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A writing system is any conventional system for representing a particular language using a set of symbols (called a script), as well as the rules those symbols encode.

The earliest of conventional writing systems appeared during the late 4th millennium BC. Throughout history, each independently invented writing system gradually emerged from a system of proto-writing, where a small number of ideographs were used in a manner incapable of fully encoding language, and thus lacking the ability to express a broad range of ideas. Writing systems are generally classified according to how their symbols, called graphemes, relate to units of language. Phonetic writing systems – which include alphabets and syllabaries – use graphemes that correspond to sounds in the corresponding spoken language. Alphabets use graphemes called letters that generally correspond to spoken phonemes. They are typically divided into three sub-types: Pure alphabets use letters to represent both consonant and vowel sounds, abjads generally only use letters representing consonant sounds, and abugidas use letters representing consonant–vowel pairs. Syllabaries use graphemes called syllabograms that represent entire syllables or moras. By contrast, logographic (or morphographic) writing systems use graphemes that represent the units of meaning in a language, such as its words or morphemes. Alphabets typically use fewer than 100 distinct symbols, while syllabaries and logographies may use hundreds or thousands, respectively.

According to most contemporary definitions, writing is a visual and tactile notation representing language. The symbols used in writing correspond systematically to functional units of either a spoken or signed language. While the use of language is universal across human societies, writing is not; writing emerged much more recently, and was independently invented in only a handful of locations throughout history. Hindustani) can be written using multiple writing systems, and a writing system can also represent multiple languages.

A grapheme is the basic functional unit of a writing system. Writing systems may be regarded as complete if they are able to represent all that may be expressed in the spoken language, while a partial writing system cannot represent the spoken language in its entirety.

In each instance, writing emerged from systems of proto-writing, though historically most proto-writing systems did not produce writing systems. Writing has been invented independently multiple times in human history – first emerging as cuneiform, a system initially used to write the Sumerian language in southern Mesopotamia; it was later adapted to write Akkadian as its speakers spread throughout the region, with Akkadian writing appearing in significant quantities c. Alphabetic writing descends from previous morphographic writing, and first appeared c. The Latin alphabet, which descended from the Greek alphabet, is by far the most common script used by writing systems.

Writing systems are most often classified according to what units of language a system's graphemes correspond to. 'sound writing') when graphemes represent units of sound in a language, or morphographic ('form writing') when graphemes represent units of meaning (such as words or morphemes).

Chinese characters represent the only major logographic writing systems still in use: they have historically been used to write the varieties of Chinese, as well as Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other languages of the Sinosphere.

For example, the Japanese writing system has two kana syllabaries (hiragana and katakana) intended for use in distinct circumstances; both have syllabograms for each of the roughly 100 moras found in Japanese.

Moreover, that Braille is equivalent to visual writing systems in function demonstrates that the phenomenon of writing is fundamentally spatial in nature, not merely visual.

Writing systems, especially alphabets, often include characters that can represent multiple sound values, or conversely sound values that can be represented by multiple characters – this phenomenon is referred to as polyvalence. Scholars have increasingly analysed different patterns of phonological spellings versus morphological spellings in a writing system as being better suited depending on the characteristics of the spoken language, with neither principle being ideal in all circumstances.

Quick Facts

• Phonetic writing systems – which include alphabets and syllabaries – use graphemes that correspond to sounds in the corresponding spoken language.
• Throughout history, each independently invented writing system gradually emerged from a system of proto-writing, where a small number of ideographs were used in a manner incapable of fully encoding language, and thus lacking the ability to express a broad range of ideas.
• Writing systems are generally classified according to how their symbols, called graphemes, relate to units of language.
• By contrast, logographic (or morphographic) writing systems use graphemes that represent the units of meaning in a language, such as its words or morphemes.
• Hindustani) can be written using multiple writing systems, and a writing system can also represent multiple languages.

Source material: Wikipedia - "Writing system". Adapted and summarized for DiscoverScroll. Original contributors are credited through the linked Wikipedia article. Read original on Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes were made from the original.