2 ms·
Is it a fair analogy to say that zero is to numbers as vowels are to alphabets? My understanding is the consonants came first, vowels later, as (Western writin
by smitty1e 7y ago
Is it a fair analogy to say that zero is to numbers as vowels are to alphabets?
My understanding is the consonants came first, vowels later, as (Western writing anyway) transitioned from pictograms to alphabets.
- throwanem 7y agoNot really. In the case of vowels, spoken language always had sounds in those places; the innovation lay only in writing them down, rather than leaving them implicit. In the case of zero, the innovation lay in the concept itself.