Lolo scripts

[Geoff Wade]

Dear Prof. Kumar,

         Lo-lo (Luo-luo, Cuan etc) script, which PRC linguists today refer
to generically as Yi script, comprises in its older Si-chuan and Gui-zhou
varieties, about 8,000 to 9,000 graphs. It seems to be fairly well-accepted
that they derived from variants of Chinese graphs.

   The "most primitive" scripts of the archipelago all derive from Indic
sources and are exclusively alphabets (or perhaps, to the pedantic,
"syllabaries") of well less than 100 graphs.

   It thus appears likely that Baron de Lacouperie's theory on Lolo/SE
Asian script connections was about as grounded as his other famous theory
that linked the origins
of Chinese language and culture to the 'cradle of civilization' in the
Middle East.

Geoff Wade
Centre of Asian Studies
University of Hong Kong


>Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001 15:02:09 +1100 (EST)
>X-Sender: u7100011 at pophost.anu.edu.au
>To: " AUSTRONESIAN LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS" <AN-LANG at anu.edu.au>
>From: Ann.Kumar at anu.edu.au (Ann Kumar)
>Subject: Lolo scripts
>Reply-To: Ann.Kumar at anu.edu.au
>Sender: owner-AN-LANG at anu.edu.au
>
>Dear List Members,
>
>
>Does anyone know anything about Lolo scripts, in particular about Terrien
>de Lacouperie's theory that the Lolo script is related to the "most
>primitive" scripts of the Malayan archipel, and to some other Asian
>scripts?
>
>Thanks
>
>Ann Kumar
>
>============================================================================
>Dr Ann Kumar
>Vice-President, Australian Academy of the Humanities
>Centre for the Study of Asian Societies and Histories
>Faculty of Asian Studies
>Canberra ACT 0200
>Australia
>Tel. (02) 6249 3677/4658  fax. (02) 6279-8326
>
>