This program traces the evolution of writing from its pictograph and hieroglyph antecedents. Recent discoveries have revealed that the earliest alphabet was corrupted shorthand for Egyptian hieroglyphs, developed by Semitic mercenaries. As the Roman alphabet became dominant in the Western world, indigenous languages were lost as Roman law and the Latin alphabet became a tool by which minority peoples were subjugated. By the Middle Ages, the majority of Western texts were written in Latin and available only to a powerful elite. Today, there are four remaining major alphabets: Arabic, Cyrillic, Greek, and Latin. (53 minutes)

Tell a Friend! Your Name: Your Email: Your Friend's Email: Your Message: We respect your privacy and will not use your friend's address without permission. Item#: BVL10178 Copyright date: ©1998 DVD ISBN 978-1-4213-0611-7

Part of the Series : The Art of Communicating | Behold Humanity! A Sociological Perspective

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