Sequoyah
The Cherokee had no writing system until Europeans arrived in America. Yet, the Cherokee did not get their writing from the Europeans exactly. There was a Cherokee named Sequoyah who observed Europeans using writing. He then went home and developed a written language for his tribe. It caught on and now is widely used among them.
Sequoyah had no idea how writing worked. In fact, what he developed is quite different from how Western written languages work. We use letters and combinations of letters for each sound we make. Sequoyah developed an 85 character alphabet for each syllable. Its different, but it functions.
What is interesting about Sequoyah is that his invention of written language breaks down ideas we have about learning and development. When we learn about a language, techniche, religion, philosophy or anything really, history comes with it. Often we learn the evolution of where that idea came from and how it developed over time. For instance, we learn that the Egyptians first came up with beer and then that practice spread through world cultural like a rash. If any culture happened to have beer, it must have meant they had Egyptian influence. An Egyptian must have taught that non-Egyptian how to brew.
Sequoyah teaches us that people can spontaneous come up with practices through mere aspiration and not solely through being taught. The difference is subtle, but important.
There once was a time when man had no language. Then, a few cavemen started grunting at each other. Does this mean that all language is derived from this first group? No, a rival tribe could have seen them grunt, gone home and tried doing it themselves. They could have invented a completely different language with different syntax that is unrelated. The idea of language can be spread without the practice of language.
This can apply to a number of things. A person can see a weapon, a farming tool, a boat, a dance or a painting. They can realize it is possible to create those things and can go home and do it. Sure, it’s more difficult to do something on one’s own, but it is possible.
This is relevant in that we do not necessarily need to learn from teachers. To be a good writer, musician or painter, one doesn’t need to mimic the greats. We can find our own paths that may, just may, be better or more interesting than the commonly known method.
Sequoyah had no idea how writing worked. In fact, what he developed is quite different from how Western written languages work. We use letters and combinations of letters for each sound we make. Sequoyah developed an 85 character alphabet for each syllable. Its different, but it functions.
What is interesting about Sequoyah is that his invention of written language breaks down ideas we have about learning and development. When we learn about a language, techniche, religion, philosophy or anything really, history comes with it. Often we learn the evolution of where that idea came from and how it developed over time. For instance, we learn that the Egyptians first came up with beer and then that practice spread through world cultural like a rash. If any culture happened to have beer, it must have meant they had Egyptian influence. An Egyptian must have taught that non-Egyptian how to brew.
Sequoyah teaches us that people can spontaneous come up with practices through mere aspiration and not solely through being taught. The difference is subtle, but important.
There once was a time when man had no language. Then, a few cavemen started grunting at each other. Does this mean that all language is derived from this first group? No, a rival tribe could have seen them grunt, gone home and tried doing it themselves. They could have invented a completely different language with different syntax that is unrelated. The idea of language can be spread without the practice of language.
This can apply to a number of things. A person can see a weapon, a farming tool, a boat, a dance or a painting. They can realize it is possible to create those things and can go home and do it. Sure, it’s more difficult to do something on one’s own, but it is possible.
This is relevant in that we do not necessarily need to learn from teachers. To be a good writer, musician or painter, one doesn’t need to mimic the greats. We can find our own paths that may, just may, be better or more interesting than the commonly known method.
posted by American Dilettante at
5:33 PM
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