Chapter 2- Alphabets

Chapter was just bursting with a bunch of information.  It describes the transformation from the early Semitic alphabet all the way to the Roman's instituted changes.  I thinks it's interesting how something we today feel is so universal and stable (writing) changed so easily once a new empire came to power.  Their style of writing changed and died out, which reminds me of how a language functions.  If it's not spoken, it's lost, even though another language was probably affected by it at some point.  This chapter does a great job explaining the creation of serifs (which I have always wondered about) and also goes into the complexity of the Korean alphabet.

I find it very interesting how the two most popular written languages (forms of Latin and Aramaic) evolved in two completely separate ways.  They each branched out at one point in time and turned into a huge accomplishment for human life.  I like seeing how small changes affect the whole picture, and for thousands of years small changes occurred on each of these languages, eventually coming to a halt once we believe perfection has been achieved.  It makes me wonder if any other changes will ever be made to our alphabet in the future.

I am curious to know if there is a connection between ancient vellum, which was described as the finest parchment made from the smooth skins of newborn calves, and the scrap-booking vellum.  The vellum I have used in scrap-booking is somewhat see-through.... but i don't know if they relate to one another.  If so, my pages have taken on a totally different meaning.