Dr. Harriet J. Ottenheimer

Chapter 7Writing and Literacy

Writing Systems• Writing and symbolism…

– Universal symbols? Arbitrary symbols?

• What is writing?…• How does writing work?…• Developing/having writing…• Literacy and representation…• Writing & Power….

What is Writing?

• Graphic representation of language

• Generally considered secondary to speech

• Complete vs partial writing systems– Complete: any and all thoughts and words– Partial: limited in what they can convey.

How Does Writing Work?

• Using marks to represent sounds, ideas/meanings– Phonetic sign: mark that represents one or

more sounds• <x>, <s>, etc.

– Semantic sign: mark that represents specific idea/meaning

• <2> in English, French, German, KiSwahili, etc.

– Combining phonetic and semantic signs:• <2nd> (English)• <2e > (French).

What is wrong with this picture?

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25%25%

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The van is going the wrong direction

Center-kita is not a cool store name

You cannot have a first anniversary

First is abbreviated as 1st not 1th.

1. The van is going the wrong direction2. Center-kita is not a cool store name3. You cannot have a first anniversary4. First is abbreviated wrong.

Kinds of Writing Systems

• Contemporary classifications– Recognize that all systems use

combinations• Pictographic…• Rebus…• Logographic…• Alphabetic….

Pictographic “Writing”• Pictures/images represent things

– drawing of a sun = the sun

• Pictographs alone are not complete writing systems– Meanings can be extended

• Drawing of a sun can = warmth• Extensions require cultural context:

.

Rebus Writing• Picture represents words that sound the

same:– Drawing of the sun represents (in English):

• Sun and Son

• A major breakthrough in writing– Allows for sentences like

• Eye sea ewe, Eye c u, Got 2 go

• Independently discovered in:– Sumeria 3,000 BCE– China 1,500 BCE– Mayan America 0 BCE.

Logographic Writing• Signs stand for words (or ideas)

• Also called Ideographic

– One sign = one word• sign for sun = the spoken word “sun” [sn]• @ sign = “at” (in English), “herring” (in

Czech)

• May have evolved from pictographs– Becoming more abstract over time.

Chinese sign for [ma] horse; Sumerian sign for [an] star

Alphabetic Writing

• Signs stand for individual sounds– e. g., consonants & vowels

• English sign <s> = the sound [s]• Arabic sign <س> = the sound [s]• Arabic sign < َ > = the sound [a]

– Goal not always achieved:• English sign <x> = [ks].

Beginnings of Alphabetic Writing

• 17th century BCE – Akkadians/Phoenecians adapt Sumerian

system

• 9th century BCE– Greeks adapt Phoenecian system

• More vowels, fewer consonants» Alpha-bet.

The Rosetta Stone 200 BCE

Hieroglyphic, Demotic, Greek

Developing/Having Writing• Developing a writing system

– Linguistic issues• How are words put together? CV, CCC, etc

– Political issues• What does it mean to “have” writing?

– Association with “civilization”

– Cultural issues• How might the culture change? (orality/literacy)…

– Issues of identity• Spelling // in the Comoros

– French? Arabic? African? Phonemic?.

Writing and Literacy

• Measuring literacy– In the Comoros

• In French• In Comorian

– using what orthographic system????

• Promoting literacy– So what is there to read?

• Material must be interesting.

Writing & Representation

• Questions of representation– Rapid speech– Dialectical speech

• couahfee; warsh, crick• gonna - goin’ - gon’ - gwine

– Power and politics in representation• Writing “Cousin Joe.”

Literacy and/vs Orality• Writing vs listening

– Writing & listening at the same time?

• Written records vs oral traditions– Proficiency in translations

• See signs & poster

http://www.ksu.edu/sasw/comoros/comoros.html

Creating a Language

• (optional)• create an orthography for your

language.

Chapter 7Writing and Literacy

• Compare & analyze similarities and differences in writing systems between you and your conversation partner.– Obtain a text in the language of your conversation

partner and try to read it and identify similarities in grammar and words (lexicon).

– Read it out loud to your partner and address the rules of grammar and pronunciation.

– In your journal describe these aspect and your reaction to this activity.

Next:

• How and When is Language Possible?– Read:

• Textbook Chapter 8• Workbook/Reader:

– Ottenheimer & Ottenheimer (pp. 104-107)

– Prepare to do:• Writing/Discussion Exercises (W/R p.

109)• Language Creating (W/R p. 113)• Conversation partnering (W/R p. 113).