Here's a breakdown:
Early precursors:
* Pictograms and ideograms: Ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Sumerians used these systems where symbols represented objects or concepts.
* Logograms: These symbols represent words or morphemes. Many writing systems, including Chinese and Japanese, still use logograms.
The emergence of phonograms:
* Linear B (c. 1450 BCE): This script, used in Ancient Greece, contained a mixture of logograms and syllabic signs, marking a transition towards phonetic writing.
* Phoenician alphabet (c. 1000 BCE): This alphabet, consisting of 22 consonants, is considered a crucial step in the development of phonograms. It represented sounds rather than whole words or syllables.
* Greek alphabet (c. 8th century BCE): The Greeks adopted and adapted the Phoenician alphabet, adding vowels and adapting it to represent their language. This marked a key shift toward a fully phonetic alphabet.
Later developments:
* Roman alphabet: Developed from the Greek alphabet, the Roman alphabet became the foundation for many modern alphabets, including English.
* The invention of the printing press (15th century): This made it possible to mass-produce written material, leading to the widespread use of phonograms.
Conclusion:
The phonogram's development was a gradual process with contributions from many cultures and individuals. The Phoenicians played a crucial role by introducing a consonant-based alphabet, which was later adapted and developed by the Greeks and Romans.