A Short History of Writing: Ouaknin

1. A Short History of Writing: Ouaknin A presentation by David Tscheschke and Sam Fletcher

2. Basic Definitions • “Writing only started when an organized system of signs or symbols was created that could record and fix all that the writer was thinking, feeling, and capable of expressing.” • “The alphabet can be defined as a system consisting of a limited number of signs expressing the basic sounds of the language, through which it is possible to record in writing whatever the user wishes to express.”

3. Cuneiform: the oldest form of writing • Signs imprinted on clay with wedge shaped stylus • Developed from pictures (unlike “Tokens, A New Theory”) • Invented by Sumerians, then adapted by Akkadians (Assyrian & Babylonian), Elamites, and Hittites • Eventually, Sumerian died as a common language but remained “the language of scholars”. Babylonian became the international language of the Near East.

4. Egyptian hieroglyphs (third millennium) • The Four types • The formal kind found on stone monuments • A linear form written on wood or papyrus • A hieratic form which was less formal and used for everyday writing by priests • A demotic form: more stylized and less figurative

5. Other hieroglyphic scripts (third millennium B.C. to second century A.D.) • Hittite: both ideographic and phonetic, boustrophedon direction • Proto-Indian: never deciphered • Cretan: also used stylus/clay tablet, four types have been identified • Chinese: always pictographic & ideographic, never phonetic • Pre-Columbian American: represent words or symbols

6. Alphabetic Scripts (second millennium B.C.) • Unlike hieroglyphs, emerged from a common Semitic origin • Two systems: Ugaritic & Proto-Sinaitic • Ugaritic • Included consonants and three vowels: a, e, u • Obsolete

7. Proto-Sinaitic • Origin of western scripts, modern Hebrew, and modern Arabic • Came from Hebrews at the time of the Exodus • Abandoned pictographs as a result of discovering monotheism • Ugaritic script & Canaanite people were heavily influenced by Proto-Sinaitic • Proto-Sinaitic developed into Proto-Phoenician, then Phoenician (origin of Greek, Latin, and modern western scripts) • Greek introduced vowels, which became a part of all western writing • Meanwhile, Phoenician developed into Aramaic (origin of modern “square” Hebrew script & Arabic) which never adopted vowels

8. Questions • Why do you think hieroglyphs were eventually replaced by alphabetic scripts? • What do you think about Ouknin’s claim that monotheism changed Hebrew writing into a less pictographic and more symbolic script? Is it true? • What are some of the drawbacks to alphabetic scripts which don’t include vowels?

9. Activities • Write a brief sentence on a piece of paper without including vowels (like Hebrew or Arabic). Then, trade papers with a partner. How does this vowel omission affect your ability to understand accurately? • Look at the chart on pgs. 22-23 of the reading. Do you think that this pictographic evolution of cuneiform is correct? Do you agree with the token theory instead? Explain

10. The End • Thank you for listening

11. Quiz • Have you taken the Plagiarism training that Dr. Adkins has sent to your email? • What does Bergmann caution researchers about at the onset of the chapter? • Name one web resource for researchers that Bergmann discusses in chapter 5 • Describe the “flow chart” for keyword searches that Bergman uses (very similar to the process Martin described)

12. About Ouakin

13. Brief Bio • Born in 1957 • Son of a Rabbi • PhD in Paris • Rabbi and Philosopher • Examines Levinas

14. Write a brief note using one of the alphabets here. • Pass to the person next to you to decode