The development of alphabets

[renard_ruse]

We all take for granted that letters represent real things. In fact most people with at least an elementary education take for granted the idea that a b c d e f g etc are things.

In fact these are merely symbols that approximate sounds. The reality is that for the vast majority of human history language didn't have written approximation.

The development of language took tens of thousands of years to evolve from primitive cave painting into picture words, then into a mixture of picture words and other symbols to represent sounds, then finally into the sylabalaries, abjads, and alphabets we know today.

 

[NickBarn89]

This might have been better as a discussion of the development of Alpha Bits.
I used to love making words as I ate.

 

[jomar]

I heard an NPR segment last week about the history of the alphabet. Was a woman, not David Sacks, who dove into it and wrote a book...too bad I can’t find who it is.

 

[BrokenBarbie]

I heard an NPR segment last week about the history of the alphabet. Was a woman, not David Sacks, who dove into it and wrote a book...too bad I can’t find who it is.

Haili Blassingame interviewing Judith Flanders, author of “A Place For Everything”.

 

[jomar]

Haili Blassingame interviewing Judith Flanders, author of “A Place For Everything”.

Yes, thanks!

Was an interesting interview.

 

[BrokenBarbie]

No problem.