Chinese Characters Across Asia
Book • 2025
Dr.
Zev Handel's "Chinese Characters Across Asia" explores the fascinating history of how Chinese characters spread across East Asia and adapted to write languages like Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
The book delves into the linguistic mechanisms of this adaptation, challenging common misconceptions about Chinese characters.
It examines how these characters, initially pictorial, evolved through sound borrowing and repurposing.
Handel's work provides insights into the cultural exchange and linguistic innovation in East Asia, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the Chinese writing system.
The book is accessible to a broad audience, requiring no prior knowledge of Chinese script or Asian languages.
Zev Handel's "Chinese Characters Across Asia" explores the fascinating history of how Chinese characters spread across East Asia and adapted to write languages like Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
The book delves into the linguistic mechanisms of this adaptation, challenging common misconceptions about Chinese characters.
It examines how these characters, initially pictorial, evolved through sound borrowing and repurposing.
Handel's work provides insights into the cultural exchange and linguistic innovation in East Asia, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the Chinese writing system.
The book is accessible to a broad audience, requiring no prior knowledge of Chinese script or Asian languages.
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Mentioned as the book by Zev Handel that discusses how classical Chinese came to dominate East Asia.
Zev Handel, "Chinese Characters Across Asia: How the Chinese Script Came to Write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese" (U Washington Press, 2025)
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Miranda Melcher
Zev J. Handel, "Chinese Characters Across Asia: How the Chinese Script Came to Write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese" (U Washington Press, 2025)
