This page gives the schedule of topics and assigned readings for Linguistics 115: Writing Systems at the University of Pennsylvania. The basic readings are from the Gnanadesikan textbook, The Writing Revoluation, by chapter; online readings are listed with direct links to either html or pdf files. These may be updated during the semester, so check back every week. Other relevant pages are the syllabus, glossary, phonetic symbols, study guide, and course description.
The notes and pictures that are used in lectures are all available on the web for study and review by students in the course; simply click on the links in this schedule. These pages are password-protected because many of the images are copyrighted and fair use restricts them to students in the course. Type the username and password given out in class when prompted by your web browser (contact the professor or the TA if you need help). Without this information, you will not be able to access the links below. Also, be sure that your browser is Unicode compatible.
Links to lecture notes will typically not become usable until just before the relevant week (no later than Sunday evening); links to homework and answers are usable according to the schedule of assignments. There is no class on November 23 (the day before Thanksgiving), and no recitation sections the first week of class (Aug 30), nor on October 11 due to Fall Break. Because the first two lectures are spread across two weeks, I am calling the first week "zero".
| Week 0 | What is writing? | ||
| Aug 26 | No classes yet |
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No homework |
| Aug 28 | Typology |
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| Week 1 | Background concepts | ||
| Sept 2 | Labor Day | Homework 1 |
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| Sept 4 | Transliteration Greek |
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| Week 2 | Mesopotamian cuneiform | ||
| Sept 9 | Background Structure |
Homework 2 |
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| Sept 11 | Structure (cont.) Texts |
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| Week 3 | Egyptian hieroglyphs | ||
| Sept 16 | Background Earliest writing |
Homework 3 |
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| Sept 18 | Structure Texts |
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| Week 4 | Maya hieroglyphs | ||
| Sept 23 | Background Structure |
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Homework 4 |
| Sept 25 | Structure (cont.) Texts (Other systems) |
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| Week 5 | Chinese morphosyllabic writing | ||
| Sept 30 | Language Historical development |
Homework 5 |
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| Oct 2 | Structure Morphemes |
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| Week 6 | Japanese writing: A mixed system | ||
| Oct 7 | Language Kanji |
No homework due next week. Study for the midterm. |
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| Oct 9 | Kana Text |
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| Week 7 | Phonographic writing in East Asia | ||
| Oct 14 | Yi and Vietnamese Korean |
No homework due next week. |
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| Oct 16 | Midterm (see answers) |
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| Week 8 | Syllabic writing | ||
| Oct 21 | Syllabaries Cherokee and Cree |
Homework 6 |
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| Oct 23 | Linear
B, Cypriot,
Texts (Undeciphered) |
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| Week 9 | Alphasyllabic systems | ||
| Oct 28 | Indus Valley Early Indic |
Homework 7 |
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| Oct 30 | Indic descendents Ethiopic Texts |
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| Week 10 | Consonantal writing | ||
| Nov 4 | Early alphabets Further developments |
Homework 8 |
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| Nov 6 | Modern alphabets Texts |
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| Week 11 | The alphabetic principle in Greece | ||
| Nov 11 | Transmission Epichoric alphabets |
Homework 9 |
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| Nov 13 | Classical
writing Descendent alphabets (More inscriptions) |
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| Week 12 | The alphabet in Italy and England | ||
| Nov 18 | Etruscan Latin |
No homework due next week. Thanksgiving Break, |
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| Nov 20 | Runes Old English Middle English |
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| Week 13 | English orthography | ||
| Nov 25 | Modern English The alphabet |
Homework 10 |
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| Nov 27 | No class today | ||
| Week 14 | Implications of literacy | ||
| Dec 2 | Written language
and literacy |
Study for the final exam. |
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| Dec 4 | Vai literacy | ||
| Week 15 | Implications of literacy | ||
| Dec 9 | TBA |
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Study for the final exam. |
| Dec 11 | Reading days | ||
| Final exam | |||
Dec 16 |
12 – 2 | location TBA |
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