LING-UA 33 - Writing Systems of the World

Institution:

New York University

Subject:

Description:

Discusses how various writing systems relate to language and questions whether writing affects language (and if so, how). The fundamental characteristics of writing are discussed: the communicative purpose of writing, the application of graphical marks on a durable surface, and the achievement of communication by virtue of the marks' conventional relation to language. The evolution of writing is traced. Students compare the writing systems that evolved in Central America, China, Sumer, and Egypt-and their descendants-with respect to their relative advantages and disadvantages, from the points of view of acquisition, the representation of language, and the effective achievement of communication.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.nyu.edu

Phone Number:

(212) 998-1212

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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