Writing Systems: From Symbols to Letters

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In 3000 BC Ancient Egypt, writing systems comprise both signs denoting sounds and signs denoting a concept. Around 650 BC, there was a dramatic decrease in the number of signs denoting sounds and an increase in signs denoting a concept.

Around 1700 BC, Ancient Semitic writing systems comprised no signs denoting a concept, only signs denoting sounds.

Around 1000 BC, the letters of the Phoenician writing system were developed from hieroglyphs, such that the names of letters began with the sound of the letter. For example, the symbol for water, mem, became the latter m, and the symbol for ox, aleph, became the letter a.

A Glossary for Information TheoryAbout how it was builtAbout the formattingAbout the processAbout the structureAbout this digital gardenAncient Egypt Writing SystemsAncient Phoenicians Writing SystemAncient Semitic Writing SystemsChannel CapacityDemotic Writing SystemDevelopment of Writing SystemsDevices For Sending InformationElectromagnetic TelegraphsElectrostatic TelegraphsError Correction CodesHamming CodeHieratic Writing SystemHieroglyphics Writing SystemIdeogramsInformation TheoryLight TelegraphsMarkov Chain ModelMathematical Theory of CommunicationModels and TheoriesMorse CodePapyrusPictogramsPolybius squareQuadruplex TelegraphSignal FiresSignaling RateSource CodingTelegraphsThe Gauss-Webber TelegraphThe Rebus PrincipleThe Rosetta StoneVisual TelegraphsWriting Systems: From Symbols to LettersWritten Language