Another Short History of Linguistics (8)

Basic Category Symbol (BCS) is a very useful term to explain linguistic issue.

For comparative of different language, we had to find the most basic element. For instance, in writing system, the simplest symbol normally one or two strokes. Here we regard the basic stroke is only ‘I’ ‘C’ ‘.’ and ‘7’ or we may say all other writing symbols are combinations from these four symbols. ‘I’ can be turned for four symbols:

‘C’ can be turned for four symbols too:

‘.’ Is normally help others for four different symbols:

The most able symbol is ‘7’, it can be turned into 48 symbols:

 Let’s check the number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, the number 2 is Ɔ + ˍ, the 3 is Ɔ + Ɔ , 4 is L + I, 5 is Γ + Ɔ , 6 is C + Ɔ, 8 is ᴒ +ᴗ :

9 is C + Ɔ  and 0 is C + Ɔ  too. As for the 26 letters a is C + I…..z is 7 + 一. You may try to think how many strokes for each about the 26 letters in capital. From above discuss, we may understand that a writing system from simple going to complex, its basic writing symbol will shift from ‘I’ ‘C’ ‘.’  to ‘I’ ‘7’ ‘.’. The cuneiform doing this:

And Chinese characters doing this too from top to bottom: