Re: Literacy

From: Andrew Solovay <asolovay_at_...>
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 16:59:30 -0700


donald_at_... wrote:
>

> Certainly the modern concept
> of literacy where an alphabet of arbitary symbols is assembled into
> words which
> can be used for any subject is going to be a LM monopoly.

And... hrm. Do we actually know much about the LM system of writing? For example, does it have some kind of alphabet, or does it have characters for words? I'd bet the latter--some elaborate system of runes. If so, that means that even LM writing can't be used for *any* subject--only for those subjects where the written language has appropriate characters. Otherwise, the sage has to shoe-horn existing characters to cover new areas--or else invent new characters, and try to get the other scholars to accept your innovation.

Either one can mean great fun if you're talking about a written prophecy. "'All clans fall to Predark, unless chosen one strikes... um... strikes...' I don't know that character, but it looks kind of like a combination of 'wolf' and 'cabbage'."

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