Linear A to Linear B

[Rick Mc Callister]

	I seem to remember that Linear B may be [at least] partially based
on ideograms in that there are symbols represent the first syllable of
certain words.
	If I remember correctly [and correct me if I haven't], the symbols
for LI and SA seem to be based on LINO [sp?] "flax/linen" and SASAMA [sp?]
"sesame" and that they may represent those plants.
	If this is so, one could expect the possibility of some symbols
being calqued as distinct syllables if Linear A & B represent different
languages.

[snip]
>2. LINEAR A IS ONLY PARTIALLY PHONETIC.  Like early hieroglyhics, the script
>may be partly pictogram and partly sound-referenced.  E.g., the letter /a/ in
>early script might refer to a sound or it might refer to what it is, a
>picture of an ox.  The transition to Linear B may have involved the re-use of
>former pictographic symbols to stand for sounds instead.  This might have
>mandated a revamping of the former partial character-to-sound correspondence
>that existed in Linear A.  So these characters would reappear, but would in
>Lin B refer to sounds instead of the objects represented, taking the place of
>other characters that dropped out of use.
[snip]

Rick Mc Callister
W-1634
Mississippi University for Women
Columbus MS 39701