Writing Systems WALS
This WALS-feature is rather special. In the book, there are areas on the map instead of dots, and the map (and list of languages) is missing entirely from the CD and the website. Furthermore, the terms used are not all what we in conlanging-circles have grown accustomed to, and the analysis seems at times a bit too simplified.
1. Alphabetic
Alphabetic, like Latin, Greek, Russian etc. WALS also considers Korean to be of this type.
2. Consonantal
Possibly better known as an abjad: Arabic, Hebrew.
3. Alphasyllabic
Possibly better known as an abugida: Sanskrit and many other writing systems originating from the Indian continent.
4. Syllabic
Syllabic like Cherokee or the Kanas of Japanese.
5. Logographic
This is where WALS puts Chinese.
6. Mixed logographic-syllabic
This is where WALS puts Japanese writing as a whole.
WALS mentions that Korean previously had a "Mixed logographic-alphabetic" system but that it now is mostly alphabetical. Ancient Eyptian is considered to be "Mixed logographic-consonantal", but Ancient Egyptian doesn't have an entry. Hittite isn't mentioned at all (logographical, syllabic and a separate set of logographs that weren't spoken). There's therefore no real good place to put mixed systems.
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