{"id":12209,"date":"2026-08-10T10:42:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T10:42:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nokobox.com\/index.php\/item\/the-great-course-plus-ancient-writing-and-the-history-of-the-alphabet-2023-5\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T10:42:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T10:42:34","slug":"the-great-course-plus-ancient-writing-and-the-history-of-the-alphabet-2023-5","status":"publish","type":"digital_item","link":"https:\/\/nokobox.com\/index.php\/item\/the-great-course-plus-ancient-writing-and-the-history-of-the-alphabet-2023-5\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Course Plus \u2013 Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet 2023-5"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Description<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet. This course examines the evolution of writing, from the earliest forms of writing to the formation of the modern alphabet. This course emphasizes that writing, despite its pervasive presence in modern life, is a very recent phenomenon in human history. In sixteen lessons, Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University narrates the complex cultural and linguistic history of this essential means of communication in a clear and engaging manner. This voyage of discovery answers these key questions: When and where did writing first emerge? What motivated early humans to record their thoughts visually? And how did cultures that had relied solely on oral communication for millennia gradually develop symbols and writing systems that eventually paved the way for the emergence of the 26-letter English alphabet? This course shows how a combination of historical and linguistic evidence tells the story of the alphabet\u2019s formation.<\/span><\/p>\n

What you will learn<\/span><\/h3>\n