Ethiopic, an African Writing System: Its History and Principles

This book contains some interesting information about Ethiopia and about the Ethiopic script (although the alphabetic features of the script are downplayed). However, the claims made about the vast cultural significance of the script beyond its representation of Ethiopian languages (which is the main theme of the book) appear exaggerated (where they are clear enough and specific enough to be assessed). Much of the linguistics, in particular, is at least dubious. The work is overtly located in the Afrocentrist tradition and in these respects resembles some other works of that kind. One section of the book deals with the author's views on the direction of influence between Ethiopia and South Arabia; these are controversial, but the case he makes for them may be arguable. The same can be said for his discussion of the Book of Enoch, although here the argumentation appears less convincing. A review article dealing with this book and other such material is to appear in The Skeptic 19:2; see the Australian Skeptics website.

"Ethiopic" fills a yawning gap in genuine African studies (0/1 people found this helpful)

I agree 100% with Elias's review of Ayele's book. In "Ethiopic" Ayele proves beyond any doubt that, that writing system is indigenously African, contrary to western assertions about its "Southern Arabian origin." Moreover, the author shows the connection between some of the ideographic characters of the system, and the African-American political and religious expressions. The fist-looking character is one example, signifying "Black Power." Another is the "third hour" time reckoning of the African American tabernacle in South Philadelphia. I recommend this book whole-heartedly. It may shake some established "africanist" stereotypes. But that's good too. The Publisher Africa World Press is to be congratulated for a job well done.

An original ; a must-read for any student of African history (0/0 people found this helpful)

This is a groundbraking study about the history and principles of Ethiopic (Ge'ez), the language and writing system of present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea. The author argues that Ethiopic is a knowledge system which is brilliantly organized to represent philosophical features such as ideography, mnemonics, syllography, astronomy, numerology and grammatology. The ancient mysteires of books such as KIBRA NAGAST and THE BOOK OF HENOK [ENOCH] are also dealt with in-depth.

This study explores in a very original and interesting approach the dynamic linkages between the Ethiopic and the ancient Egyptian writing system. In a sharp departure from the established view of most Ethiopianists of the old school, Ayele Bekerie contends that the Ethiopic writing system is much older than has been previously thought, tracing back its origin to around 2000 BC. This is a work of Africanist scholarship in the tradition of Cheikh Anta Diop that will have significant impact in the study of African linguistics and philosophy.

Ethiopic, an African Writing System: Its History and Principles

Ayele Bekerie

Reader Reviews:

The main linguistic claims are not well supported. (1/1 people found this helpful)

"Ethiopic" fills a yawning gap in genuine African studies (0/1 people found this helpful)

An original ; a must-read for any student of African history (0/0 people found this helpful)

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