Then They Could Read and Write

• Main Author: Ferguson, Charles A
• Format: Book Part
• Language: unknown
• Published: Oxford University PressNew York, NY 1996
• Subjects: aleut
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195092905.003.0017; https://academic.oup.com/book/chapter-pdf/52226761/isbn-9780195092905-book-part-17.pdf

Abstract My concern in this paper is with the changes in language brought about by the introduction of literacy into a society. In investigating this topic, one of the most useful research strategies available to us is the development of detailed case studies of either contemporary or historical situations in which societies become literate. In this paper, we will concern ourselves with four such instances, each of which involve the creation of a writing system appropriate to the vernacular language of a nonliterate society as part of an attempt to spread or strengthen Christianity among its members. The four cases we will consider include the development of the Armenian alphabet (by Mesrop), the Glagolitic alphabet (by Constantine), the Permian alphabet (by Stefan), and the Aleut alphabet (by Veniaminov). Each of these four cases differs from the others in the degree to which the introduction of literacy proved successful. With this in mind, each will be discussed in terms of four factors that are likely to control the path of vernacular literacy development in societies of various types and, therefore, to promote or to retard its chances for success: 1) the linguistic choices to be made; 2) the source of the literacy initiative; 3) the scope of literacy within the society; and 4) the extent of the institutional support for literacy within the society and the means employed to transmit the new literacy skills among the members of the society and from one generation to the next.