Was Akkadian on Clay Tablets the Earliest Known Rendering of Language?
Was Akkadian on Clay Tablets the Earliest Known Rendering of Language?From the Ancient/Classical History ForumAnswer: The answer is: “no”, I think. The writer could have been asking if cuneiform was the earliest script, in which case the answer is: “quite possibly.” Writing itself can be thought of as a language and the script can be thought of as a rendering of a spoken language, so for simplicity, I’m distinguishing the written representation of speech as a script or writing; the spoken language will be treated, as it is conventionally, as “language”. For those who want a better explanation, please read Barry B. Powell’s Writing (2009). The verdict is yet out as to whether cuneiform is the earliest script. Egypt, China, and Indi
