logogram etymology

Etymology:

  • Derived from Ancient Greek "logos" (word) and "gramma" (letter)

Meaning:

A logogram is a written symbol that represents a word or morpheme, rather than a sound or syllable.

Origin:

Logograms first emerged in ancient writing systems such as:

  • Sumerian Cuneiform: Used wedge-shaped symbols to represent words and concepts.
  • Egyptian Hieroglyphics: A combination of logograms and alphabetic symbols to convey language.
  • Chinese Hanzi: Thousands of logograms still in use today, representing words or morphemes in the Chinese language.

Characteristics:

  • Represents entire words or morphemes with a single symbol.
  • Typically based on the concept or meaning of the word rather than its pronunciation.
  • May have multiple meanings or readings depending on context.

Examples:

  • The Chinese character "人" (rén) represents the concept of "person."
  • The Egyptian hieroglyph of a bird represents the word "bird."
  • The Arabic numeral "1" is a logogram for the number one.

Advantages:

  • Concise and efficient writing system.
  • Easy to recognize and understand across different languages.

Disadvantages:

  • Can be difficult to learn and memorize due to the sheer number of symbols.
  • Not well-suited for languages with complex sound systems or multiple dialects.

logogram relate terms

  • logogriph

    Etymology The word logogriph is derived from two Greek words logos λόγος w

  • Logos

    Etymology The word logos comes from the Ancient Greek word λόγος lógos meani

  • logogram

    Etymology Derived from Ancient Greek logos word and gramma letter Meaning A

  • logograph

    Etymology From Ancient Greek λόγος lógos word speech γράφειν graph

  • represent

    Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words etymon meaning true sense

  • breakfast

    Etymology The word breakfast originated in the early 15th century Middle English term

  • locomotive

    Etymology The word locomotive is derived from Latin loco place motus moved

  • baccalaureate

    Etymology and Meaning The word baccalaureate originates from the Medieval Latin word b

  • nuance

    Etymology Late Middle English from Old French nuance from Medieval Latin nuantia fro

  • institute

    Etymology The word institute comes from the Latin word institutum which means an es

  • adept

    Etymology The word adept is derived from the Latin word adeptus which means one who

  • method

    Etymology The word method comes from the Greek word methodos which means way to a g

  • dodge

    Etymology The word dodge has its origins in the Middle English word doggen meaning