Orthography

Orthography refers to the conventional spelling system of a language. Orthography is derived from the Greek words orthos meaning "correct", and graphein meaning "to write". It is a set of rules for writing in a language, including norms on spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, word breaks, emphasis, and punctuation.

History

The concept of orthography first appeared in the 15th century with the invention of the printing press. Before this, spelling and other aspects of writing were not standardized and varied from one location to another.

Types of Orthography

Orthography can be divided into two main types: phonemic orthography and morphophonemic orthography. Phonemic orthography corresponds to the sounds of a language, with each symbol representing a single sound. Morphophonemic orthography, on the other hand, represents morphemes, the smallest units of meaning in a language.

Orthography and Literacy

Orthography plays a crucial role in literacy. A consistent and logical orthographic system can make it easier for children to learn to read and write. Conversely, an inconsistent or complex orthography can make literacy more challenging.

Orthography in Different Languages

Different languages have different orthographic systems. For example, the English language has a complex orthography with many exceptions to its rules. On the other hand, languages like Spanish and Finnish have more phonemic orthographies, where words are spelled as they are pronounced.

See Also

• Phonology
• Morphology (linguistics)
• Syntax
• Semiotics

References

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