Language and Writing

Bibliographic Data

ID23163702
AuthorsWilliam G Boltz (University of Washington, corresponding author)
Year1999
Pages74-123
Publication date1999-03-13
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeCHAPTER
VenueThe Cambridge history of ancient China (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherCambridge University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1017/chol9780521470308.004
OpenAlexW2501844251
ISBN9780521470308
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited304

No one needs to be persuaded that language plays a fundamental part in any society’s everyday activities and constitutes one of the most durable fibers in the tapestry of human history. Indeed, language is a defining feature of our species. The present chapter describes the structure, history, and setting of the Chinese language, as well as the first appearance and subsequent development of its script, over the millennium from 1200 B.C., the time of the earliest known written record of Chinese, down to the beginning of the imperial era, ca. 200 B.C. While this is primarily a linguistically slanted presentation, it is important to remain aware of the extent to which language history is intertwined with fundamental issues of cultural history in general. The historian may see in language history a rich record of the lives of real people played out in a real world setting and may find clues even to a people’s prehistory. These kinds of broad historical considerations depend on the narrower work of the linguist.

Archaeology · Art · Linguistics · Literature · Prehistory · Presentation (obstetrics) · Chinese history and philosophy · History · Philosophy

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