Editing Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Introduction-to-Writing-Systems

Writing systems are visual carriers of languages. They are tools, so they can be evaluated as tools. Here are the important information about the currently used and some historical writing systems.

Visit https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Writing-Implements to see how to write.

This page has a sibling: https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Keyboards


The writing direction of writing systems can vary.

Han used to be top-to-bottom, right-to-left. When writing, the left hand holds the roll of bamboo slips or other materials and the right hand writes. 

Some writing systems were right-to-left, top-to-bottom. When writing, the left hand presses the parchment or other materials and the right hand writes.

The writing direction of Mayan and some others are zigzag: in the first two columns, write two characters in the first line, then the two characters in the second line; upon reaching the bottom, start a new column.

The writing direction of Greek used to be something called “boustrophedon”: odd lines are normal, even lines are mirrored.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writing_system#Directionality for details of directions.

To avoid wiping the ink with the right hand, the writing direction of many writing systems are changed to left-to-right, top-to-bottom.

Which one is better: “left-to-right then top-to-bottom” or “top-to-bottom then left-to-right”? To hold the paper steadily, the hands need to be close to the centre of the paper, which means the paper should be short horizontally and long vertically. If written in “top-to-bottom then left-to-right”, in the case where only one or two words are at the end of a paragraph, more spaces in the line will be wasted. As a result, “left-to-right then top-to-bottom” is the best solution of direction of writing.

On mobile phones and on personal computers, the situation can be different: the screen may be long horizontally and short vertically; avoiding swiping the ink is no longer a consideration.

== Logogram ==
It is the earliest form of writing systems. As what its name suggests, they are pictures (logo).

Its advantage is able to express the meaning easily, even without needing unified pronunciations. Its disadvantage is having too many glyphs to memorise.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Anatolian
|Luwian
|Anatolia
|14<sup>th</sup> to 13<sup>th</sup> century BC – 7<sup>th</sup> century BC
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Hamath_inscription.jpg/300px-Hamath_inscription.jpg
|-
|Aztec
|Nahuatl
|Mesoamerica
|? – c. 1530
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/Aztec_Triple_Alliance_Glyphs.jpg/300px-Aztec_Triple_Alliance_Glyphs.jpg
|-
|Chữ Nôm
|Vietnamese
|Vietnam
|15<sup>th</sup> century – 19<sup>th</sup> century
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Van_Tien_co_tich_tan_truyen.jpg
|-
|Cretan
|Minoan
|Crete
|c. 2100 BC – 1700 BC
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/%CE%94%CE%AF%CF%83%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%82_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%A6%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%8D_%CF%80%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%85%CF%81%CE%AC_B_6381.JPG/600px-%CE%94%CE%AF%CF%83%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%82_%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%A6%CE%B1%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%8D_%CF%80%CE%BB%CE%B5%CF%85%CF%81%CE%AC_B_6381.JPG
(Δίσκος της Φαιστού ''Dískos tis Phaistós)''
|-
|Cuneiform
|Sumerian, Akkadian, etc.
|Mesopotamia
|c. 35<sup>th</sup> century BC – 2<sup>nd</sup> century
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Sumerian_26th_c_Adab.jpg/400px-Sumerian_26th_c_Adab.jpg
|-
|Cypro-Minoan
|Eteocypriot
|Cyprus
|c. 1550 BC – 1050 BC
|Linear A
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Tablet_cypro-minoan_2_Louvre_AM2336.jpg/505px-Tablet_cypro-minoan_2_Louvre_AM2336.jpg
|-
|Dongba
|Naxi
|Southeastern China
|1000 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Naxi_manuscript_%28right%29_2088.jpg/1024px-Naxi_manuscript_%28right%29_2088.jpg
|-
|Egyptian
|Egyptian
|Egypt
|c. 3200 BC – 400
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Minnakht_01.JPG/400px-Minnakht_01.JPG
|-
|Han
|Chinese, etc.
|East Asia
|2<sup>nd</sup> millennium BC –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Shang_Inscribed_Ox_Scapula_%28for_divination%29.jpg/512px-Shang_Inscribed_Ox_Scapula_%28for_divination%29.jpg
|-
|Jurchen
|Jurchen
|Northeastern China
|12<sup>th</sup> century–16<sup>th</sup> century
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Bushell_Juchen_21.jpg/508px-Bushell_Juchen_21.jpg
|-
|Khitan large script
|Khitan
|Northeast Asia
|920 – 1191
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Nova_N_176_folio_9.jpg/471px-Nova_N_176_folio_9.jpg
|-
|Linear A
|Minoan
|Crete
|c. 1800 BC – 1450 BC
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Sitia_Museum_Linear_A_02.jpg/480px-Sitia_Museum_Linear_A_02.jpg
|-
|Mayan
|Chʼoltiʼ, Yucatec Maya, etc.
|Mesoamerica
|3<sup>rd</sup> century BC – 16<sup>th</sup> century
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Mayan_stela.JPG/450px-Mayan_stela.JPG
|-
|Mixtec
|Mixtec languages
|Mesoamerica
|? – c. 1530
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Codice_Vindobonensis_1.jpg/500px-Codice_Vindobonensis_1.jpg
|-
|Sawndip
|Zhuang
|Southern China
|7<sup>th</sup> century –
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Manuscripts_in_the_Yunnan_Nationalities_Museum_-_DSC03931.JPG/500px-Manuscripts_in_the_Yunnan_Nationalities_Museum_-_DSC03931.JPG
|-
|Sui
|Sui
|Southern China
|? –
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/EAP143_1_1_3_Shuishu_manuscript_from_Libo.jpg/800px-EAP143_1_1_3_Shuishu_manuscript_from_Libo.jpg
|-
|Tangut
|Tangut
|Northwestern China
|1036–1502
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/The_Art_of_War-Tangut_script.jpg
|-
|Yi logogram
|Nuosu, etc.
|Southwestern China
|15<sup>th</sup> to 16<sup>th</sup> century –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Manuscripts_in_the_Yunnan_Nationalities_Museum_-_DSC03976.JPG/800px-Manuscripts_in_the_Yunnan_Nationalities_Museum_-_DSC03976.JPG
|-
|Zapotec
|Zapotec
|Mesoamerica
|5<sup>th</sup> century BC – 8<sup>th</sup> century
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Monte_Alban_Stela_12%2B13.jpg/689px-Monte_Alban_Stela_12%2B13.jpg
|}
==== Han ====
Han writing system is the one of the logograms that are still used today.

