Re: Script vs Writing System

From: Mark E. Shoulson (mark@kli.org)
Date: Thu May 13 2004 - 19:26:21 CDT

  • Next message: Peter Constable: "RE: Script vs Writing System"

    Peter Constable wrote:

    >>In addition, traditional Chinese zither notation (qin pu) is also laid
    >>
    >>
    >out in
    >
    >
    >>ideographic-like square blocks. However, as this is a notational
    >>
    >>
    >system rather
    >
    >
    >>than a script, the constituent elements of each block represent
    >>
    >>
    >string, finger
    >
    >
    >>and plucking technique rather than phonetic values.
    >>
    >>
    >
    >I was already after the first paragraph going to mention another writing
    >system, and I'm even more strongly reminded of it by this second
    >paragraph: Sign Writing, a writing system used for writing signed
    >languages, first developed for transcription, though a number of
    >language communities have started using it orthographically. In sign
    >writing, the representation for a typical sign (I think I've heard that
    >syllable might be applicable here) consists of an iconic representation
    >of the head with various satellite symbols mostly representing the hands
    >and hand movement, the whole being organized into a square space. It's
    >even written vertically (at least by some user communities).
    >
    And there's also Visible Speech, by Alexander Melville Bell (and
    improved by Henry Sweet), which is definitely an alphabet (a phonetic
    one), but also very decidedly featural: different shapes represent
    different articulators or features.

    And tengwar is featural, at least in some modes (doubled bow=voicing,
    raised stem=fricative, etc). And Herman Miller has a phonetic alphabet
    called Lhoerr (I think) which is also based on having each piece of a
    symbol represent some feature of the phone(me).

    ~mark



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