thoughts like spilt milk

The recent read we had, regarding the history of language, was nice. It allowed the connection to be made between hieroglyphics of the Egyptian times to today’s modern language. Though the thing that got to me was the possible evolution of the alphabet.

Our alphabet has been based on, according to the article, on Greek and Roman alpha- numeric symbols. I liked the explanation for the possible evolution of letters, which goes from a symbol to a modified and sleeker version of the symbol, to the actual letter as we know it today. This could also be true because of the Greek sign “omega” which could have used to represent “sun” in the Greek alphabet, and as superior things are referred to as the “Alpha Omega” and therefore the sun in something that the Greeks valued highly. Therefore, the explanation for the evolution of the alphabet could have happened in that way.

I would also like to engage the a second reading we have had recently, the evolution of the English language. The beginnings of the language seemed to be entirely phonetic, meaning that it was spelled exactly as it sounded. “Forgyf” is forgive, though it is almost phonetically spelled. It carried on into the times of the Canterbury Tales, with “y” still being used where we put most of our “I” today. The point I am so warily limping to is that these evolutions are the reason that we have such a fine and almost impossible to learn language, simply because it has gone from simple to complex and does not allow for easy learning. Many of those who do not speak English natively have to learn the complex spelling and speaking differences, and as Millward states, writing is the derivative of speaking.

In conclusion, this blog was not meant to be confusing or thesis- less on purpose. This was just the sum of the thoughts running through the writer’s head at the time that this blog was posted. I was just recognizing the possibility of the evolutoin of writing from graphics to the letters we have today. I was also pointing out and reinforcing Millward’s point that writing is the derivative of speaking. In essence, I have no thesis, just a collection of thoughts which I have now been able to put down on paper, figuratively speaking.