referencebooks (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} referencebooks) wrote,@ 2005-10-23 10:00:00 |
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The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Writing Systems
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Writing Systems
By Florian Coulmas.
Published by Blackwell, 1996. Copyright held by the author.
This is a hardbound book measuring 7" by 10" and running 603 pages including the bibliography, plus 28 pages of preferatory material that include a long list of figures, a long list of tables, a preface, acknowldgements, and a page on abbreviations and notational conventions used. (There is no index in the book.)
The preface begins: "The principle purpose of this encyclopedia is to provide basic concise information on the writing systems, scripts and orthographies of the world's major languages, and about theoretically important issues concerning the relationship between speech and writing." Further in the preface the author says,
"Each of the writing systems dealt with in this volume warrants full monograph treatment. The same is true of entries dealing with technical aspects of writing, such as handwriting, printing and word processing; practical problems, such as decipherment, alphabet making and spelling reform; and theoretical issues, such as distinguishing writing from pre-writing and other notational systems, typology of writing systems, functions of writing, etc. Major writing systems and writing systems not described in generally accessible works are described and illustrated in detail, and major theoretical problems are discussed in a manner that familiarizes the reader with the relevant issues."
Entries range from a few lines to several pages in length.
This is a very substantial reference book on writing systems and an amazing achievement when you consider that it is the work of a single person.
One major strength of the book is that it is very richly illustrated with figures and tables, showing examples of all of the writing systems discussed.
As an example of the kind of things that are covered, the first fifteen entries in the "L" sequence are:
- L, l
- Landa alphabet
- Lao writing
- Lapis Niger
- Latin alphabet
- Latinxua
- Lepcha script
- Lepsius, Karl Richard
- letter
- letter names
- letter recognition
- lettering
- ligature
- Limbu script
- Linear A
This is a very impressive, useful and fascinating reference book.
