1. Alphabetic vs. Syllabic/Logographic:
* Phoenician: An alphabet, where each symbol represents a single consonant sound.
* Hieroglyphics: A logographic system, where each symbol represents a word, syllable, or sound.
* Cuneiform: A mixed system using both logographic and syllabic symbols.
2. Number of Symbols:
* Phoenician: A relatively small number of symbols (around 22) representing consonants.
* Hieroglyphics: Hundreds of symbols, with many variations for different meanings and sounds.
* Cuneiform: Hundreds of symbols, primarily representing syllables and words.
3. Directionality:
* Phoenician: Written from right to left.
* Hieroglyphics: Can be written horizontally or vertically, and can be read in different directions depending on the context.
* Cuneiform: Written from left to right.
4. Abstract vs. Pictorial:
* Phoenician: Abstract symbols, not directly representing objects or concepts.
* Hieroglyphics: Many symbols were originally based on pictures, but later became more stylized.
* Cuneiform: Originally based on pictograms, but later evolved into more abstract forms.
5. Simplicity and Ease of Learning:
* Phoenician: The simplicity of the alphabet made it relatively easy to learn and master, leading to its widespread adoption.
* Hieroglyphics: The large number of symbols and complex grammar made it challenging to learn.
* Cuneiform: The large number of symbols and mixed logographic/syllabic system made it complex and difficult to learn.
Key Differences:
* Phoenician writing was the first known purely alphabetic system, simplifying the process of writing and contributing significantly to the development of writing systems across the world.
* Hieroglyphics and cuneiform were complex systems, requiring extensive memorization of symbols and their various meanings.
The Phoenician alphabet was crucial in the development of writing systems in the Mediterranean and beyond, including the Greek alphabet, which eventually led to the Roman alphabet used in many languages today.