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A UC Santa Cruz professor unearthed the oldest alphabet yet

(www.universityofcalifornia.edu)
142 points diodorus | 6 comments | 13 Jan 25 20:50 UTC | HN request time: 1.005s | source | bottom
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gschizas ◴[17 Jan 25 09:21 UTC] No.42735618[source]▶
As far as I can understand that's not a real alphabet, it's an abjad (consonants only)
replies(3): >>42736453 #>>42737424 #>>42740244 #
1. DiogenesKynikos ◴[17 Jan 25 11:32 UTC] No.42736453[source]▶
By that standard, many alphabets, including the Phoenician and Arabic alphabets, aren't "real" alphabets.
replies(2): >>42737086 #>>42738878 #
2. ivanbakel ◴[17 Jan 25 13:03 UTC] No.42737086[source]▶
Indeed, Arabic is an abjad.
replies(1): >>42737626 #
3. fsckboy ◴[17 Jan 25 14:06 UTC] No.42737626[source]▶
shouldn't it be called a bjd?
replies(1): >>42738029 #
4. georgeburdell ◴[17 Jan 25 14:46 UTC] No.42738029{3}[source]▶
I know you’re joking, but Arabic doesn’t write short vowels only. A as in “ah” is still written, so it would be “Abjd”
replies(1): >>42740035 #
5. PittleyDunkin ◴[17 Jan 25 15:46 UTC] No.42738878[source]▶
Yes, exactly. Linear A was the first alphabet, and greek gave "alphabet" its name.

I almost get the sense that people are interpreting abjad as "lesser-than" an alphabet. It's just a distinction, it's not a value judgement.

6. ◴[17 Jan 25 16:45 UTC] No.42740035{4}[source]▶