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5 - The Road to the Alphabet

The Basics of Mandombe

from Part III - Writing, Art, and Kongo Culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2023

Ramon Sarró
Ramon Sarró
Affiliation:
University of Oxford
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Summary

This chapter introduces, closely following Wabeladio’s explanations, how the logics and phonographic aspects of Mandombe work as an alphabet, explaining the geometrical principles underpinning it. It also contains some personal reflections on the relationship between mathematics and culture.

Keywords

writing systemmathematicsgeometry
Type
Chapter
Information
Inventing an African Alphabet
Writing, Art, and Kongo Culture in the DRC
 , pp. 99 - 115
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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  • The Road to the Alphabet
  • Ramon Sarró, University of Oxford
  • Book: Inventing an African Alphabet
  • Online publication: 17 February 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009199476.008
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  • The Road to the Alphabet
  • Ramon Sarró, University of Oxford
  • Book: Inventing an African Alphabet
  • Online publication: 17 February 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009199476.008
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Road to the Alphabet
  • Ramon Sarró, University of Oxford
  • Book: Inventing an African Alphabet
  • Online publication: 17 February 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009199476.008
Available formats
×