Here's why:
* Sound is the basis of language: Every language uses sounds (phonemes) to convey meaning. These sounds are produced by the vocal apparatus and perceived by the ear.
* Writing systems are representations: Writing systems are developed to represent the sounds of spoken language. While some writing systems might be more phonetic (like the Latin alphabet) than others (like Chinese characters), all of them aim to capture the sounds of language in some way.
* Language change: Languages constantly evolve, and their sounds change over time. This means that even a language with a very old writing system will have some mismatch between the sounds it uses and how those sounds are represented in writing.
What you might be thinking of:
* Languages with complex writing systems: Some languages have writing systems that are not directly based on individual phonemes, but rather on syllables, morphemes, or concepts. For example, Chinese characters can represent entire words or ideas, not just individual sounds.
* Languages with inconsistent spelling: Some languages, like English, have spelling systems that are not always consistent with pronunciation. This makes it seem like there's a disconnect between sound and writing, but the underlying language is still phonetic.
In conclusion: All languages are phonetic in the sense that they are based on sound. The term "non-phonetic language" is misleading because it implies that a language doesn't use sounds, which is not true. If you are interested in learning about languages with complex writing systems or inconsistent spelling, you can explore those topics specifically.