What is a Writing System?

A writing system is a system of characters and / or systems used to write a language.

Development of Writing Systems

Purpose

Writing systems were invented for two reasons:

Preserving knowledge
Making money

Preserving Knowledge

Before the invention of writing systems, all human knowledge was stored in the generally scatterbrained human mind and was transmitted by an old man boring the hell out of you by yammering on endlessly. Unfortunately, as gran'pa tribesman got ever older, and his mind ever forgetful, he tended to mumble more. If there was anything gran'pa failed to mention to his descendants, then it was lost forever.

Writing systems allowed a way to preserve knowledge without relying on an old coot who thought he knew it all. Once a writing system allowed a group of humans to preserve their knowledge, it was left up to bleary-eyed scribes to confuse things.

Making Money

Among the first peoples to invent a working alphabet was the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians were traders. A written alphabet allowed them to keep track of what was being traded over long distances.

Types of Writing Systems

Alphabets

Main article : Alphabet

Most writing systems are composed of an alphabet of letters or other symbols that represent the sounds of a language. The Latin Alphabet and the Japanese writing systems of Hiragana and Katakana classify as alphabets by this definition.

Transliteration

Main article : Transliteration

Transliteration is the process of phonetically translating the sound of a word in one alphabet to a another.

Pictograph Systems

Some writing systems use pictographs and ideographs to represent ideas and concepts rather than sounds. The Chinese writing system Hanzi, the Korean writing system Hanja and the Japanese writing system of Kanji are pictograph-based writing systems.

Note: Hanja is no-longer used in modern writing, the Hangul alphabet is used instead.

Specific Features

Punctuation

Main article : Punctuation

Punctuation consists of characters and symbols used in a writing system that does not denote a sound or idea. They denote flow, pacing, emotion among other things.