Pictograph

Pictogram
Pictogram
A pictograph[1] , also called pictogram(me), is an ideogram that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and graphic systems in which the characters are to considerable extent pictorial in appearance. Pictography is a form of writing which uses representational, pictorial drawings. It is a basis of cuneiform and, to some extent, hieroglyphic writing, which uses drawings also as phonetic letters or determinative rhymes.
Historical
Early written symbols were based on pictographs (pictures which resemble what they signify) and ideograms (symbols which represent ideas). Ancient Chinese, Sumerian, and Egyptian civilizations began to use such symbols over 5000 years ago, developing them into logographic writing systems around the third millennium BCE. Pictographs are still in use as the main medium of written communication in some non-literate cultures in Africa, The Americas, and Oceania. Pictographs are often used as simple, pictorial, representational symbols by most contemporary cultures. Pictographs can often transcend languages in that they can communicate to speakers of a number of tongues and language families equally effectively, even if the languages and cultures are completely different. This is why road signs and similar pictographic material are often applied as global standards expected to be understood by nearly all. Pictographs can also take the form of diagrams to represent statistical data by pictorial forms, and can be varied in color, size, or number to indicate change. Pictographs can be considered an art form, and are designated as such in Pre-Columbian art, Native American art, and Painting in the Americas before Colonization. One example of many is the Rock art of the Chumash people, part of the Native American history of California. In 2011, UNESCO World Heritage adds to its list a new site "Petroglyphs Complexes of the Mongolian Altai, Mongolia"[2] to celebrate the importance of the pictograms engraved in rocks. Some scientists in the field of neuropsychiatry and neuropsychology, such as Prof. Dr. Mario Christian Meyer, are studying the symbolic meaning of indigenous pictograms and petroglyphs,[3] aiming to create new ways of communication between native people and modern scientists to safeguard and valorize their cultural diversity.[4]
Ojibwa pictographs on cliff-face at Agawa Rock, Lake Superior Provincial Park
Modern use
Pictographs remain in common use today, serving as pictorial, representational signs, instructions, or statistical diagrams. Because of their graphical nature and fairly realistic style, they are widely used to indicate public toilets, or places such as airports and train stations. A standard set of pictographs was defined in the international standard ISO 7001: Public Information Symbols. Another common set of pictographs are the laundry symbols used on clothing tags and chemical hazard labels. Pictographic writing as a modernist poetic technique is credited to Ezra Pound, though French surrealists accurately credit the Pacific Northwest American Indians of Alaska who introduced writing, via totem poles, to North America.[5] Contemporary artist Xu Bing created Book from the Ground [6], a universal language made up of pictogram collected from around the world. A Book from the Ground chat program has been exhibited in museums and
Pictogram galleries internationally. There is a Book from the Ground Wiki [7] currently in development that needs public participation in development. The wiki will be a continually growing database of pictogram used in the chat program, books, signs etc.
Native American Pictographs from the Great Gallery, Horseshoe Canyon, Canyonlands National Park
Sample National Park Service pictographs
Pictograph from 1510 telling a story of coming of missionaries to Hispaniola
Water, rabbit, deer pictographs on a replica of an Aztec Stone of the Sun
British Rail passenger safety pictographs at the end of the platform at Meols railway station
A pictograph warning against swimming because of crocodiles at the Australia Zoo.
"No Dogs!" sign in Spain. The dog illustration is a pictograph. The red circle and bar is an ideogram representing the idea of "no" or "not allowed."
The top traffic sign warns people of horses and riders.
A Recycling symbol.
Pictogram
Notes
[1] Gove, Philip Babcock. (1993). Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged. Merriam-Webster Inc. ISBN 0-87779-201-1. [2] http:/ / whc. unesco. org/ en/ list/ 1382 [3] http:/ / unesdoc. UNESCO. org/ images/ 0006/ 000678/ 067843F. pdf [4] http:/ / www. pisad. bio. br/ artigos/ amazonupclose_outoftheforest. pdf [5] Reed 2003, p. xix [6] http:/ / www. bookfromtheground. com [7] http:/ / www. bookfromtheground. com/ wiki
References
Reed, Ishmael (2003). From Totems to Hip-Hop: A Multicultural Anthology of Poetry Across the Americas, 1900-2002, Ishmael Reed, ed. ISBN 1-56025-458-0.
External links
Pictogram & Communication: About 1,500 practial pictograms based on Design principles of pictorial symbols for communication support(JIS T 0103:2005) (http://pic-com.jp/) CAPL:The Culturally Authentic Pictorial Lexicon, photographic illustrations of objects for multiple languages (http://capl.washjeff.edu/) Pictogram Encyclopedia, The collection site of more than 500 pictograms, Pictograms are categorized, and easy to find unique pictogram (http://pictopedia.jp/eng/) Pictopen (http://www.pictopen.com) - Modern Pictographic Writing
Article Sources and Contributors
Article Sources and Contributors