There are [https://www.writtenchinese.com/lowdown-6-types-of-chinese-characters/ 6 ways of creating characters], concluded by scholars in Han dynasty.

It has several different scripts. There used to be many different writings of a characters. After the unification of China, Qin Shi Huang abolished other writings, only keeping Qin State's writing as the official one, written with the small seal script.

During its development, many modifications took place. Wrong characters and unorthodox character variants are plenty. For example, “肉” (flesh) became confused with “月” (moon) and as a result, many characters with meanings related to flesh have the radical 月.

The simplification of Han was also happening through history. For example, “爲” became “為” and finally “为”, like Picasso's bull. In People's Republic of China, there were two attempts of simplification of Han, one of which was successful and the other failed. In Japan, there was one simplification and it was successful.

Currently, it is being used in China and Japan regularly; in Korea and Vietnam sporadically.

There have been some attempts to abolish Han. In China and Japan, they failed; in Korea and Vietnam, they were largely successful. In the Republic of Korea, some people call for having Han along with Hangul in textbooks; In Vietnam, some people call for having Han and Chữ Nôm as a compulsory course in liberal arts.

Related resources:
* Chinese Etymology 字源 https://etymology.azurewebsites.net/ | https://hanziyuan.net/

{| class="wikitable"
|+main scripts
!script
!timespan
!example
|-
|oracle bone script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Shang_Inscribed_Ox_Scapula_%28for_divination%29.jpg/512px-Shang_Inscribed_Ox_Scapula_%28for_divination%29.jpg
|-
|bronzeware script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Bronze_Ding_of_Song%2C_Late_Western_Zhou%2C_9th_C._to_771_BC_1b.jpg/800px-Bronze_Ding_of_Song%2C_Late_Western_Zhou%2C_9th_C._to_771_BC_1b.jpg
|-
|seal script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/XiaozhuanQinquan.jpg/300px-XiaozhuanQinquan.jpg
(廿六年詔權量銘 ''Niànliù Nián Zhào Quànliàng Míng'')
|-
|clerical script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/LishuHuashanmiao.jpg/200px-LishuHuashanmiao.jpg
(華山庙碑 ''Huà Shān Miào Bēi)
|-
|regular script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/KaishuOuyangxun.jpg/200px-KaishuOuyangxun.jpg
(九成宮醴泉銘 ''Jiǔchéng Gōng Lǐquán Míng'')
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+other scripts
!script
!timespan
!example
|-
|cursive script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Mi_Fu-On_Calligraphy.jpg/400px-Mi_Fu-On_Calligraphy.jpg
(書論書 ''Shūlùn Shū'')
|-
|semicursive script
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Lanting_P3rd.jpg/300px-Lanting_P3rd.jpg
(蘭亭集序 ''Lántíng Jí Xù'')
|}

== Phonogram ==
=== Abjad ===
To avoid the disadvantages of the logogram, this new writing system was formed. In Abjad, the characters represent the consonants.

To show its vowels, there are two ways: add diacritics or become alphabetical.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Arabic
|Arabic, Persian, Urdu, etc.
|Arabia
|400 –
|Nabataean
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/A_folio_from_the_codex_TIEM_%C5%9EE_12995.jpg/436px-A_folio_from_the_codex_TIEM_%C5%9EE_12995.jpg
|-
|Ancient South Arabian
|South Arabian, Ge'ez
|South Arabia
|2<sup>nd</sup> millennium BC – 6<sup>th</sup> century
|Proto-Sinaitic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Marble_plate_inscribed_with_an_ancient_South_Arabian_script_about_Christianity._From_Yemen%2C_6th_century_CE._Ancient_Orient_Museum%2C_Istanbul.jpg/800px-Marble_plate_inscribed_with_an_ancient_South_Arabian_script_about_Christianity._From_Yemen%2C_6th_century_CE._Ancient_Orient_Museum%2C_Istanbul.jpg
|-
|Aramaic
|Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, etc.
|Mesopotamia
|800 BC – 600
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Papyrus_narrating_the_story_of_the_wise_chancellor_Ahiqar._Aramaic_script._5th_century_BCE._From_Elephantine%2C_Egypt._Neues_Museum.jpg/1024px-Papyrus_narrating_the_story_of_the_wise_chancellor_Ahiqar._Aramaic_script._5th_century_BCE._From_Elephantine%2C_Egypt._Neues_Museum.jpg
|-
|Hebrew
|Jewish languages
|Southern Levant
|2<sup>nd</sup> to 1<sup>st</sup> century BC –
|Aramic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Aleppo_Codex_Joshua_1_1.jpg
|-
|Libyc
|Tuareg languages
|Sahara and Sahel
|first millennium BC – 4<sup>th</sup> to 7<sup>th</sup> century
|Egyptian?
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Libyc_%28Berber%29_stele.jpg/450px-Libyc_%28Berber%29_stele.jpg
|-
|Nabatean
|Nabataean
|Nabataea
|2<sup>nd</sup> century BC – 4<sup>th</sup> century
|Aramic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Nabataean_alphabet_tablet_-_2018430.jpg/562px-Nabataean_alphabet_tablet_-_2018430.jpg
|-
|Paleo-Hebrew
|Hebrew
|Southern Levant
|c. 1000 BC – 135
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Gezer_calendar_close_up.jpg
|-
|Perso-Arabic
|Indo-Iranian languages
|Persia
|7<sup>th</sup> century –
|Arabic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Muhaqqaq_script_-_Qur%27anic_verses.jpg/800px-Muhaqqaq_script_-_Qur%27anic_verses.jpg
|-
|Phoenician
|Phoenician, Punic, etc.
|Mediterranea
|c. 1050 BC – 150 BC
|Proto-Sinaitic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Phoenician_inscription_alanya.jpg/800px-Phoenician_inscription_alanya.jpg
|-
|Ugaritic
|Ugaritic
|Ugarit
|c. 1400 BC – 1190 BC
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/22_alphabet.jpg
|-
|Samaritan
|Samaritan
|Levant
|600 BC –
|Paleo-Hebrew
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Samaritan_Leviticus.jpg/425px-Samaritan_Leviticus.jpg
|-
|Sogdian
|Sogdian
|Central Asia
|c. 100 – 1200
|Syriac
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Manichaean_miniature_image_depicting_two_female_musicians%2C_from_a_Sogdian-language_text.jpg/496px-Manichaean_miniature_image_depicting_two_female_musicians%2C_from_a_Sogdian-language_text.jpg
|-
|Syriac
|Aramaic, etc.
|Mesopotamia
|c. 1 –
|Aramaic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Syriac_Sert%C3%A2_book_script.jpg/794px-Syriac_Sert%C3%A2_book_script.jpg
|-
|Tifinagh
|Tuareg languages
|Sahara and Sahel
|1980s –
|Libyc
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Zgh-fl_Inezgan.jpg/800px-Zgh-fl_Inezgan.jpg
|}
==== Phoenician ====
Phoenician was derived from Egyptian and is the ancestor of most writing systems in the current time.

