Ancient Languages
"Of course, if Hebrew or any of the other ancient languages had included punctuation[...]" (Truss 75).
My mind was blown away by this fact. I mean, how could anyone understand the text at all! It seems that the ancient civilizations were doing a basic form of stream of thought way before it became popular in literature.
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Ancient Languages.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://blogs.setonhill.edu/mt/mt_tb-awoisdlkfj.cgi/13443
2 Comments
Leave a comment
Recent Comments
Kaitlin Monier on Ancient Languages: It is strange to think about.
Dennis G. Jerz on Ancient Languages: At time when the few people wh
Dennis G. Jerz on Ancient Languages: At time when the few people wh
At time when the few people who knew how to read would have read aloud, they wouldn't have needed visual punctuation to aid their minds in constructing the meaning of the sentences; instead, they'd just have listened to the sounds they were making. But you're right -- we are so used to punctuation that it's hard to imagine what writing can be like without punctuation.
It is strange to think about. Maybe they had a way of communication which did not need punctuation. Maybe they understood things differently than we do now.