Preface = ⅷ
PART Ⅰ THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES = 1
1 What Writing Is all About = 3
2 From Icon to Symbol: The General Trend of Evolution = 17
3 Units of Speech and Units of Writing = 37
PART Ⅱ WRITING SYSTEMS = 55
4 Sacred Characters: The Theocratic Script of Egypt = 57
5 From Word to Syllable Ⅰ: Cuneiform Writing = 72
6 An Alternative to the Alphabet: The Chinese Writing System = 91
7 From Word to Syllable Ⅱ: Chinese Characters for other Languages = 111
8 Semitic Writing: Syllables or Consonants? = 137
9 The Alphabet = 158
10 Writing in India = 179
PART Ⅲ PRACTICAL PROBLEMS = 203
11 From Letter to Sound: Deciphering Written Languages = 205
12 From Sound to Letter: Creating Alphabets = 225
13 Writing Reform: Conditions and Implications = 241
PART Ⅳ CONCLUSION = 265
14 What Writing Means for Linguistics = 267
References = 274
Appendix Ⅰ Ancient Near Eastern Chronology = 290
Appendix Ⅱ Far Eastern Chronology = 292
Index = 295