=== Syllabary ===
In this type of writing systems, every letter is a syllable.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Afaka
|Eastern Maroon Creole
|Suriname
|1910 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Afaka_letter.png
|-
|Cherokee
|Cherokee
|Southeastern Woodlands
|1820s –
|Latin
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Cherokee_constitution.jpg/393px-Cherokee_constitution.jpg
|-
|Kana
|Japanese
|Japan
|c. 800 –
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Tosa_nikki_copied_by_Teika.JPG
|-
|Linear B
|Mycenaean Greek
|Mycenae
|c. 1450 BC – 1200 BC
|Linear A
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Tablet_with_Linear_B_Script_from_the_Palace_of_Knossos_-_1375_BC.jpg/392px-Tablet_with_Linear_B_Script_from_the_Palace_of_Knossos_-_1375_BC.jpg
|-
|Vai
|Vai
|Liberia
|1830s –
|Cherokee
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Qur_an_Vai.gif
|-
|Yi syllabary
|Nuosu, etc.
|Southwestern China
|1974 –
|Yi logogram
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/201908_A_School_in_Lianghekou%2C_Xide.jpg/800px-201908_A_School_in_Lianghekou%2C_Xide.jpg
|}

=== Abugida ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Ahom
|Ahom
|Assam
|13<sup>th</sup> century – 19<sup>th</sup> century
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Tai_Script_of_Ahom_Kingdom.jpg/800px-Tai_Script_of_Ahom_Kingdom.jpg
|-
|Bhattiprolu 
|
|Bhattiprolu 
|3<sup>rd</sup> century BC – 1<sup>st</sup> century BC
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%9C%E0%B0%BE_%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%AC%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%BF_%E0%B0%AD%E0%B0%9F%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%9F%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%AA%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%B0%E0%B1%8B%E0%B0%B2%E0%B1%81_%E0%B0%A7%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%A4%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%AA%E0%B1%87%E0%B0%9F%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%95_%E0%B0%B6%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%B8%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%82_%E0%B1%AC.png/449px-%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%9C%E0%B0%BE_%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%AC%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%B0%E0%B0%95%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%BF_%E0%B0%AD%E0%B0%9F%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%9F%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%AA%E0%B1%8D%E0%B0%B0%E0%B1%8B%E0%B0%B2%E0%B1%81_%E0%B0%A7%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%A4%E0%B1%81%E0%B0%AA%E0%B1%87%E0%B0%9F%E0%B0%BF%E0%B0%95_%E0%B0%B6%E0%B0%BE%E0%B0%B8%E0%B0%A8%E0%B0%82_%E0%B1%AC.png
|-
|Baybayin
|Tagalog, Sambali, etc.
|Luzon
|13<sup>th</sup> – 18<sup>th</sup> century
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Article_1_of_UDHR%2C_Handwritten_in_Filipino_Baybayin_Script.jpg/491px-Article_1_of_UDHR%2C_Handwritten_in_Filipino_Baybayin_Script.jpg
|-
|Balinese
|Balinese, Sasak
|Bali
|c. 1000 –
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/Bible_printed_with_Balinese_script.jpg/651px-Bible_printed_with_Balinese_script.jpg
|-
|Batak
|Batak languages
|Sumatra
|c. 1300 –
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Image_from_page_129_of_%22Handbook_to_the_ethnographical_collections%22_%281910%29_%2814783317945%29.jpg/640px-Image_from_page_129_of_%22Handbook_to_the_ethnographical_collections%22_%281910%29_%2814783317945%29.jpg
|-
|Bengali–Assamese
|Bengali, Assamese, etc.
|Bengal and Assam
|c. 1100 –
|Gaudi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/The_Origin_of_the_Bengali_Script_Plate_10.jpg/444px-The_Origin_of_the_Bengali_Script_Plate_10.jpg
|-
|Brahmi
|Indo-Aryan languages
|South Asia
|3<sup>rd</sup> century BC – 5<sup>th</sup> century
|Aramaic?
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Brahmi_pillar_inscription_in_Sarnath.jpg/640px-Brahmi_pillar_inscription_in_Sarnath.jpg
|-
|Bhaiksuki
|Sanskrit
|Eastern India
|c. 11<sup>th</sup> – 12<sup>th</sup> century
|Gupta
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Bhaiksuki.svg/320px-Bhaiksuki.svg.png
|-
|Bhujimol
|Newari
|Nepal
|3<sup>rd</sup> century BC –
|Siddhaṃ
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Devimahatmya_Sanskrit_MS_Nepal_11c.jpg
|-
|Buda 
|Sundanese and Javanese
|Java
|c. 14<sup>th</sup> – 18<sup>th</sup> century
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/The_Letters_in_Buda_Script.svg/320px-The_Letters_in_Buda_Script.svg.png
|-
|Buhid
|Tagalog, Sambali, Ilocano, etc.
|Mindoro
|c. 1300 –
|Babayin
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Buhid_urukay.jpg/240px-Buhid_urukay.jpg
|-
|Chakma
|Chakma, Pali
|Bangladesh and Eastern India
|
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Chakma_script_%28RibengUni-hand_writing%29.jpg
|-
|Cham
|Cham and Sanskrit
|Vietnam and Cambodia
|4<sup>th</sup> century –
|Pallava
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Inscriptions_%28mus%C3%A9e_Cham%2C_Da_Nang%29_%284394713255%29.jpg/640px-Inscriptions_%28mus%C3%A9e_Cham%2C_Da_Nang%29_%284394713255%29.jpg
|-
|Devanāgarī
|Indo-Aryan languages
|South Asia
|1<sup>st</sup> century –
|Brahmi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/13th-century_Shatapatha_Brahmana_14th_Khanda_Prapathaka_3-4%2C_page_1_front%2C_Sanskrit%2C_Devanagari_script.jpg/800px-13th-century_Shatapatha_Brahmana_14th_Khanda_Prapathaka_3-4%2C_page_1_front%2C_Sanskrit%2C_Devanagari_script.jpg
|-
|Dhives Akuru
|Maldivian
|Maldives
|6<sup>th</sup> to 8<sup>th</sup> century – 19<sup>th</sup> century
|Grantha
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Dives_title.png
|-
|Dogri
|Dogri
|Jammu
|? –
|Takri
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Chambeali_Takri_Dogri.png/640px-Chambeali_Takri_Dogri.png
|-
|Fakkham
|Lao, Isan, etc.
|Sukhothai
|c. 1400 – 1600
|Sukhothai
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Inscription_in_Fakkham.jpg/320px-Inscription_in_Fakkham.jpg
|-
|Grantha
|Tamil and Sanskrit
|Tamil Nadu
|7<sup>th</sup> century –
|Pallava
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/8th_Century_Grantha_script_Sanskrit_language_Velvikudi_Grant%2C_LINES_8-14.jpg/800px-8th_Century_Grantha_script_Sanskrit_language_Velvikudi_Grant%2C_LINES_8-14.jpg
|-
|Gaudi
|Bengali languages
|Gauḍa
|c. 900 – 1300
|Siddhaṃ
|
|-
|Geʽez
|Ethiopian Semitic languages
|Horn of Africa
|c. 1<sup>st</sup> century – 4<sup>th</sup> century (as abjad), – (as abugida)
|Ancient South Arabian
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Sample_of_Ge%27ez_writing.jpg/551px-Sample_of_Ge%27ez_writing.jpg
|-
|Gujarati
|Gujarati, etc.
|Gujarat
|c. 1592 –
|Devanāgarī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Book_satya_na_prayogo.jpg
|-
|Gupta
|Sanskrit
|Northern India
