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.
The content of the lecture notes, and the readings, are not final until the preceding Friday; pdf files of homework assignments and their answers will be posted on Canvas according to the schedule of due dates. There is no class on November 26 (the day before Thanksgiving), and no recitation sections the first week of class (Aug 29), nor on October 10 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 25 | No classes yet |
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No homework or recitations |
| Aug 27 | Typology |
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| Week 1 | Background concepts | ||
| Sept 1 | Labor Day | Homework 1 |
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| Sept 3 | Transliteration Greek |
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| Week 2 | Mesopotamian cuneiform | ||
| Sept 8 | Background Structure |
Homework 2 |
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| Sept 10 | Structure (cont.) Texts |
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| Week 3 | Egyptian hieroglyphs | ||
| Sept 15 | Background Earliest writing |
Homework 3 Egyptian Phonograms [pdf] |
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| Sept 17 | Structure Texts |
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| Week 4 | Maya hieroglyphs | ||
| Sept 22 | Background Structure |
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Homework 4 |
| Sept 24 | Structure (cont.) Texts (Other systems) |
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| Week 5 | Chinese morphosyllabic writing | ||
| Sept 29 | Language Historical development |
Homework 5 |
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| Oct 1 | Structure Morphemes |
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| Week 6 | Japanese writing: A mixed system | ||
| Oct 6 | Language Kanji |
No homework due next week. Study for the midterm. No recitation sections Oct 10. |
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| Oct 8 | Kana Text |
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| Week 7 | Phonographic writing in East Asia | ||
| Oct 13 | Yi and Vietnamese Korean |
No homework due next week. No recitation sections Oct 17. |
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| Oct 15 | Midterm exam | ||
| Week 8 | Syllabic writing | ||
| Oct 20 | Syllabaries Cherokee and Cree |
Homework 6 |
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| Oct 22 | Linear
B, Cypriot, Linear
A, Texts (Undeciphered) |
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| Week 9 | Alphasyllabic systems | ||
| Oct 27 | Indus Valley Early Indic |
Homework 7 |
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| Oct 29 | Indic descendents Ethiopic Texts |
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| Week 10 | Consonantal writing | ||
| Nov 3 | Early alphabets Further developments |
Homework 8 |
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| Nov 5 | Modern alphabets Texts |
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| Week 11 | The alphabetic principle in Greece | ||
| Nov 10 | Transmission Epichoric alphabets |
Homework 9 Epichoric alphabets [pdf] |
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| Nov 12 | Classical
writing Descendent alphabets (More inscriptions) |
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| Week 12 | The alphabet in Italy | ||
| Nov 17 | Etruscan |
No homework due next week.
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| Nov 19 | Latin |
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| Week 13 | English orthography | ||
| Nov 24 | Runes Old English |
Thanksgiving Break, |
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| Nov 26 | Friday classes today; no recitations |
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| Week 14 | Modern English; Written language | ||
| Dec 1 | Middle English |
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Homework 10 |
| Dec 3 | Modern English The alphabet |
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| Week 15 | Implications of literacy | ||
| Dec 8 | Written language
and literacy Vai literacy |
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Study for the final exam. |
| Dec 10 | Reading days | ||
| Final exam | |||
Dec 19 |
12 – 2 | Annenberg School for Communication, room 111 |
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