What is the origin of written language?

Question

who was writing down this thing we call history?
who determined who was educated in antiquity?

Primordius Drool
yes, the origin, knowing who owes who. We must have read the same book ;o)

serenity blaze
very good!

skeptic
Thank you for pointing out how people from various parts of the world ended up using a written language

also to skeptic
and for pointing out education was based on working (trade)(job)

Answer 1

Writing has been invented independently only 3 times in history.


Cuneiform was invented in the fertile crescent.

The Chinese invented pictograph writing.

The Mayans invented their own system.


All other cultures developed their writing off of these (mostly the first two).


History did not start to become accurately recorded (the way we would think of recording) until around 500 BCE.

Of course educated people were tradesman at first, who were simply following what their fathers did.



EDIT: You're welcome. I love this stuff, so please let me know if you have more questions. I also think you would really enjoy either of the two books mentioned below by Jarred Diamond.

Answer 2

That's three questions.

I'll give this a shot without googling, or hitting wikipedia though.

The origin of written language would be from the Egyptians I believe, with the cueniform alphabet--but stories were told in symbolist style via cave paintings long before that.

History began as songs or lyric--known as "oral tradition"--but the writing of history began with the priesthood--or "scribes". (Which would also be the government, since those two were intertwined.)

And different cultures had different determinations for who was eligible for education, but it was in Greek history that the first laws were established that women were to be excluded from education.

I think. :-)

I did this from memory.

Answer 3

The accuracy of the Septuagint is testimony to the certainty that the Hebrew scriptures have been in a extra organic state then, while in comparison with the Hebrew texts we see in immediately's international. If there is any questionable scripture to look into a logical plan of action could be to learn the Hebrew scriptures to the Septuagint and the ineffective Sea Scrolls.

Answer 4

That IS a hard question. I guess it began in the 1400's or the 1500's, when history started taking off and old men (mostly), journalers and historians started being wise and writing down all the historical and cultural events that have made history like it is. History even started being wrirten earlier. Indians, cavemen and other people made drawings with images and foreign language, so I guess you could call that history because it reflects how they live, and, of course, it's past. History is so important to know how everything originated.

Answer 5

Cave drawings were the basis. And it turned into hiroglyphics etc.

But as far as WHO is writing down written history? The winners. The winners control which history gets to get passed down through the ages too, such as when the Christians burned down the Library of Alexandria and we lost much that we'll never get back.

Answer 6

The origin of written language is from the Ancient Egyptions...They had a deity called Thoth who was the overseer for writing and esoteric thought...

Answer 7

There are many sources.

However the Romans destroyed a large amount of it when they burned the library in Alexandria.

Surprisingly, this was at the same time that the Christians Bible was being canonized and the idea of a literal Jesus was created.

Answer 8

From both Egypt and Sumer, the evidence indicates the basis of written language is bookkeeping. In other words, knowing who owes who is the basis of written language

Answer 9

Oldest writings are from the Hebrew's, bc5000 found in egypt
Hidden by the Monks

Answer 10

cave paintings.
to identify animals and record hunting techniques.
I would imagien (from abourigional tradition) that this eventually developed from pictures into words, through the descriptive drawings, and passed on traditional foke tales and things.