|c. 4<sup>th</sup> – 6<sup>th</sup> century
|Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Barabar_Caves_Gopika_Cave_Inscription_of_Anantavarman_5th-_or_6th-century_CE_Sanskrit_in_Gupta_script.jpg/640px-Barabar_Caves_Gopika_Cave_Inscription_of_Anantavarman_5th-_or_6th-century_CE_Sanskrit_in_Gupta_script.jpg
|-
|Hanunó'o
|Hanunó'o, Tagalog
|Mindoro
|c. 1300 –
|Baybayin
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/UCB_Hanunoo.png/798px-UCB_Hanunoo.png
|-
|Javanese
|Javanese, Sundanese, etc.
|Java
|c. 15<sup>th</sup> century –
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Groot_Javaansch_No.2_cursief_-_Lettergieterij_Amsterdam.jpg/420px-Groot_Javaansch_No.2_cursief_-_Lettergieterij_Amsterdam.jpg
|-
|Kadamba
|Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit, Konkani
|Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
|5<sup>th</sup> – 7<sup>th</sup> century 
|
|
|-
|Kaithī
|Indo-Aryan languages
|Northern and Eastern India,
|c. 16<sup>th</sup> – mid 20<sup>th</sup> century
|Nāgarī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Kaithi2.png/743px-Kaithi2.png
|-
|Kalinga
|Odia
|Kalinga
|c. 600 - 1100
|Gupta
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Baranga_grant_of_Umarabana%2C_Kalinga_script_3AD.JPG/800px-Baranga_grant_of_Umarabana%2C_Kalinga_script_3AD.JPG
|-
|Kannada
|Kannada, Sanskrit, Tulu, etc.
|Karnataka
|5<sup>th</sup> century –
|Telugu-Kannada
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Kavi_file2.jpg/320px-Kavi_file2.jpg
|-
|Kawi
|Balinese, Javanese, etc.
|Java
|c. 8<sup>th</sup> – 16<sup>th</sup> century
|Pallava
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Prasasti_Pabuharan_Ind_Ch_57_f1r.png/799px-Prasasti_Pabuharan_Ind_Ch_57_f1r.png
|-
|Khema
|Gurung
|Nepal and Eastern India
|6<sup>th</sup> century BC – ?
|Tibetan
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Khema_Lipi.png/320px-Khema_Lipi.png
|-
|Khmer
|Khmer, etc.
|Cambodia
|c. 611 –
|Pallava
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Ancient_Khmer_script.jpg/319px-Ancient_Khmer_script.jpg
|-
|Khojkī
|Kutchi, Sindhi
|Khoja
|16<sup>th</sup> century –
|Laṇḍā
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Ginan_pir_shams.jpg/400px-Ginan_pir_shams.jpg
|-
|Khom Thai
|Pali, Sanskrit, Khmer, Thai
|Thailand and Laos
|c. 1400 –
|Khmer
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Bhuddha_Sutra_in_Thai-Khmer_Font.JPG/640px-Bhuddha_Sutra_in_Thai-Khmer_Font.JPG
|-
|Khudabadi
|Sindhi
|Khudabad
|c. 16th century –
|Laṇḍā
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Dodo_Chanesar_Khudabadi_script.png/450px-Dodo_Chanesar_Khudabadi_script.png
|-
|Kulitan
|Kapampangan
|Central Luzon
|c.1600s – 1900s, 1900s –
|Baybayin
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Kulitan_script.gif
|-
|Lai Tay
|Tai Yo
|Quỳ Châu
|16<sup>th</sup> century –
|Khmer
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Lai_Tay_manuscript.jpg
|-
|Lampung
|Lampung
|Lampung
|
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Enschede-Lampong_letters_by_JA_Schmidlin.jpg/640px-Enschede-Lampong_letters_by_JA_Schmidlin.jpg
|-
|Laṇḍā
|Punjabi
|North India
|10<sup>th</sup> – 11<sup>th</sup> century
|Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Landha_Script.jpg
|-
|Lao
|Lao, Isan, Thai, etc.
|Laos
|<abbr>c.</abbr> 1350 –
|Thai Noi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/WatThatLuang_Sign.JPG/320px-WatThatLuang_Sign.JPG
|-
|Lepcha
|Lepcha
|Nepal and Eastern India
|c. 1700 –
|Tibetan
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/R%C3%B3ng_manuscript.JPG/600px-R%C3%B3ng_manuscript.JPG
|-
|Limbu
|Limbu
|Nepal and Eastern India
|c. 1740–
|Lepcha
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Limbu_script_book_04.jpg/450px-Limbu_script_book_04.jpg
|-
|Lontara
|Buginese, Makassarese, etc.
|South Sulawesi
|16<sup>th</sup> century –
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Aksara_Lontara-19_Buku_mata_palajaran_bahasa_Bugis.jpg/800px-Aksara_Lontara-19_Buku_mata_palajaran_bahasa_Bugis.jpg
|-
|Mahajani
|Hindi, Punjabi, Marwari
|Marwar
|? –
|Laṇḍā
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Mahajani_Script.jpg/800px-Mahajani_Script.jpg
|-
|Malayalam
|Malayalam, etc.
|Kerala
|c. 830 –
|Grantha
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Malayalam_text_in_hortus_malabaricus.png
|-
|Marchen
|Zhang-Zhung
|Western Tibet and Central Asia
|7<sup>th</sup> – 10<sup>th</sup> century
|Tibetan
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Supposed_seal_of_the_last_kings_of_Zhangzhung.jpg/200px-Supposed_seal_of_the_last_kings_of_Zhangzhung.jpg
|-
|Makasar 
|Makassarese
|South Sulawesi
|17<sup>th</sup> – 19<sup>th</sup> century
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Aksara_Lontara-19_Buku_mata_palajaran_bahasa_Bugis.jpg/800px-Aksara_Lontara-19_Buku_mata_palajaran_bahasa_Bugis.jpg
|-
|Meitei
|Manipuri
|Manipur
|6<sup>th</sup> century  – c. 1700, 1930 – 
|Tibetan
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Meithei_manuscript%2C_a_Indian_language.jpg/800px-Meithei_manuscript%2C_a_Indian_language.jpg
|-
|Mōḍī
|Marathi, etc.
|Maharashtra
|c. 1200 or c. 1600 – c. 1950
|Nāgarī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Preface_to_a_Marathi_songbook_about_Queen_Victoria.jpg/463px-Preface_to_a_Marathi_songbook_about_Queen_Victoria.jpg
|-
|Mon-Burmese
|Burmese, Mon, etc.
|Burma
|7<sup>th</sup> or 10<sup>th</sup> century –
|Pyu
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Mon-inscription-from-Takaw-Kamain.jpg/640px-Mon-inscription-from-Takaw-Kamain.jpg
|-
|Multani
|Saraiki
|Multan
|c. 18<sup>th</sup> – 20<sup>th</sup> century
|Laṇḍā
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Example_of_a_Multani_variant_of_Landa_script%2C_a_mercantile_shorthand_script_of_Punjab%2C_from_1880.png/800px-Example_of_a_Multani_variant_of_Landa_script%2C_a_mercantile_shorthand_script_of_Punjab%2C_from_1880.png
|-
|Nandinagari
|Sanskrit, Kannada
|Deccan
|c. 8<sup>th</sup> – 19<sup>th</sup> century
|Nāgarī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/5th_or_6th_century_Weber_Manuscript_5%2C_Central_Asian_Paper%2C_Central_Asian_Nagari_%28Turkestani_Brahmi%29%2C_Sanskrit.jpg/800px-5th_or_6th_century_Weber_Manuscript_5%2C_Central_Asian_Paper%2C_Central_Asian_Nagari_%28Turkestani_Brahmi%29%2C_Sanskrit.jpg
|-
|Nāgarī
|Prakrit, Sanskrit
|South Asia
|1<sup>st</sup> century – c. 1000
|Siddhaṃ
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/13th_century_Uddari_inscription_of_Ramachandra%2C_Yadava-Seuna_dynasty%2C_Sanskrit%2C_Nagari_script_17.jpg/720px-13th_century_Uddari_inscription_of_Ramachandra%2C_Yadava-Seuna_dynasty%2C_Sanskrit%2C_Nagari_script_17.jpg
|-
|New Tai Lue
|Tai Lü
|Yunnan
|1950s –
|Tai Tham
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/New_Tai_Lue_script_sample.png
|-
|Odiā
|Odia, Sanskrit, etc.
|Odisha
|c. 14th century –
