phonetism

That the language contained a very large number of monosyllabic words is, however, certain; and as phonetism is necessarily syllabic, we may assume that the earliest Egyptian scribes had a rich mine of syllabic forms to draw upon.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891

From picture-writing to pictorial phonetism was an enormous stride; but as we know nothing of the condition of the Egyptian vocabulary at that remote time, we cannot possibly estimate to what extent pictorial phonetism supplied a means of coherent communication between man and man.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891

Just as pictorial phonetism was evolved from ideography, or picture-writing, so was alphabetism evolved from pictorial phonetism.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891

A long course of umbrellas, so to speak, and the confusion to which it must have led, paved the way for another kind of picture-writing, in which sounds were expressed instead of things – namely, pictorial phonetism; and pictorial phonetism registers the second stage in the art of writing.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891

This is pictorial phonetism; and pictorial phonetism is, in fact, pictorial punning, of the sort commonly known as the rebus, or charade.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891

Now, in pictorial phonetism each figure stands for the sound of the word denoting the object represented, that word being generally, though not necessarily, used in a far-fetched sense.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891

Other ancient writings passed through the same three stages of development – picture-writing, pictorial phonetism, and alphabetic writing; but the oldest alphabets of other nations are modern when compared with that of the Egyptians.

Pharaohs, Fellahs and Explorers 1891