F u cn rd ths, u r abl t rd a cnsnntl alphbt.      (Solution)

S u cn gs, a cnsnntl alphbt s n whr thr r n vwls n th wrttn sstm.     (Solution)

Ancnt gptn ws cnsnntl.     (Solution)

As noted, real alphabets don't always have a one-to-one correspondence of sound to symbol. Consonantal alphabets are those that do not represent the vowels of the language with written symbols. Thus, they have fewer symbols than sounds. The reader must fill in the missing vowels as he/she reads. Modern consonantal alphabets include:

• Arabic
• Hebrew

Short vowels can be represented, too, by diacritical (extra) marks. Children are taught to read using short vowels, but typically the short vowels are omitted entirely. Any adult requiring them for reading is thought to be a poor reader.

My name, Linda, which has a short and a long vowel in it would be written like this:

The Arabic system, then, is not a consonantal writing system, only a consonantal alphabet because there are ways to signal the vowels.

• A phonetic alphabet is one where each sound has its own symbol.
• A phonemic alphabet is one where each phoneme has its own symbol, and the allophones all share the same symbol.

• Latin was basically a phonemic alphabet.
• That is, the written symbols we use represent the phonemes (basic sounds) of the language, not possible variations of pronunciation.

The easiest writing system for a native speaker to learn and use is a phonemic alphabet, not a phonetic alphabet.
A phonetic alphabet would have more letters than is necessary--it would be overkill.

Some languages use a system that focuses on the syllable. In a syllabary, one symbol denotes an entire syllable.

• Cherokee is a syllabary.

Arabic is a good example to use when looking at problems a NNS may have adapting to English from other alphabets. Although both systems are alphabets, the following differences can pose difficulties.

1. Arabic doesn't typically include the diacritical marks for short vowels.
2. Arabic is written from right to left.
3. the letters have different forms depending upon their placement in a word:
• Initial
• Medial
• Final
4. There is no distinction of capital vs. lower case
5. There is no distinction between printing and cursive.

Additionally, NSs of languages that write from right to left may form their Latin letters in an odd way, even though the ultimate result is a proper looking letter. In teaching writing, not only should the shapes of letters taught, but also the specific motions for forming the letters. In English, these motions are based on working from the left to the right. Someone previously trained to write from right to left will generally adapt the right-to-left motion to create a similar shape in the Latin alphabet.

Does Arabic sound confusing? Consider that English uses four distinct forms for each letter:

NSs of both logographic and certain alphabets may have difficulty with the distinctions between printing and cursive forms.

English classes in many Asian countries and in many Arabic-speaking countries don’t teach cursive forms.

If you notice your students have trouble reading what you have written on the board, you might want to take a look at whether you are using cursive or printing.

By the way, a writing system must be learned.

While the ability to acquire language seems inborn, the instinct is for direct interpersonal communication (i.e. spoken or signed), not for writing.

Very few writing systems have been invented in the world.
Most writing systems have been borrowed from other cultures or inspired by the system used in another culture.

Discussion - Lesson 4, Page 5