For much of the twentieth century, Mayanists adhered to Eric Thompson’s view that Maya hieroglyphs were non-phonetic ideographs expressing mystical, calendrical concepts rather than spoken language. However, in the 1950s, linguist Yuri Knorozov proposed that the script was logosyllabic, combining logograms with phonetic signs representing consonant-vowel syllables. By demonstrating that Mayan words could be spelled out phonetically using these syllables, Knorozov challenged the dominant non-phonetic paradigm. Although his work was initially dismissed by Western scholars due to Cold War tensions, Knorozov's phonetic approach eventually revolutionized Mayan epigraphy, shifting the focus from purely symbolic interpretation to the reconstruction of historical and linguistic narratives recorded by the Maya themselves.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
- To describe how a shift in understanding the linguistic nature of Maya hieroglyphs transformed the field of Mayan epigraphy.Cevap
- BTo argue that geopolitical conflicts during the Cold War delayed the adoption of key linguistic methodologies.
- CTo explain the historical development of Mayan hieroglyphic writing from its origin to its eventual decipherment.
- DTo challenge the notion that ancient Mayan writings contain historical and genealogical records rather than mystical concepts.