Definition:
(1) A branch of linguistics that studies writing and print as systems of signs. Adjective: graphological. See also:
- Writing System
- Alphabet
- Grapheme
- Heading
- Indentation
- Orthography
- Phonology
- Punctuation
- Spacing
- Writing
(2) The study of handwriting as a means of analyzing character.
Etymology:
From the Greek, "writing" + "study"Observations:
- Definition #1 of Graphology
"Graphology is the study of the writing system of a language--the orthographic conventions that have been devised to turn speech into writing, using any available technology (e.g. pen and ink, typewriter, printing press, electronic screen). For Modern English, the core of the system is the alphabet of 26 letters, in its lower case (a, b, c . . .) and upper case (A, B, C . . .) forms, along with rules of spelling and capitalization which govern the way these letters are combined to make words. The system also includes the set of punctuation marks and the conventions of text positioning (such as headlines and indents), which are used to organize text by identifying sentences, paragraphs, and other written units."
(David Crystal, Think on My Words: Exploring Shakespeare's Language. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2008) - "The term graphology will be used here in its broadest sense to refer to the visual medium of language. It describes the general resources of language's written system, including punctuation, spelling, typography, alphabet and paragraph structure, but it can also be extended to incorporate any significant pictorial and iconic devices which supplement this system.
"In their explanations of graphology, linguists often find it useful to draw parallels between this system and the system of spoken language. . . . The study of the meaning potential of clusters of sounds is referred to as phonology. By the same principle, the study of the meaning potential of written characters will be enveloped by our term graphology, while the basic graphological units themselves are referred to as graphemes."
(Paul Simpson, Language Through Literature. Routledge, 1997) - Definition #2 of Graphology
"In general, the scientific basis for graphological interpretations of personality is questionable."
("Graphology," Encyclopedia Britannica, 1973) - "If taken away from fortune-tellers and given serious study, graphology may yet become a useful handmaiden of psychology, possibly revealing important traits, attitudes, values of the 'hidden' personality. Research for medical graphology (which studies handwriting for symptoms of nervous diseases) already indicates that handwriting is more than muscular."
("Handwriting as Character." Time magazine, May 25,1942)
Pronunciation: gra-FOL-eh-gee
