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Dr. Harriet J. Ottenheimer

Chapter 7 Writing and Literacy. Dr. Harriet J. Ottenheimer. Writing Systems. Writing and symbolism… Universal symbols? Arbitrary symbols? What is writing?… How does writing work?… Developing/having writing… Literacy and representation… Writing & Power…. What is Writing?.

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Dr. Harriet J. Ottenheimer

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  1. Chapter 7 Writing and Literacy Dr. Harriet J. Ottenheimer

  2. Writing Systems • Writing and symbolism… • Universal symbols? Arbitrary symbols? • What is writing?… • How does writing work?… • Developing/having writing… • Literacy and representation… • Writing & Power….

  3. What is Writing? • Graphic representation of language • Generally considered secondary to speech • Complete vs partial writing systems • Complete: any and all thoughts and words • Partial: limited in what they can convey.

  4. How Does Writing Work? • Using marks to represent sounds, ideas/meanings • Phonetic sign: mark that represents one or more sounds • <x>, <s>, etc. • Semantic sign: mark that represents specific idea/meaning • <2> in English, French, German, KiSwahili, etc. • Combining phonetic and semantic signs: • <2nd> (English) • <2e > (French).

  5. What is wrong with this picture? • The van is going the wrong direction • Center-kita is not a cool store name • You cannot have a first anniversary • First is abbreviated wrong.

  6. Kinds of Writing Systems • Contemporary classifications • Recognize that all systems use combinations • Pictographic… • Rebus… • Logographic… • Alphabetic….

  7. Pictographic “Writing” • Pictures/images represent things • drawing of a sun = the sun • Pictographs alone are not complete writing systems • Meanings can be extended • Drawing of a sun can = warmth • Extensions require cultural context: .

  8. Rebus Writing • Picture represents words that sound the same: • Drawing of the sun represents (in English): • Sun and Son • A major breakthrough in writing • Allows for sentences like • Eye sea ewe, Eye c u, Got 2 go • Independently discovered in: • Sumeria 3,000 BCE • China 1,500 BCE • Mayan America 0 BCE.

  9. Logographic Writing • Signs stand for words (or ideas) • Also called Ideographic • One sign = one word • sign for sun = the spoken word “sun” [sn] • @ sign = “at” (in English), “herring” (in Czech) • May have evolved from pictographs • Becoming more abstract over time. Chinese sign for [ma] horse; Sumerian sign for [an] star

  10. Alphabetic Writing • Signs stand for individual sounds • e. g., consonants & vowels • English sign <s> = the sound [s] • Arabic sign <س> = the sound [s] • Arabic sign < َ > = the sound [a] • Goal not always achieved: • English sign <x> = [ks].

  11. Beginnings of Alphabetic Writing • 17th century BCE • Akkadians/Phoenecians adapt Sumerian system • 9th century BCE • Greeks adapt Phoenecian system • More vowels, fewer consonants • Alpha-bet. The Rosetta Stone 200 BCE Hieroglyphic, Demotic, Greek

  12. Developing/Having Writing • Developing a writing system • Linguistic issues • How are words put together? CV, CCC, etc • Political issues • What does it mean to “have” writing? • Association with “civilization” • Cultural issues • How might the culture change? (orality/literacy)… • Issues of identity • Spelling // in the Comoros • French? Arabic? African? Phonemic?.

  13. Writing and Literacy • Measuring literacy • In the Comoros • In French • In Comorian • using what orthographic system???? • Promoting literacy • So what is there to read? • Material must be interesting.

  14. Writing & Representation • Questions of representation • Rapid speech • Dialectical speech • couahfee; warsh, crick • gonna - goin’ - gon’ - gwine • Power and politics in representation • Writing “Cousin Joe.”

  15. Literacy and/vs Orality • Writing vs listening • Writing & listening at the same time? • Written records vs oral traditions • Proficiency in translations • See signs & poster http://www.ksu.edu/sasw/comoros/comoros.html

  16. Creating a Language • (optional) • create an orthography for your language.

  17. Chapter 7Writing and Literacy • Compare & analyze similarities and differences in writing systems between you and your conversation partner. • Obtain a text in the language of your conversation partner and try to read it and identify similarities in grammar and words (lexicon). • Read it out loud to your partner and address the rules of grammar and pronunciation. • In your journal describe these aspect and your reaction to this activity.

  18. Next: • How and When is Language Possible? • Read: • Textbook Chapter 8 • Workbook/Reader: • Ottenheimer & Ottenheimer (pp. 104-107) • Prepare to do: • Writing/Discussion Exercises (W/R p. 109) • Language Creating (W/R p. 113) • Conversation partnering (W/R p. 113).

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