What is a syllabary?

A syllabary is a writing system that represents each syllable of a dialect or language with a unique symbol.

Here are some examples of syllabary writing systems:

• Cree (North America)
• Amharic (Ethiopia)
• Yi (China)

• Concept module: syllabary
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): S
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 2 July 1998

© 1999 SIL International