<div dir="ltr">Dear George,<div>Thanks so much for getting back to me. Yes, I use the phrase "endangered alphabets" as a kind of informal shorthand, especially when trying to avoid blinding non-specialist with science. A good number of these writing systems are in fact syllabaries or other non-alphabetic forms, as I'm sure you know.</div><div>When you mention First nation scripts--yes, one of the questions I am struggling with is whether to regard Inuktitut, Cree and Ojibwa as manifestations of Canadian Aboriginal Syllabics or as three different endangered writing systems because (as I understand it) each language has adapted the Syllabics to an extent to suit its own needs.</div><div>I'm open to suggestions!</div><div>Cheers,</div><div>Tim</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 12:12 PM, George Fulford <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:g.fulford@icloud.com" target="_blank">g.fulford@icloud.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div>Good morning from Winnipeg, Canada. This is a thoroughly worthwhile endeavour (note my Canadian spelling of that last word). I will add a couple of comments, rather than anything to your list. First - regarding alphabets. As you know, strictly speaking alphabets attempt to represent the inventory of phonemes in a given language with distinct characters. In practice, through orthographic idiosyncracies there are often fewer characters than there are phonemes. So in most dialects of English we have 43 orr 44 phonemes, but just 26 "letters" in the alphabet. </div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature"><br></div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature">Alphabets are just one of three distinct ways that I can think of by which we can use visual marks to represent the sounds of a spoken language. At least three of the languages listed in your email (Cree and Inuktitut) use the syllabary that was invented by. Methodist missionary James Evans in Norway House (Manitoba) in the 1840s. You could add Ojibwa to this list too. Syllabaries represents the possible syllables in these spoken languages, not their individual consonants and vowels the way an alphabet does. It is conceptually and definitionally important to distinguish alphabets from syllabaries when talking about writing systems.</div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature"><br></div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature">Ideographs such as Mandarin represent a third kind of writing system. Ideographic characters represent entire concepts/words. In the case of Mandarin, it is possible to trace how contemporary characters developed from pictorial representations, such as those found on oracle bones 3000 years ago. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and Mayan glyphs also seem to have developed in this way. </div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature"><br></div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature">There are other systems of visually representing language that could also be considered, such as quipus, braille, the various ways for visually representing signed languages - perhaps even Laban notation used for choreographing dance, that might also be considered. But this is likely straying too far afield.</div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature"><br></div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature">George Fulford</div><div id="m_4502399480223235355AppleMailSignature">Sent from my iPad</div></font></span><div><div class="h5"><div><br>On Jun 30, 2017, at 8:57 AM, Brookes, Tim <<a href="mailto:brookes@champlain.edu" target="_blank">brookes@champlain.edu</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div dir="ltr">Dear Linganth Community:<div><br></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.2pt">The other day
someone asked me, "So which alphabets *are* endangered? Do you have a
list?" Which stopped me in my tracks because I know which alphabets I've
carved, and which I know I'd like to carve, but as far as I know there's no
catalogue of endangered writing systems. So we should create one.</span><br></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial"><span style="color:rgb(29,33,41);letter-spacing:-0.2pt">I say "we" because I'm constantly
reminded how little I know, and how this field is changing and the definitions
are flexible. I'd like to offer two things: a first-draft list of endangered
writing systems for you all to add to, edit, or subtract from; and a
first-draft definition of "endangered." Both are pretty volatile
subjects, so let's head into this in a spirit of collaboration!<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I guess we should start with the definition, though this may
in fact be the more difficult of the two. The way I think of an endangered
writing system, it includes at least some of these qualities:<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">1.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>Originally created/developed/adapted for general
use, not only for the purposes of fiction/film/TV<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">2.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>Once in general use by at least a significant
minority of the population<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">3.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>Not extinct—that is, still in use by some
percentage of the population, even if only in a specialized context (such as
for spiritual/sacred purposes)<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">4.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>No longer generally taught in schools<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">5.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>Lacking official status in the eyes of the
government<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">6.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>Facing a clear and present danger from some
cultural, military, political or economic threat that has the capacity to
marginalize it within two generations<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">7.<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman"">
</span>Having certain distinct qualities that make it
different from other members of the same language family<span></span></p>
<p class="m_4502399480223235355gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please by all means suggest edits!<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now here’s my list of endangered alphabets, derived largely
from Omniglot, though I must stress I know very little about many of these
languages/writing systems, and I’m sure there are others I don’t know. That’s
why I’m reaching out to you! <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ahom<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Arakanese<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Assyrian/Neo-Aramaic<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bagatha<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Balinese<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bamum/Shupamom<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bassa Vah<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Batak<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bats<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Baybayin<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Berber/Tifinagh/Tamazight<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bilang-Bilang<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bugis/Lontara<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Buhid<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chakma<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cham (Eastern and Western)<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cherokee<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chu-Nom<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cree<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dene Syllabics (Carrier)<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eskayan<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Glagolitic<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Grantha<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hanuno’o<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Inuktitut<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Javanese<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kalmyk<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kawi<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Khojki <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kpelle<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kulitan<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lampung<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lanna (Northern Thai)<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(Loma)<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Makasar<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Maldivian/Thaana<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Manchu<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mandaic<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Manipuri<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Marma<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(Mende/Kikakui)<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mongolian<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mro<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Naxi/Dongba<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">New Tai Lue<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">N’Ko<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nushu<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pauauh Hmong<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rejang/Bengkulu/Satera
Jontal/Lembak/Lintang/Lebong/<wbr>Serawai/Kaganga<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Samaritan<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sorang Sompeng<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sui<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sundanese<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sylheti/Syloti-Nagri<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Syriac<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tai Dam<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vai<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wolof/Garay<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yi<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Thanks!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Tim Brookes</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><a href="http://www.endangeredalphabets.com" target="_blank">www.endangeredalphabets.com</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Champlain College </span></p>
</div></div>
</div></blockquote></div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>______________________________<wbr>_________________</span><span class=""><br><span>Linganth mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:Linganth@listserv.linguistlist.org" target="_blank">Linganth@listserv.<wbr>linguistlist.org</a></span><br><span><a href="http://listserv.linguistlist.org/mailman/listinfo/linganth" target="_blank">http://listserv.linguistlist.<wbr>org/mailman/listinfo/linganth</a></span><br></span></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div><br></div>