AP/LING 3410 3.00

Writing Systems

This course deals with the interaction of spoken language and writing structure. Topics such as the origin and development of alphabetic writing in the ancient Near East and its later development in Greek and Roman cultures will be studied.

A close look at various modern orthographies will also be undertaken, including Cyrillic, Arabic and Hebrew alphabets, and systems of the Indian sub-continent, Korea, China and Japan. Orthographic reform and literacy will also be discussed, as well as recent developments of orthographic conventions in digital media, particularly in cross-cultural contexts.

FORMAT: Two 90-minute sessions weekly.

PREREQUISITES: AP/LING 1000 6.0 with a grade of C or better, or permission of the Department.