• Orthographic variation as evidence for the development of the Linear B writing system

    Author(s):
    Anna P. Judson (see profile)
    Date:
    2020
    Group(s):
    Archaeology, Classical Philology and Linguistics
    Subject(s):
    Antiquities, Prehistoric, Europe--Aegean Sea Region, Greek language, Linguistics, Language and languages--Writing
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Aegean prehistory, Linear B, Mycenaean Greek, orthography, writing system, Aegean prehistoric archaeology, Writing systems
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/8s74-xt56
    Abstract:
    This is the accepted version of the paper; the published version is available at doi.org/10.1075/wll.00025.jud (or by contacting me). This paper investigates the issue of orthographic variation in the Linear B writing system in order to explore ways in which studying a writing system’s orthographic conventions may shed light on the history of its development. Linear B was used in the palatial/administrative centres of Late Bronze Age Greece and Crete (c.1400-1200 B.C.E.) and records an early Greek dialect known as ‘Mycenaean’. The writing system’s structure and orthographic conventions permit flexibility in the spelling of particular phonological sequences: this paper discusses the varying orthographic representation of such sequences and shows that synchronic variation is common or even the norm in many cases. Investigating the factors which underlie this variation demonstrates the potential for a study of synchronic variation to illuminate a writing system’s diachronic development; it also underlines the importance of analysing the ways in which writers actually choose to use writing systems in order to fully understand their development.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    doi.org/10.1075/wll.00025.jud
    Publisher:
    John Benjamins Publishing Company
    Pub. Date:
    2020-3-30
    Journal:
    Written Language and Literacy,Written Language & Literacy,Writing Systems
    Volume:
    22
    Issue:
    2
    Page Range:
    179 - 197
    ISSN:
    1387-6732,1570-6001
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    3 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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