History of Symbols
Pictograms
A pictogram is an image that represents an object. Pictograms are useful for conveying information through a common "visual language" able to be understood regardless of one's native language or degree of literacy.
Pictography is a form of writing whereby ideas are transported through drawing, which is the basis of cuneiform and hieroglyphs. "Early written symbols were based on pictograms (pictures which resemble what they signify) and ideograms (pictures which represent ideas). It is commonly believed that pictograms appeared before ideograms. They were used by various ancient cultures all over the world since around 9000 BC and began to develop into logographic writing systems around 5000 BC."Pictograms are still in use as the main medium of written communication in some non-literate cultures in Africa, The Americas, and Oceania, and are often used as simple symbols by most contemporary cultures.
The Chinese language is comprised entirely of pictograms. This system of writing is used by more than any other in the world. (About 1 billion Chinese speakers compared to English at 350 million).
Pictography is a form of writing whereby ideas are transported through drawing, which is the basis of cuneiform and hieroglyphs. "Early written symbols were based on pictograms (pictures which resemble what they signify) and ideograms (pictures which represent ideas). It is commonly believed that pictograms appeared before ideograms. They were used by various ancient cultures all over the world since around 9000 BC and began to develop into logographic writing systems around 5000 BC."Pictograms are still in use as the main medium of written communication in some non-literate cultures in Africa, The Americas, and Oceania, and are often used as simple symbols by most contemporary cultures.
The Chinese language is comprised entirely of pictograms. This system of writing is used by more than any other in the world. (About 1 billion Chinese speakers compared to English at 350 million).
Rebus
Rebus, representation of a word or syllable by a picture of an object the name of which resembles in sound the represented word or syllable. Several rebuses may be combined—in a single device or successively—to make a phrase or sentence. Literary rebuses use letters, numbers, musical notes, or specially placed words to make sentences. Complex rebuses combine pictures and letters. Rebuses may convey direct meanings, especially to inform or instruct illiterate people; or they may deliberately conceal meanings, to inform only the initiated or to puzzle and amuse.
An early form of rebus occurs in picture writings, where abstract words, difficult to portray, were represented by pictures of objects pronounced the same way. These are common in Egyptian hieroglyphs and early Chinese pictographs. Rebus pictures were used to convey names of towns on Greek and Roman coins or names of families in medieval heraldry and for instructional symbols in religious art and architecture. In the Far East, especially in China and Korea, rebus symbols were commonly employed to carry auspicious wishes.
Popular in the United States after the mid-19th century were rebus picture puzzles in which the indicated addition or subtraction of letters in illustrated words produced another word or name. Such picture riddles have been widely used in advertising promotional contests.
An early form of rebus occurs in picture writings, where abstract words, difficult to portray, were represented by pictures of objects pronounced the same way. These are common in Egyptian hieroglyphs and early Chinese pictographs. Rebus pictures were used to convey names of towns on Greek and Roman coins or names of families in medieval heraldry and for instructional symbols in religious art and architecture. In the Far East, especially in China and Korea, rebus symbols were commonly employed to carry auspicious wishes.
Popular in the United States after the mid-19th century were rebus picture puzzles in which the indicated addition or subtraction of letters in illustrated words produced another word or name. Such picture riddles have been widely used in advertising promotional contests.
Shown above are two famous rebus logos from recent graphic design history. Milton Glaser's "I Love New York" is actually a combination of a rebus and a phonogram. A phonogram is a symbol (letter) that represents a spoken sound. For example the letter 'A' represents sounds, ahh or aay, etc.
Paul Rand was an American graphic designer renown for his corporate identity work from 1960—1980. Above is his rebus symbol for IBM. It is also a combination of rebus and phonogram.
Paul Rand was an American graphic designer renown for his corporate identity work from 1960—1980. Above is his rebus symbol for IBM. It is also a combination of rebus and phonogram.
Ideograms
An ideogram or ideograph (from Greek ἰδέα idéa "idea" + γράφω gráphō "to write") is a graphic symbol that represents an idea or concept.
It's a graphical symbol that represents an idea, rather than a group of letters arranged according to the phonemes of a spoken language, as is done in alphabetic languages. Examples of ideograms include wayfinding signage, such as in airports and other environments where many people may not be familiar with the language of the place they are in, as well as Arabic numerals and mathematical notation, which are used worldwide regardless of how they are pronounced in different languages. The term "ideogram" is commonly used to describe logographic writing systems such as Egyptian hieroglyphs and Chinese characters. However, symbols in logographic systems generally represent words or morphemes rather than pure ideas.
It's a graphical symbol that represents an idea, rather than a group of letters arranged according to the phonemes of a spoken language, as is done in alphabetic languages. Examples of ideograms include wayfinding signage, such as in airports and other environments where many people may not be familiar with the language of the place they are in, as well as Arabic numerals and mathematical notation, which are used worldwide regardless of how they are pronounced in different languages. The term "ideogram" is commonly used to describe logographic writing systems such as Egyptian hieroglyphs and Chinese characters. However, symbols in logographic systems generally represent words or morphemes rather than pure ideas.
Above, an ideogram demonstrates the perils of tipping a vending machine.
Below is the ubiquitous request to not smoke in a specific area. The red bar is an image that alone means nothing but when combined with a circle symbolizes the idea of "no."
Below is the ubiquitous request to not smoke in a specific area. The red bar is an image that alone means nothing but when combined with a circle symbolizes the idea of "no."