Blurb:

Chapter 11 is where the author sets forth the overall view of writing that they have developed on the basis of the highly varied data presented in the first eight chapters, as well as features that characterize all writing systems and so are better treated together rather than atomistically. In this chapter are found what the author believes to be explanations for the wide variety seen in the world’s writing systems that have usually been interpreted as evidence that writing system development has been haphazard. The older, misguided view was summarized by Florian Coulmas: “The history of writing, therefore, cannot rely much on universal tendencies, but has to investigate the spread and transmutation of every script in its own right” (Writing Systems [2003], 208).