1.What is Oracle Bones script
Oracle Bones script is the oldest Chinese language, which originated in Shang Dynasty(1760-1520 B.C.E.). It's vitally important for understanding the development of present-day Chinese-simplified Chinese. It's symbolic language, meaning the words look similar with the things they represent. For example, 月 is the moon in Chinese and it looks like a moon. Apparantly, oracle bones language is much more complicated, because Chinese language evolved over times. At first, people mostly used Oracle Bones script on turtle's hard shell. However, because of inconvenience, people wrote on bamboo slim for a long time. Although they used different material for writing, the language they used are the same one, which is Oracle Bones script.
2. How does it work
The picture shows some actual words of Oracle Bones script. The word "heart", in the second row, looks like a real heart. Besides, the word ear, also in the second row, looks like a real ear. If you are patient, you will find that most of the words have connection with what they represent. Although this language is hard to write and it's unstandard, it's still capable enough for fully communicating. So next time when you see Oracle Bones script or Chinese, you might understand that word from its appearence. In addition, many of components are created by Oracle Bones script. For example, 铁 铜 铝, which respectively means iron, copper and aluminum. Looking at the lest part of these three words, you will find they all have a component 钅, which means anything relates to metal. So next time when you see this component, you can conclude carefully that it's a word about metal. They are over one hundred components like this, including 氵,扌,土. All of the words with component 氵have connection with water; all of the words with component 扌have connection with hand and all of the words with 土 have connection with dirt. There is no exception. All of these components I used are simplified Chinese, because it's hard to type Oracle Bones script. But all of these components are evolved from Oracle Bones script.
3. Structure of Oracle Bones script
In fact, Oracle Bones script is capable enough for recording language. Unfortunately we don't have enough evidence from a such formative period to prove that. But in the Shang dynasty, they had had some non-pictographic components, which means Oracle Bones script became more standard. Oracle Bones script isn't mature enough because the form of graphs change depending on the contect, which is like what we are doing right now in Chinese. What's more, the vast majority of Oracle Bones script remind undeciphered.
4. Divination
Animal bones or turtle shells used in divination in Bronze Age China.
http://www.omniglot.com/chinese/jiaguwen.htm
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Oracle_Bone_Script
Ray's research is very clear for the reader to find the important information about the oracle bones script, because he divides this big topic into 4 different parts, so we can search and pick the information we need quickly. For the fourth part, hope Ray can talk more about it, not only 1 sentence. Another good aspect is that Ray has some examples in the second part of the research, this helps a lot to get to know the oracle bones script more.
ReplyDeleteRay I enjoyed reading your blog. I liked how you answered all the questions to be made. You had lots to say about the oracle bone script. What, how? Those are good places to start your research. You did a great job in giving the readers an idea of what the oracle bone script is. The only thing is I do agree with Emily. You should add more than just one sentence if you want to follow up on the type of descriptive and detailed writing you just displayed in the earlier paragraphs. Overall, you did a great job.
ReplyDeleteYeah great job Ray! This is a really well written project! I can tell you worked hard to get the information and make it into your own. I thought it was interesting how the oracle of bones is the oldest Chinese language, and they used turtle shells to record it.
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