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What is writing?
Let us define what writing is NOT.
Writing is not doodle.
Writing is not scribble even if they may have constituted 'potters' marks' comparable to trade marks or road signs.
So, writing is an alternative representation to communicate language or thought. In the context of ancient Indian tradition, one such alternative is called mlecchita vikalpa, 'Meluhha cipher writing' -- identified as one of 64 arts to be learned by youth.
![Image result for indus script sign bird fish parenthesis]()
Mohenjodro 0304 seal impression http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.in/2015/08/hieroglyph-multiplex-ayas-alloymetal.html
There are some who define writing as only alphabet (consonant, vowel) or syllable (phoneme) representations to signify sounds of a language.
This restrictive definition rules out writing systems which express ideas, exemplified by Chinese writing.
This restrictive definition also rules out mlecchita vikalpa type of writing systems which use hieroglyphs to signify words with more than one meaning: a meaning to signify, say, an object as a drawing (e.g. bharati 'partridge, quail'); another meaning to signify an entirely different object as a life-activity (e.g. bharati 'alloy metal of copper, pewter, tin'). In such a vikalpa (alternative), a hieroglyph denotes a partidge/quail but the intended message is an alloy metal.
It is unclear why languages evolve with the use of similar sounding words (homonyms) to signify different meanings.
A characteristic feature of many languages of Indian sprachbund (speech union) is that homonyms are frequently encountered. There is also a language characteristic of reduplications of spoken words in Indian sprachbund. (A precise account of reduplication feature of languages is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduplication ) The term sprachbund has a synonym in linguistic studies: linguistic area or areal linguistics. In the context of Indian languages the phrase got into vogue from an author of Dravidian Etymological Dictionary: Emeneau, M. (1956). "India as a Linguistic Area". Language 32 (1): 3–16.
In a series of works, mlecchita vikalpa has been identified in Indus Script Corpora which has now grown to about 7000 inscriptions (Over 4500 identified in the Corpus in 3 volumes so far by Asko Parpola's team PLUS about 2000 Persian Gulf seals PLUS over 1000 cylinder seal impressions of Ancient Near East which use hieroglyphs of Indus Script).
For example, see the following use of a unique rebus-metonymy layered cipher for some hieroglyphs and hieroglyph-multiplexes of Indus script:
It has been demonstrated that the Indus Script Corpora is catalogus catalogorum of metalwork and the metalcasters of Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization where the writing system originated ca. 3300 BCE called themselves workers of metal alloy, bharata/bharati, thus as bhāratam janam in a very ancient document, a sacred text, Rigveda:
viśvāmitrasya rakṣati brahmedam bhāratam janam. RV3.53.12. (
It will be an error to rule out writing systems like Indus Script which deploy word-hieroglyph patterns of representation as distinct from syllable or consonant/vowel representation exemplified by Aramaic or Brāhmi or Kharoṣṭhī.
The system of writing, mlecchita vikalpa by bhāratam janam was matched by the splendour of prosody called chandas in Rigveda. Mlecchita vikalpa encoded speech (mleccha/meluhha), while chandas encoded mantras like the one cited from Rishi Viśvāmitra who also recited the Gāyatri mantra venerating the effulgent sun and making speech resonate with anāhata nāda brahman 'unstruck sound cosmic-consciousness' of vāk, speech as mother divine.
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Reseach Center
August 14, 2015
What is writing?
Let us define what writing is NOT.
Writing is not doodle.
Writing is not scribble even if they may have constituted 'potters' marks' comparable to trade marks or road signs.
So, writing is an alternative representation to communicate language or thought. In the context of ancient Indian tradition, one such alternative is called mlecchita vikalpa, 'Meluhha cipher writing' -- identified as one of 64 arts to be learned by youth.
There are some who define writing as only alphabet (consonant, vowel) or syllable (phoneme) representations to signify sounds of a language.
This restrictive definition rules out writing systems which express ideas, exemplified by Chinese writing.
This restrictive definition also rules out mlecchita vikalpa type of writing systems which use hieroglyphs to signify words with more than one meaning: a meaning to signify, say, an object as a drawing (e.g. bharati 'partridge, quail'); another meaning to signify an entirely different object as a life-activity (e.g. bharati 'alloy metal of copper, pewter, tin'). In such a vikalpa (alternative), a hieroglyph denotes a partidge/quail but the intended message is an alloy metal.
It is unclear why languages evolve with the use of similar sounding words (homonyms) to signify different meanings.
A characteristic feature of many languages of Indian sprachbund (speech union) is that homonyms are frequently encountered. There is also a language characteristic of reduplications of spoken words in Indian sprachbund. (A precise account of reduplication feature of languages is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduplication ) The term sprachbund has a synonym in linguistic studies: linguistic area or areal linguistics. In the context of Indian languages the phrase got into vogue from an author of Dravidian Etymological Dictionary: Emeneau, M. (1956). "India as a Linguistic Area". Language 32 (1): 3–16.
In a series of works, mlecchita vikalpa has been identified in Indus Script Corpora which has now grown to about 7000 inscriptions (Over 4500 identified in the Corpus in 3 volumes so far by Asko Parpola's team PLUS about 2000 Persian Gulf seals PLUS over 1000 cylinder seal impressions of Ancient Near East which use hieroglyphs of Indus Script).
For example, see the following use of a unique rebus-metonymy layered cipher for some hieroglyphs and hieroglyph-multiplexes of Indus script:
- fish: aya 'fish' (Munda) Rebus aya 'iron' (Gujarati)
- partridge/quail: bharati 'partridge/quail' Rebus: bharati 'alloy of copper, pewter, tin' (Marathi)
- safflower: karaDi 'safflower' Rebus: karaDa 'hard alloy' (Marathi)
- crocodile: karA 'crocodile' Rebus: khAr 'blacksmith' (Kashmiri)
- ram: meD 'ram' Rebus: meD 'iron' (Ho.)
- narrow-necked jar: karava 'narrow-necked jar' Rebus: kharva 'wealth'; karba 'iron' (Tulu)
- rim of jar: karNaka 'rim of jar' Rebus: karNI 'supercargo' karNIka 'scribe'
- young bull: khond 'young bull' Rebus: khond 'turner' (metals)
- wallet: dhokra 'wallet' Rebus: dhokra 'cire perdue metalcaster'
- water-carrier: kuTi 'water-carrier' Rebus: kuThi 'smelter'
- warrior: bhaTa 'warrior' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace'
- rhinoceros: kANDa 'rhinoceros' Rebus: kANDa 'implements'
It has been demonstrated that the Indus Script Corpora is catalogus catalogorum of metalwork and the metalcasters of Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization where the writing system originated ca. 3300 BCE called themselves workers of metal alloy, bharata/bharati, thus as bhāratam janam in a very ancient document, a sacred text, Rigveda:
viśvāmitrasya rakṣati brahmedam bhāratam janam. RV3.53.12. (
It will be an error to rule out writing systems like Indus Script which deploy word-hieroglyph patterns of representation as distinct from syllable or consonant/vowel representation exemplified by Aramaic or Brāhmi or Kharoṣṭhī.
The system of writing, mlecchita vikalpa by bhāratam janam was matched by the splendour of prosody called chandas in Rigveda. Mlecchita vikalpa encoded speech (mleccha/meluhha), while chandas encoded mantras like the one cited from Rishi Viśvāmitra who also recited the Gāyatri mantra venerating the effulgent sun and making speech resonate with anāhata nāda brahman 'unstruck sound cosmic-consciousness' of vāk, speech as mother divine.
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Reseach Center
August 14, 2015