A large number of languages only in the spoken form
The development of writing is a recent phenomena
Attempts were made to record events (precursors to writing)
about 20,000 years ago through Cave Drawings called
petroglyphs
about 10,000 years ago on clay tokens
The earliest writing for which we have clear evidence is referred
to as cuneiform marked on clay tablets 5000 years ago.
An ancient script connected to writing systems in use today is
identified in inscriptions dated around 3000 years ago
Writing system can be divided in the following categories:
Pictograms
Ideograms
Logograms
Rebus Writing
Syllabic Writing
Alphabetic Writing Pictograms
A form of picture writing
Using pictures to represent particular images in a consistent way (grapheme/symbol = picture of a thing) grapheme = the smallest unit in a writing system A conventional relationship must exist between the symbol and its meaning language independent Do not represent words or sounds in a particular lang. Examples: star = sun =
bathroom signs = Ideograms
A system of idea writing
more abstract relationship (grapheme/symbol =an idea, but not a concrete object) more indirect (in terms of form & meaning) more derived forms Do not represent words or sounds in a particular lang. Example: for sun, also heat, warmth, daytime Egyptian writing for water Does not represent words or sounds in a lang. Logograms
A system of word writing
symbols represent words or morphemes in a particular language [sound + meaning] grapheme = words or morphemes Examples cuneiform writing: used by the Sumerians, referred to as the earliest writing system cuneiform = wedge-shaped Chinese symbols or characters ( only represent meaning of words, not of sounds of spoken lang.) Logographic symbols in use = numerals, &, @ Advantage and disadvantage
Rebus Writing
A process (or a way) of using existing symbols to
represent the sounds of language borrow the symbol, take over the sound, but forget the meaning reduce the number of symbols needed in a writing system nd2spk2u2nite Examples is used for both sun and son in language games: Syllabic Writing Every symbol represents one syllable o grapheme = syllable o e.g., Japanese (which also uses logographic charactersKanji) Examples in Japanese o Hiragana: hito no kuruma Examples in Devanagri Script: pa , ba
Alphabetic Writing
Symbols represent single phonemes
grapheme = phoneme (i.e., symbols represent single phonemes) definition of letter (each written symbol) vs. alphabet (a set of written symbols) (Yule 13) Examples alphabets representing mainly consonants: e.g., Arabic, Hebrew alphabets representing both consonants & vowels: e.g., Greek
Conclusions
Cave drawings pictograms ideograms
logograms (phonological) rebus writing syllabic writing alphabetic writing Writing systems seem to have gone from syllabaries to alphabets representing mainly consonants, to alphabets representing both consonants and vowels. This reflects the phonemic nature of language, so can be considered a natural developmentthough not a necessary one or a better one.
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