ogum is a straight line (furrow) and the script is actually formed of a line for the edge and lots of little perpendicular lines for the letters. So, ogum is a reasonable derivation. There is supposedly also a god of language or druid named Ogma mac Elathan at the heart of the word. It was reputedly a secret script, designed for the keeping and transmission of secrets, unlike runes which were usually meant for public reading. A runestone saying "this is dedicated to my brothers who died in the east" or "this bridge was made for my father's soul" doesn't do much good if it can't be read. The ancient Irish often weren't talking to passersby however! Some of the best carvings in their chambergraves face into the dirt. They kept their secrets well. I'm not sure how many of the inscriptions have been translated. In modern times it has been used as a cipher. Ogham was also a secret and obscure language practiced by the ancient Irish, espcially the poets. There are suggestions that because it consisted of families (4 groups of 5 letters) that it began as a druidic finger language and only later was carved... so the short and long lines would represent bent fingers. (The finger counting method is still known...it survived the middle ages... with skill you can multiply on your fingers.) Oghamic refers to both script and language. Oggam with 2 G's is a variant form. I suspect that pdxjims means ogghamic as an obscure and allusive language practiced by those of Irish descent. I have a couple of books on runes, but none just on ogham... I should remedy that if I intend to keep any secrets! ;^) Carolly