Name: Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet
Released: 2023-05-19T00:00:00.000Z
Cast: John McWhorter

TV Show · Special Interest

Examining the alphabet from A to Z with linguist John McWhorter and discovering what the development of writing teaches about language, culture, and human connection.

2023 · 24m

Starring John McWhorter

EPISODE 1

The Nature of Writing

Differences between written and spoken languages.

24 min
EPISODE 2

Cuneiform: The World's First Writing

Tracing the origins of the earliest surviving form of writing.

25 min
EPISODE 3

How Egyptian Hieroglyphs Work

Learning the hieroglyphics function as a written form of language.

26 min
EPISODE 4

The Invention of Alphabets

The Phoenician alphabet as it spread to the Middle East.

19 min
EPISODE 5

The Alphabet Goes East

Exploring the development of writing systems in Asia.

27 min
EPISODE 6

The Advent of A, E, and O

Examining the origins of the letter "A" as both a symbol and a sound; exploring the development of other vowels like "E" and "O."

22 min

John McWhorter

Host

Season 1

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Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet

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