|Gaudi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Khalikote_grant_16AD_by_Ramachandradeba_in_Odia_script.JPG/800px-Khalikote_grant_16AD_by_Ramachandradeba_in_Odia_script.JPG
|-
|Old Sundanese
|Sundanese, Cirbonese
|West Java
|14<sup>th</sup> – 18<sup>th</sup> century
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Old_sundanese_script.svg/320px-Old_sundanese_script.svg.png
|-
|Pallava
|Indo-Aryan languages
|South India
|4<sup>th</sup> century – 8<sup>th</sup> century
|Tamil-Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Beschreven_steen_bij_de_onderneming_Semplak_Buitenzorg_TMnr_60016469.jpg
|-
|Pracalit
|Newari, Sanskrit, Pali
|Nepal
|c. 1100 –
|Siddhaṃ
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Letter_in_nepal_script.jpg/609px-Letter_in_nepal_script.jpg
|-
|Pyu
|Pyu
|Burma
|200 – 1200
|Kadamba?
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Pyu_Inscription.JPG/450px-Pyu_Inscription.JPG
|-
|Rañjanā
|Newari, Sanskrit, Tibetan
|Nepal
|c. 1100 –
|Siddhaṃ
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/2951952-1-_Siegel_des_K%C3%B6nig_Tshewang_Namgyel_Dieter_Schuh.jpg
|-
|Rencong 
|Malay, Besemah, etc.
|Sumatra
|c. 13<sup>th</sup> century –
|Kawi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Syair_Perahu_MSS_Malay_A2_f1r.png/455px-Syair_Perahu_MSS_Malay_A2_f1r.png
|-
|S'gaw Karen
|S'gaw Karen
|Myanmar and Thailand
|1830 –
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Stop_the_Spread_of_Germs_%28COVID-19%29_ksw.jpg/463px-Stop_the_Spread_of_Germs_%28COVID-19%29_ksw.jpg
|-
|Śāradā
|Sanskrit, Kashmiri
|Kashmir
|700 –
|Gupta
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Sharada_script_manuscript%2C_Kashmir.jpg/447px-Sharada_script_manuscript%2C_Kashmir.jpg
|-
|Saurashtra
|Saurashtra
|Tamil Nadu
|19<sup>th</sup> century –
|Grantha
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Word_Saurashtra_in_Saurashtra_Script.jpg
|-
|Shan
|Shan
|Shan
|1960s –
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Shan_sign_in_Chiamai_store.JPG/640px-Shan_sign_in_Chiamai_store.JPG
|-
|Siddhaṃ
|Sanskrit
|South Asia
|c. 6<sup>th</sup> century – c. 1200
|Gupta
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Prajnyaapaaramitaa_Hridaya_Pel.sogd.jpg/538px-Prajnyaapaaramitaa_Hridaya_Pel.sogd.jpg
|-
|Sinhala 
|Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit
|Sri Lanka
|c. 300 –
|Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Sinhala_script_posters_on_wall.jpg/640px-Sinhala_script_posters_on_wall.jpg
|-
|Soyombo
|Mongolian, Tibetan, Sanskrit
|Mongolia
|1686 – 18<sup>th</sup> century
|Devanāgarī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/MongolianScripts.JPG
|-
|Sukhothai
|Thai, Lao, etc.
|Sukhothai
|c. 1283 – 15<sup>th</sup> century
|Khmer
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Ram_Khamhaeng_Inscription_%28detail%29.jpg
|-
|Sundanese
|Sundanese
|West Java
|c. 14<sup>th</sup> – 18<sup>th</sup> century, 1996 –
|Old Sundanese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/P-044058.jpg/365px-P-044058.jpg
|-
|Sylheti Nagri
|Eastern Bengali languages
|Bengal and Assam
|c. 15<sup>th</sup> century –
|Kaithī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Nagri_sample.jpg/493px-Nagri_sample.jpg
|-
|Tagbanwa
|Palawanic languages
|Palawan
|c. 1300 –
|Baybayin
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Ibalnan.jpg
|-
|Tai Le
|Tai Nüa, Ta'ang, Blang, Achang
|Yunnan
|c. 1200 –
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Manuscripts_in_the_Yunnan_Nationalities_Museum_-_DSC03951.JPG/450px-Manuscripts_in_the_Yunnan_Nationalities_Museum_-_DSC03951.JPG
|-
|Tai Noi
|Lao, Isan, etc.
|Laos and Isan
|c. 1500 – 1930s
|Fakkham
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Legal_text_in_Isan_%28Lao%29_written_in_Tai_Noi.jpg
|-
|Tai Tham
|Southwestern Tai languages
|Northern Thailand, Myanmar, Lao
|c. 1300–
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Tai_Tham_script_on_stone_Chiangmai.JPG/400px-Tai_Tham_script_on_stone_Chiangmai.JPG
|-
|Tai Viet
|Tai Dam, Tai Daeng, Tai Dón, Thai Song, Tày Tac
|Vietnam and Thailand
|16<sup>th</sup> century –
|Sukhothai
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Ch%E1%BB%AF_Th%C3%A1i_c%E1%BB%95_S%C6%A1n_La.png/575px-Ch%E1%BB%AF_Th%C3%A1i_c%E1%BB%95_S%C6%A1n_La.png
|-
|Tamil
|Tamil, etc.
|South India
|c. 400 –
|Pallava
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Tamil_script_.jpg/640px-Tamil_script_.jpg
|-
|Tamil-Brāhmī
|Tamil
|Tamiḻakam
|3<sup>rd</sup> century BC – 1<sup>st</sup> century 
|Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Mangulam_inscription.jpg/640px-Mangulam_inscription.jpg
|-
|Tanchangya
|Tanchangya
|Bangladesh
|9<sup>th</sup> century BC –15<sup>th</sup> century, 2012 –
|Mon-Burmese
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Shukla_Tanchangya.svg/320px-Shukla_Tanchangya.svg.png
|-
|Telugu
|Telugu, Sanskrit, Gondi, Saurashtra
|Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
|c. 1300 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/16th-century_Jaiminiya_Mimamsa_Sutra_Bhasya%2C_Sanskrit%2C_Telugu_script%2C_Andhra_Pradesh.jpg/800px-16th-century_Jaiminiya_Mimamsa_Sutra_Bhasya%2C_Sanskrit%2C_Telugu_script%2C_Andhra_Pradesh.jpg
|-
|Telugu-Kannada 
|Kannada, Telugu, Tulu, Konkani, Sanskrit
|Southern India
|7<sup>th</sup> century –14<sup>th</sup> century
|Kadamba
|
|-
|Thaana
|Dhivehi
|Maldives
|1970s –
|Hindu-Arabic numerals
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/MV-moschee-hinweis.jpg/611px-MV-moschee-hinweis.jpg
|-
|Thai
|Thai, Southern Thai, etc.
|Thailand
|1283 –
|Sukhothai
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Thai_postal_card_1883.jpg/640px-Thai_postal_card_1883.jpg
|-
|Tigalari 
|Tulu, etc.
|Malnad
|9<sup>th</sup> century –
|Grantha
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg/800px-Tigalari-sanskrit-manuscript.jpg
|-
|Tirhuta
|Maithili, Sanskrit
|Mithila
|c. 13<sup>th</sup> century –
|Gaudi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/12th_century_Stone_Inscription_from_Simroungarh_in_Tirhuta_script.jpg
|-
|Tibetan
|Tibetic languages
|Tibet
|c. 650 –
|Brahmi
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Yuling_tibetan_2011_11.jpg/800px-Yuling_tibetan_2011_11.jpg
|-
|Tocharian
|Tocharian languages
|Tarim Basin
|8<sup>th</sup> century
|Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Endere_BLI1_OR8212163R1.jpg/800px-Endere_BLI1_OR8212163R1.jpg
|-
|Vatteluttu
|Tamil, Malayalam
|Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Sri Lanka
|
|Tamil-Brāhmī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Jewish_copper_plates_of_Cochin_-_%28plate_I%2C_side_I%29_%28early_11th_century_AD%29.jpg/640px-Jewish_copper_plates_of_Cochin_-_%28plate_I%2C_side_I%29_%28early_11th_century_AD%29.jpg
|-
|Zanabazar's square script
|Mongolian, Tibetan, Sanskrit
|Mongolia
|
|Tibetan
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Monggol_in_kebtege_dorbeljin_bicig.png/320px-Monggol_in_kebtege_dorbeljin_bicig.png
|}

