Changes

The forerunners to writing systems are pictograms in every culture.  When early people wished to convey an idea in a permanent medium, they simply drew the concept.  Examples of drawings by the first human beings can be found all over the world in the form of cave art.  However, as certain symbols became more and more common, it became unnecessary to draw the concept precisely - broad strokes would convey the idea sufficiently.

The forerunners to writing systems are pictograms in every culture.  When early people wished to convey an idea in a permanent medium, they simply drew the concept.  Examples of drawings by the first human beings can be found all over the world in the form of cave art.  However, as certain symbols became more and more common, it became unnecessary to draw the concept precisely - broad strokes would convey the idea sufficiently.

This lead to development of pictographs, small, common pictures used to describe a series of ideas.  For example, to write "The man ran to catch the mammoth," it sufficed to draw a man running with a spear next to a mammoth.  However, such a system lacks the preciseness of modern writing.   

This led to development of pictographs, small, common pictures used to describe a series of ideas.  For example, to write "The man ran to catch the mammoth," it sufficed to draw a man running with a spear next to a mammoth.  However, such a system lacks the preciseness of modern writing.   

[[Image:Pictographs.png|150px|left|thumb|Pictographs.]]In some cultures, the symbols which once represented a concept would begin to also represent the sound that the word for that concept began with.  This development allowed for a series of pictograms to convey a concept not easily drawn (like "love"), but for which the spoken language had a word for.  Such cultures are said to write with an alphabet.

[[Image:Pictographs.png|150px|left|thumb|Pictographs.]]In some cultures, the symbols which once represented a concept would begin to also represent the sound that the word for that concept began with.  This development allowed for a series of pictograms to convey a concept not easily drawn (like "love"), but for which the spoken language had a word for.  Such cultures are said to write with an alphabet.

Unlike alphabetic systems, Egyptian hieroglyphs are logographic.  Unusually, the number of symbols increased over time:  while there were only 800 symbols during the "ancient" period of Egyptian civilization, after the Hellenistic conquests, there were over 5000.

Unlike alphabetic systems, Egyptian hieroglyphs are logographic.  Unusually, the number of symbols increased over time:  while there were only 800 symbols during the "ancient" period of Egyptian civilization, after the Hellenistic conquests, there were over 5000.

Egyptian hieroglyphs were mostly forgotten by the Western world until Napoleons exploits in Egypt brought back many inscriptions.  They were finally deciphered upon the discovery of the [[Rosetta stone]], a single stone document which contained the same inscription in two forms of Greek, heiroglyphs..

Egyptian hieroglyphs were mostly forgotten by the Western world until Napoleons exploits in Egypt brought back many inscriptions.  They were finally deciphered upon the discovery of the [[Rosetta stone]], a single stone document which contained the same inscription in two forms of Greek, hieroglyphs.

==East Asia==

==East Asia==

Writing was introduced to Japan by the Chinese civilization around 400 BC.  The Chinese system was adapted and altered to more efficiently write the Japanese language.   

Writing was introduced to Japan by the Chinese civilization around 400 BC.  The Chinese system was adapted and altered to more efficiently write the Japanese language.   

The Korean writing system, Hangul, was invented by [[Sejong the Great]] in 1443 during a period of Korean nationalism.  Previously, Korea had used the Chinese system, but upon achieving independence, Hangul was invented to remove Chinese influence from the newly-minted nation.

The Korean writing system, Hangul, was invented by [[Sejong the Great]] in 1443 during a period of Korean nationalism.  Previously, Korea had used the Chinese system, but upon achieving independence, Hangul was invented to remove Chinese influence from the newly minted nation.

==India==

==India==