The development of writing

The study of Language by George Yule (2006)

New Words
Pictogram (pictographic writing): a way of writing in which a picture/drawing of an object is used to represent the object
Ideogram (ideographic writing): a way of writing in which each symbol represents a concept
Cuneiform: a way of writing created by pressing a wedge-shaped implement into soft clay
Logogram (logographic writing): a way of writing in which each symbol represents a word
Characters: forms used in Chinese writing
Rebus writing: a way of writing in which a pictorial representation of an object is used to indicate the sound of word for that object
Syllabic writing (syllabary): a way of writing in which each symbol represents a syllable
Alphabet (alphabetic writing): a way of writing in which one symbol represents one sound segment
Consonantal alphabet: a way of writing in which each symbol represents a consonant sound

Study questions
1 The difference between pictograms and ideograms is a difference in the relationship between the symbol and the entity it represents. The more ‘picture-like’ forms are pictograms and the more abstract forms are ideograms.
2 In a ideographic system, the symbols represent words. In a phonographic system, the symbols represent sounds.
3 In the process of rebus writing, the symbol for one entity is taken over as the symbol for the sound of spoken word used to refer to the entity.
4 Modern Japanese language has a partially syllabic writing system.
5 The Cyrillic alphabet is used for Russian.