Pictogram Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=446438708 Contributors: 1000Faces, 16@r, ABoerma, Agradman, Aintsemic, AlainV, Alerante, Amitauti, Anakolouthon, Ancheta Wis, AndreasJS, Andrew Dow, ArmadilloProcess, Avjoska, Azumanga1, Babylonian Armor, Bastianperrot, Bejnar, Bellenion, Big iron, Bluedillygal, BonsaiViking, Bxj, CALR, Captain-tucker, Ceranthor, Charles Matthews, Circeus, Civil Engineer III, Clockface10, Ctanggg, Ctangggg, Cybercobra, DVD R W, Davemon, DavidHo Picto, Dekimasu, Dger, Dpv, EagleFan, Eastlaw, Edwy, Ellywa, Emperorbma, Ericd, Everyme, Floddinn, Fpenteado, Frecklefoot, Fyyer, Gaius Cornelius, George The Dragon, Ghirlandajo, Glenn, Green Giant, Gsklee, Gurch, Hajatvrc, HalfShadow, HamburgerRadio, Heimhenge, Heqs, Hikingbert, Hyacinth, Ikiroid, Ink mathematics, Iranway, It's-is-not-a-genitive, Ixfd64, JForget, Jacobko, James Arboghast, Japanese Searobin, Jauhienij, Joexmanx10, Johnbod, Josephprymak, Joshua1995, Kablammo, Kaicarver, Karriaagzh, King Wagga, KnightRider, Koavf, Kvdveer, Kwamikagami, Linkofazeroth, Look2See1, Looxix, MacedonianBoy, Mailer diablo, Malbi, Mandarax, Mardochaios, Marino-slo, Martarius, MartinHarper, Mdd, Mervyn, Milan Kerlger, Mild Bill Hiccup, Modernist, Nate Silva, NeilN, Neptune5000, Ntsimp, Olivier, Oliwan, Patrick, Patricknoddy, Paxse, PericlesofAthens, Phasmatisnox, Pietaster, Piotrus, Pixelface, Prolog, PuzzletChung, Radon210, Ran, Reddi, Redvers, Rich Farmbrough, Rogper, Rosenknospe, Ross Monroe, Roux-HG, SEWilco, Sardanaphalus, Sarregouset, Seaphoto, SineWave, Squidley, Stijn Vermeeren, Susiemorgan, T-bomb, Tarquin, Teledildonix314, Tempodivalse, Tide rolls, Tillman, Timwi, Tkgd2007, Tregoweth, TrueBox, Unyoyega, Utahcamera, Vg31416, WikHead, Wikid77, Wikmontmartre18, Woohookitty, Wshun, Zack wadghiri, Zaui, Zondor, 141 anonymous edits
Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Agawa Rock, panel VIII.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Agawa_Rock,_panel_VIII.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: User:Dger Image:GreatGalleryedit.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:GreatGalleryedit.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Contributors: Scott Catron Image:National Park Service sample pictographs.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:National_Park_Service_sample_pictographs.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Tkgd2007 Image:Piktograf1.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Piktograf1.png License: Public Domain Contributors: Man vyi, Mattes, Piotrus, Santosga, Till.niermann, 2 anonymous edits Image:Water,Rabbit,Deer.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Water,Rabbit,Deer.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.5 Contributors: en:User:Ancheta Wis Image:Railway pictograms.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Railway_pictograms.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Contributors: Redvers Image:Alligator pictogram.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Alligator_pictogram.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: Phasmatisnox Image:Perros No.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Perros_No.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Constantin Gro (Connum at de.wikipedia) Image:road-sign-horse.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Road-sign-horse.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Original uploader was Matt.whitby at en.wikipedia Image:Recycling_symbol.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Recycling_symbol.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Krdan Image:MUTCD_W3-1.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:MUTCD_W3-1.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Kazuya35, Overpush, J, 5 anonymous edits
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported http:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/

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Pictogram

Sample National Park Service pictographs

Pictograph from 1510 telling a story of coming of missionaries to Hispaniola

Water, rabbit, deer pictographs on a replica of an Aztec Stone of the Sun

A pictograph warning against swimming because of crocodiles at the Australia Zoo.

The top traffic sign warns people of horses and riders.

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

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