Chapter 7: Visual Language
Learning Objectives
- Describe the nature of different writing systems
- Differentiate the rules that govern grapheme-to-phoneme conversion
- Describe the standard reading model as a basis for further exploration
In this chapter we will explore the basics of the written word. Writing involves the representation of language with written symbols. A system of writing is not in itself a language. It is a way to render language in a manner that is retrievable across space and time. Writing is not a natural part of language and most languages have not had a writing system for most of their history. We will not explore the history of writing in much detail. We will however look at some prominent writing systems that will give you some idea about how it may have developed in human societies. Look through the sentences below and think of how they differ from one another. Each of them represents a different writing paradigm which we will be exploring.
Media Attributions
- Figure 7.1 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Different Scripts by Dinesh Ramoo, the author, is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 licence.
