[Linganth] Endangered writing systems: an appeal

[Brookes, Tim]

Dear George,
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.
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.
I'm open to suggestions!
Cheers,
Tim

On Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 12:12 PM, George Fulford <g.fulford at icloud.com>
wrote:

> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> George Fulford
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Jun 30, 2017, at 8:57 AM, Brookes, Tim <brookes at champlain.edu> wrote:
>
> Dear Linganth Community:
>
> 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.
>
> 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!
>
>
>
> 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:
>
>
>
> 1.     Originally created/developed/adapted for general use, not only for
> the purposes of fiction/film/TV
>
> 2.     Once in general use by at least a significant minority of the
> population
>
> 3.     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)
>
> 4.     No longer generally taught in schools
>
> 5.     Lacking official status in the eyes of the government
>
> 6.     Facing a clear and present danger from some cultural, military,
> political or economic threat that has the capacity to marginalize it within
> two generations
>
> 7.     Having certain distinct qualities that make it different from
> other members of the same language family
>
>
>
> Please by all means suggest edits!
>
>
>
> 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!
>
>
>
> Ahom
>
> Arakanese
>
> Assyrian/Neo-Aramaic
>
> Bagatha
>
> Balinese
>
> Bamum/Shupamom
>
> Bassa Vah
>
> Batak
>
> Bats
>
> Baybayin
>
> Berber/Tifinagh/Tamazight
>
> Bilang-Bilang
>
> Bugis/Lontara
>
> Buhid
>
> Chakma
>
> Cham (Eastern and Western)
>
> Cherokee
>
> Chu-Nom
>
> Cree
>
> Dene Syllabics (Carrier)
>
> Eskayan
>
> Glagolitic
>
> Grantha
>
> Hanuno’o
>
> Inuktitut
>
> Javanese
>
> Kalmyk
>
> Kawi
>
> Khojki
>
> Kpelle
>
> Kulitan
>
> Lampung
>
> Lanna (Northern Thai)
>
> (Loma)
>
> Makasar
>
> Maldivian/Thaana
>
> Manchu
>
> Mandaic
>
> Manipuri
>
> Marma
>
> (Mende/Kikakui)
>
> Mongolian
>
> Mro
>
> Naxi/Dongba
>
> New Tai Lue
>
> N’Ko
>
> Nushu
>
> Pauauh Hmong
>
> Rejang/Bengkulu/Satera Jontal/Lembak/Lintang/Lebong/Serawai/Kaganga
>
> Samaritan
>
> Sorang Sompeng
>
> Sui
>
> Sundanese
>
> Sylheti/Syloti-Nagri
>
> Syriac
>
> Tai Dam
>
> Vai
>
> Wolof/Garay
>
> Yi
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Tim Brookes
>
> www.endangeredalphabets.com
>
> Champlain College
>
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