Brush Conversation in the Sinographic Cosmopolis: Interactional Cross-border Communication using Literary Sinitic in Early Modern East Asia

Literati of Classical Chinese or Literary Sinitic could communicate in writing interactively, despite not speaking each other's languages, leading to widespread literacy development in premodern and early modern East Asia. This book presents examples from recurrent contexts involving boat drifters, traveling literati, and diplomatic envoys, illustrating how 'silent conversation' or 'brush-assisted conversation' is possible through writing-mediated brushed interaction. It is the first monograph in English to address this fascinating lingua-cultural practice and cross-border communication phenomenon, which was possibly sui generis in Sinographic East Asia.

Format: Hardback
Length: 318 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

For centuries, until the 1900s, in modern-day China, Japan, North and South Korea, and Vietnam, literati of Classical Chinese or Literary Sinitic (wenyan 文言) could engage in written communication, despite not sharing a common language. This book explores the historical backdrop and material factors that contributed to the widespread literacy development in premodern and early modern East Asia, where reading and writing were conducted in Literary Sinitic. To demonstrate the feasibility of "silent conversation" or "brush-assisted conversation" through writing-mediated brushed interaction, synchronously face-to-face, this book presents contextualized examples from recurring contexts involving (i) boat drifters; (ii) traveling literati; and (iii) diplomatic envoys. Where profound knowledge of classical canons and literary works in Sinitic was a shared attribute of the brush-talkers concerned, their brush-talk would typically be intertwined with poetic improvisation.

As the first monograph in English to delve into this captivating lingua-cultural practice and cross-border communication phenomenon, which was possibly unique to Sinographic East Asia, it holds interest for students studying East Asian languages and linguistics, history, international relations, and diplomacy. Additionally, it appeals to scholars in (historical) pragmatics, sociolinguistics, sociology of language, scripts and writing systems, cultural and linguistic anthropology, and other related fields.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367499402