=== Alphabet ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Adlam
|Fulah
|Sahel
|1989 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Adlam_acronym.png/320px-Adlam_acronym.png
|-
|Armenian
|Armenian
|Armenia
|c. 405 –
|Greek
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Moses_of_Chorene_%28manuscript_X-XIth_centuries%29.jpg/440px-Moses_of_Chorene_%28manuscript_X-XIth_centuries%29.jpg
|-
|Coptic
|Coptic
|Egypt
|2<sup>nd</sup> century –
|Greek
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/The_Life_of_Shenoute%2C_Sahidic_Coptic_script%2C_papyrus%2C_6th-7th_century_CE._From_Egypt._British_Museum.jpg/449px-The_Life_of_Shenoute%2C_Sahidic_Coptic_script%2C_papyrus%2C_6th-7th_century_CE._From_Egypt._British_Museum.jpg
|-
|Cyrillic
|Slavic languages
|Eastern Europe
|890s –
|Greek
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Romanian_Traditional_Cyrillic_-_Lord%27s_Prayer_text.png/546px-Romanian_Traditional_Cyrillic_-_Lord%27s_Prayer_text.png
|-
|Galik
|Mongolian
|Mongolia
|1587 –
|Mongolian
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Namo_dharm%C4%81_ya_-_Manchu_alphabet_%28Galik%29.jpg
|-
|Georgian
|Kartvelian languages
|Georgia
|430 – 10<sup>th</sup> century
|?
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Anbandidi_Gospel_%E2%80%94_1.jpg/217px-Anbandidi_Gospel_%E2%80%94_1.jpg
|-
|Gothic
|Gothic, Ulfilas
|Germania
|c. 350 – 600
|Greek
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Maria_-_Gothic_script_carvings.JPG/800px-Maria_-_Gothic_script_carvings.JPG
|-
|Greek
|Greek
|Greece
|c. 800 BC –
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Lead_plate%2C_Dodona%2C_inscription_is_request_for_divination%2C_late_6th_c_BC%2C_AM_Ioannina%2C_Ioam19.jpg/639px-Lead_plate%2C_Dodona%2C_inscription_is_request_for_divination%2C_late_6th_c_BC%2C_AM_Ioannina%2C_Ioam19.jpg
|-
|Latin
|Latin, English, French, etc.
|Italy
|c. 700 BC – 
|Old Italic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Doggatn_16.JPG/800px-Doggatn_16.JPG
|-
|Mandaic
|Mandaic
|Mesopotamia
|2<sup>nd</sup> – 7<sup>th</sup> century
|Aramaic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/Magical_bowl_with_inscriptions_in_Mandaic%2C_Mesopotamia._Wellcome_M0003378.jpg/800px-Magical_bowl_with_inscriptions_in_Mandaic%2C_Mesopotamia._Wellcome_M0003378.jpg
|-
|Mongolian
|Mongolian
|Mongolia
|c. 1204 –
|Sogdian
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/ArghunLetterToPhilippeLeBelExtract1289.jpg/800px-ArghunLetterToPhilippeLeBelExtract1289.jpg
|-
|N'Ko
|N'Ko, Manding languages
|West Africa
|1949 –
|Arabic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Exemple_de_livre_en_N%27KO.jpg/576px-Exemple_de_livre_en_N%27KO.jpg
|-
|Oirat
|Oirat, Tibetan, etc.
|North Asia
|c. 1648 – 
|Mongolian
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Clear-script-19th-ctry.png/800px-Clear-script-19th-ctry.png
|-
|Old Italic
|European languages
|Europe
|700 BC – 100 BC
|Greek
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Tavola_eugubina_%28III-II_secolo_a._C.%29.jpg
|-
|Old Uyghur
|Uighur
|Qocho
|c.700s – 1800s
|Sogdian
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/%E5%9B%9E%E9%B9%98%E6%96%87_%E5%AE%9A%E6%85%A7%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%88%E5%8D%96%E5%A5%B4%E5%A5%91.JPG/800px-%E5%9B%9E%E9%B9%98%E6%96%87_%E5%AE%9A%E6%85%A7%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%88%E5%8D%96%E5%A5%B4%E5%A5%91.JPG
|-
|ʼPhags-pa
|Mongolian
|Mongolian
|c. 1269 – 1368
|Tibetan
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Yang_Wengshe_1314.jpg/425px-Yang_Wengshe_1314.jpg
|-
|Runes
|Germanic languages
|Germania
|2<sup>nd</sup> century –
|Old Italic?
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/CodexRunicus.jpeg/409px-CodexRunicus.jpeg
|-
|Uyghur Arabic
|Uighur, Sarikoli
|Xinjiang
|10<sup>th</sup> century –
|Perso-Arabic
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/The_Concise_Encyclopedia_of_Modern_Uyghur_Social_Customs_and_Traditions.jpg/396px-The_Concise_Encyclopedia_of_Modern_Uyghur_Social_Customs_and_Traditions.jpg
|}

