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Article published In: On the Systematic Nature of Writing Systems
Edited by David F. Mora-Marín and Lynne Cahill
[Written Language & Literacy 26:1] 2023
► pp. 5–29

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A proposal for a formalized, expandable approach to the taxonomy of writing systems

 | Ruhr University Bochum
 | Ruhr University Bochum
Published online: 25 April 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/wll.00071.ost
Abstract
In this paper we propose a formalized and expandable approach to the taxonomy of writing systems. Taking the mixed nature of writing systems fully into account, our approach focuses on the classification of functionally homogenous subsystems, which together and in interaction with each other constitute an overall writing system. Such subsystems make use of a script or a subset of a script, which is understood here as an inventory of graphs that is (conventionally considered to be) graphically homogeneous. A basic distinction is made into phonographic and morphographic systems, but complemented by an in principle open number of subtypes, building and expanding on Gnanadesikan, Amalia E. (2017). Towards a Typology of Phonemic Scripts. Writing Systems Research 9.1: 14–35. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar and Poser (Poser, William J. (1992). The Structural Typology of Phonological Writing. Handout (Linguistic Society of America, Philadelphia, 12 Jan 1992).Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar, (2004). Phonological Writing and Phonological Representation. Handout (Harvard University, 10 Dec 2004).Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) for segmental and syllabic systems respectively. Types are designated by a notation that employs a set of symbols, relating to both form (boundedness of graphs and their organization into segmental spaces) and function (mapping type), but by separate means.
Article outline
  • 1.Issues in current taxonomies
  • 2.A new proposal
  • 3.Phonographic systems
    • 3.1Segmental systems
    • 3.2Syllabic systems
    • 3.3Mixed systems with so-called ‘inherent’ vowels/consonants
  • 4.Morphographic systems
  • 5.Subsystems and their combinatorics
  • 6.Outlook
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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2025. Typology of Writing Systems—Early History. In Reference Module in Social Sciences, DOI logo
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