More about Writing Systems

Writing could also be simply defined as a representation of speech and thoughts through various forms of sound images or graphs. A Writing System then is a conventional and principled way of actualizing activities and thoughts, such as languages, natural science, theology, commerce, and aesthetics.

It is our contention that writing systems are more than a technological tool to languages. Most of our understandings of writing systems are generally confined to linguistics and languages. Close and careful examination of writing systems, from Ethiopic to Vai, from Cretan to Meroitic, from Han'gul to Latin, reveals layers of knowledge beyond language and linguistics. It could be argued that the study of writing systems may provide a new approach to knowledge creations, organizations, and disseminations. Writing Systems are, indeed, rich sources of human intellectual activities, such as history, philosophy, social order, psychology, and aesthetics.

The Quipus knots of the native people in South America, for instance, show parallel features with some of the thought patterns, organizations, and utilizations with the Ancient Egyptian Writing System. Further, the Dravidian Writing System of southern India also appears to share parallelism in shapes or sign structures with the Easter Island Rongo-Rongo Writing System, perhaps suggesting historical continuity between South Asia and the Americas much earlier than the Columbus era.

The Meroitic Writing System of the Kushites in the Sudan uses two or three dots as word separators, just like the extant Ethiopic Writing System, thereby suggesting a link between the two writing systems in the Abbay-Atbara river complex.The Institute for the study of African Writing Systems is established in order to systematically compile, categorize, analyze, and interpret the various forms of writings in Africa. Writing systems are not only facilitators of speech and communication, they are also tools in the creation and utilization of knowledge systems, such as philosophy, astronomy, and numbers.

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