==== Georgian ====
There are 3 scripts in Georgian
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!timespan
!example
|-
|Asomtavruli
|430 – 10<sup>th</sup> century
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Anbandidi_Gospel_%E2%80%94_1.jpg/217px-Anbandidi_Gospel_%E2%80%94_1.jpg
|-
|Nuskhuri
|9<sup>th</sup> century – 10<sup>th</sup> century
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Nuskhuri.jpg
|-
|Mkhedruli
|10<sup>th</sup> century –
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/1222_%E1%83%AC%E1%83%94%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98._%E1%83%91%E1%83%A0%E1%83%AB%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%90_%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%A8%E1%83%90_%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D%E1%83%A0%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90.jpg
|}

=== Semi-syllabary ===
In this type of writing system, a letter may be a syllable or a phoneme. It is a combination of syllabary and alphabet.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Bamum
|Bamum
|Western Cameroon
|c. 1896 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Shumom-text.jpg/600px-Shumom-text.jpg
|-
|Bopomofo
|Chinese
|China
|1918 –
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/1952-03_1952%E5%B9%B4_%E7%A5%81%E5%BB%BA%E5%8D%8E%E5%92%8C%E9%80%9F%E6%88%90%E8%AF%86%E5%AD%97%E6%B3%95.png
|-
|Celtiberian
|Celtiberian
|Northeastern Iberia
|5<sup>th</sup> century BC – ?
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Bronce_luzaga.jpg/712px-Bronce_luzaga.jpg
|-
|Northeastern Iberian
|Iberian
|Northeastern Iberia
|5<sup>th</sup> century BC – ?
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Bronce_ibero.jpg/800px-Bronce_ibero.jpg
|-
|Old Persian
|Persian
|Persia
|525 BC – 330 BC
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/%2818%29_-Inscription%2C_Old_Persian_in_Cuneiform-_MET_DP203048.jpg/747px-%2818%29_-Inscription%2C_Old_Persian_in_Cuneiform-_MET_DP203048.jpg
|-
|Sortheastern Iberian
|Iberian
|Sortheastern Iberia
|5<sup>th</sup> century BC – ?
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Plom_I_de_La_Bastida_%28Cara_A%29.jpg/800px-Plom_I_de_La_Bastida_%28Cara_A%29.jpg
|-
|Tartessian
|Tartessian
|Southwest Iberia
|5<sup>th</sup> century BC – ?
|Phoenician
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/I_tarteso.jpg/800px-I_tarteso.jpg
|}

