Homo Alphabeticus, the Ethnocentric Definition of Writing, and Mesoamerican Writing Systems

Abstract

Among researchers who study Mesoamerican communication systems there is a debate about how the term “writing” should be defined. Some limit writing to glottography, i.e., systems that represent linguistic units (e.g., sounds, syllables, or words); others prefer a broader definition that includes semasiography, i.e., the use of signifiers that represent referents without passing through a particular language. We analyze the epistemological position from which writing is discussed and identify several fallacies and biases that inform these discussions. We also review the grammatological approach that has been in vogue in recent years. We propose that other forms of graphic communication call for a reconceptualization of “writing”, and we argue for a broader definition.