Problematika vzniku řecké alfabéty I: povaha vynálezu a datace

Reviewing the otherwise well-known issue of adaptation of Northwest Semitic abecedarium to the Greek again, the present article compares the two phonetical systems exploiting Semitistic as well as Graecistic perspective, relatively in detail. As background, a systematic overview of phonetic type of writing is given with emphasis on representation of vocals in preceding Near-Eastern writing systems (ranging from acrophonic use of Egyptian hieroglyphs through proto-Canaanite consonantal alphabet and, mainly, Aramaic device of vowel-letters down to the primitive Greek alphabet with independently represented vocalic phonemes). The Greek alphabet is described not as an innovative system, the value of which should lie in the ability to roughly represent all the phonemes, but as an innovative and crude one at the same time: the oldest alphabet failed to represent certain Greek phonemes, while introducing creative changes into the received abecedarium (vowels).