#Openbook
Hey, romance addicts. I have another blog hop post for you guys!
Discuss: It never fails to amaze me that ALL the books ever written are made up of just twenty six letters.
Literature Beyond 26 Letters
Author * Writer * Stoker of Flames
#Openbook
Hey, romance addicts. I have another blog hop post for you guys!
Discuss: It never fails to amaze me that ALL the books ever written are made up of just twenty six letters.
Romance Lives Forever
Lyndell Williams 
Thank you! Your reaction upon reading that statement was pretty close to mine!
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A timely reminder that English is not the only way to express thoughts in words.
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Of course there are other alphabets all over the world, but unfortunately in my case I only know the English alphabet. Sad but true.
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Yeah. It’s unfortunate that many Americans do not take advantage of the opportunity to learn at least one other language. I was encouraged to learn another language for spiritual purposes. I’m glad I did because it helped me to appreciate the limitations of translations and how to absorb literature from a cultural context outside of my own.
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This is interesting, Layla. Patricia had a similar interpretation of this topic. I never even thought about the literal alphabets, I only thought about them in the context of creating words with them.
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I can appreciate that thought, Roberta, but at its crux, the framing of the idea generates some issues. Even in the context of creating words, limiting the concept to twenty-six letters disregards the complexity of language and literature and impresses a specific cultural experience, one already well known to enforce hegemony and racial supremacy. The statement reinforces imperialist notions that members of one specific culture own letters, words, language and literature and are the sole producers of them, or at least the main consumers of them and the only ones to give them validity. People have created great works outside of the use of twenty-six specific letters, which are not even the foundations of the written word. They aren’t even the foundational letters for the English language.
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Wow. “One already well known to enforce hegemony and racial supremacy.” If I follow that correctly the Roman/Latin alphabet is, by its existence, a direct oppressor? That sure lets out a lot of beautiful work and oratory by a planet’s worth of people who have chosen it as their medium of expression. Next time I pick up Morrison I’ll cast it aside s I’m sure it would have been better in Foonblat or some long lost logograms and pictographs from deep eastern Gronksnort. I suppose the devil is $, right? Or everyone with a conscience would be using another form.
A phonemic alphabet has no intrinsic value, good or bad. Only when people put it together to construct thoughts and ideologies both sound and unsound does it become a weapon.
While we’re here, let’s erase history and the cultural growth process and talk about how legislating morality will change everything, why women the world over are still second-class citizens and how in any God’s name you came up with oppressive hegemony from a freaking phonemic alphabet. Words, yes. Alphabet no.
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I don’t know where you’re trying to go with this. However, it is interesting that you bring up Morrison, although you mistakenly associate her with people, ” who have chosen it as their medium of expression.” I’ll assume you mean English and not Latin because there is no indication that Morrison spoke or wrote in Latin. Indeed, as an African American, she had no choice but you use the language of her and her ancestors’ oppressors, who actually made it illegal for centuries for people like her to learn it. As far as a “history and cultural growth process” you mention, I assume you are talking about the very history and cultural growth of systems and cultures that produced people who not only draw myopic conclusions based on cultural tunnel vision made by such structures but also the convoluted backlash of people who fail to see how it impacts those who are outside of a finite scope of identity. Plain and simple, I did not come up with “oppressive hegemony;” I pointed out its existence in every facet of society, including in a phonemic and symbolic codification of language, comprised of said symbols that construct words that lead to oppression. What amazes me is how by Allah–who created different languages as a sign of His greatness and majesty–you don’t see it.
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including in a phonemic and symbolic codification of language, comprised of said symbols that construct words that lead to oppression. That right there is what I’m talking about. The 26 letter alphabet of discussion, derived from the Roman and Latin alphabets and evolution over time has absolutely nothing to do with oppression. It is an inanimate thing, How people choose to use it could be damning or enlightening. Your literalistic interpretations border on paranoia. Wherever you’re getting this tunnel vision rhetoric is a source for more division. We need to look at what broadens and combines us, not seeking out division in every nook and cranny. There is far more in the poet’s work than oppression. Pictures of oppression perhaps. Did I say Morrison wrote in Latin? No, she used a derivative alphabet to construct her work. Here’s one for you – is social and cultural amelioration a racist concept? Would we give up our histories nd religions and color consciousness for the better? Isn’t that Allah’s desire, the sound of one hand clapping? I’ll buy into your posturing when you stop selling sex in English and pedaling rhetorical divisiveness dressed up as trend speak racism. That was my point. Hypocrisy as double edged sword. Oh dear, I must stop speaking Engish, it’s soooo oppressive. Give me a break.
But it’s your soapbox, have at it. My question is always what do you do when you run out of people to blame or hate?
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