Ideopgraphic scripts

From: Andrew Barton <AndrewBarton_at_compuserve.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 17:01:42 -0400

> If I can pronouce something in one vernacular language, have it
written down in Latin, and have it read elsewhere in a different one, then that's a common written form by any reasonable duck test.

Err, that's called translation, surely? A very different thing from totally different spoken languages, such as the different languages of China, being written with the same ideographs.

When Dante set out to write a great poem in Italian, he didn't have to do anything new to be able to write it down in the Roman alphabet. But a French speaker wouldn't be able to read the result.

Andrew

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