Cuneiform Activity

Extension Questions:

1) How do you think using this form of writing (a language) affected how people communicated with each other, in person and in writing? 

Cuneiform was a type of writing used to record important information (such as rations, laws, and more) and to keep textual evidence of the people's cultural activities of the time. Scribes were trained to read and write cuneiform, and because of its complexity, I believe that communicating via this form of text was deemed as a special asset that not many people had. Since cuneiform is not a language, people did not speak it; however, the government and priests used it as a way to imprint spoken laws and religious information. Therefore, people were affected in understanding what the written scripts truly conveyed. Furthermore, this type of writing could not be used as a default form of written communication between people because of its complexity and the general illiteracy of the population. Moreover, I believe that cuneiform allowed for the expression of spoken ideas and concepts into writing, and this later evolved into the modern writing we have today. Thus today, people use writing as a means of communication and to permanently record scripts that shape a culture. Ultimately, cuneiform greatly affected how people communicated with each other by encouraging the development of society into being literate as a whole and including literature in the emerging contemporary cultures.

2) Do you think this version of "text" would have affected people's lives? How would this be the case?

Yes, I think this version of text would have affected people's lives by inspiring more inhabitants of Mesopotamia to become literate and understand the cuneiform scripts. For example, in class we learned that kings used this form of writing to express themselves, through writing, as powerful and superior. Their target audience would likely be inhabitants of the region and beyond; therefore, it would have been essential for people to develop their literacy skills and comprehend what is being described to them. On the other hand, this version of text would have been very long due to marking every sound of the spoken language, so it would take longer for it to be read and interpret the conveyed meaning. Furthermore, alongside the Sumerians, more ancient civilizations (such as the Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and more) adopted and improved cuneiform. I believe that this portrayed the importance of written texts in societies which led future generations to become more literate than before. Hence, cuneiform, being an influential form of text, affected people's lives and contributed to modern-day languages.

3) What form of text do you use in your life that affects people's lives? 

On a daily basis, I interact with my peers, friends, and the society through the English language, and especially through speaking and writing. In speaking and formal writing, I maintain a professional manner and use understandable syntax and vernacular that all aged people would comprehend. However, in informal contexts and when communicating with friends online, I use "texting language"---this includes using acronyms and colloquialism. Using this form of text in my life affects those I interact with by allowing them to easily understanding what I intend to say. It is simpler and can help me to quickly type longer sentences that would only take a few seconds to say in-person. Nevertheless, there is the negative aspect of texting which can affect the people I interact with; that is, my messages being misinterpreted sometimes and its real meaning being lost through the medium. I believe this occurs due to the fact that my text messages cannot convey the tone I am "speaking" in, my facial expressions, and body language. Hence, I have to rephrase myself through text again and try to help the person I am communicating with to understand my message. Overall, the forms of texts that we use in our daily lives positively and negatively affects our interactions with the people we exchange conversations with; though it is always important for both parties to be aware of that form of text in order to properly understand each other.