=== Featural writing system ===
This type of writing systems has phonological features. It is based on phonology, so it is the latest type of writing system. They are designed and thus often considered more precise than most other phonograms in use. Its disadvantage is leaving fewer clues on the evolution of the language.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!writing system
!language
!region
!timespan
!parent writing system
!example
|-
|Canadian
|Algonquian languages, Eskaleut languages, Athabaskan languages
|Canada
|1840s –
|Devanāgarī
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Winnipeg_Forks_-_Plains_Cree_Inscription.jpg/800px-Winnipeg_Forks_-_Plains_Cree_Inscription.jpg
|-
|Ditema tsa Dinoko
|Southern Bantu languages, Swazi
|South Africa
|2010s –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Ditema-tsa-dinoko_s_c_(1).jpg
|-
|Duployan shorthand
|multiple languages
|United States of America
|1868 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/StenographieDuploy%C3%A9.png
|-
|Gregg shorthand
|multiple languages
|United States of America
|1888 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Gregg_shorthand_example_1916%2C_page_153.png/800px-Gregg_shorthand_example_1916%2C_page_153.png
|-
|Hangul
|Korean
|Korea
|1443 –
|Han
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Hangeul_Letters_Exhibition_04_%2816585435194%29.jpg/1024px-Hangeul_Letters_Exhibition_04_%2816585435194%29.jpg
|-
|Quikscript
|English
|North America
|c. 1966 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Junior_and_Senior_Quikscript_example_02.png/666px-Junior_and_Senior_Quikscript_example_02.png
|-
|Shavian
|English, Esperanto
|North America
|1960s –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e6/Shaw_alphabet_paperback.jpg
|-
|SignWriting
|sign languages
|United States of America
|1974 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/SignWriting-render.svg/74px-SignWriting-render.svg.png
|-
|Visible Speech
|multiple languages
|United States of America
|1867 –
|
|https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/VisibleSpeech-illustrations.jpg/482px-VisibleSpeech-illustrations.jpg
|}

==Other Lessons==
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Text-Processing-Tools|Text Processing Tools]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Numeration-Tutorial|Numeration Tutorial]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Difficulties-of-languages|Difficulties of languages]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Internet-resources-for-polyglots|Internet resources for polyglots]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Naming-in-different-cultures|Naming in different cultures]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Elements-of-Traditional-Architectures|Elements of Traditional Architectures]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Elements-of-Traditional-Architectures:-Western-Europe|Elements of Traditional Architectures: Western Europe]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Writing-Implements|Writing Implements]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Ordering-with-Letters|Ordering with Letters]]
* [[Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Best-Job-Search-Websites-by-Country|Best Job Search Websites by Country]]
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