Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet

Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet

Special Interest 2023

Available on Prime Video

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.

Special Interest 2023

Starring John McWhorter

EPISODE 1

The Nature of Writing

Differences between written and spoken languages.

24 min · 19 May 2023
EPISODE 2

Cuneiform: The World's First Writing

Tracing the origins of the earliest surviving form of writing.

25 min · 19 May 2023
EPISODE 3

How Egyptian Hieroglyphs Work

Learning the hieroglyphics function as a written form of language.

26 min · 19 May 2023
EPISODE 4

The Invention of Alphabets

The Phoenician alphabet as it spread to the Middle East.

19 min · 19 May 2023
EPISODE 5

The Alphabet Goes East

Exploring the development of writing systems in Asia.

27 min · 19 May 2023
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 · 19 May 2023

John McWhorter

Host

About

Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet

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.

Information

Studio: The Great Courses
Released: 2023

Languages

Subtitles: English (United States) (SDH)