Blissymbols

From ArticleWorld

Blissymbols is a system of symbols developed for use as an international written form of communication which is not based on any language. It has been adopted for use by people with communication, language and learning difficulties since 1971.

History

Charles K. Bliss developed the system after the Second World War. Bliss studied chemical engineering at the Vienna University of Technology and graduated in 1922. Anti-Semitic persecution led to a series of detention camps, refuge in England and then a period of detention in the Hongkew ghetto in Shanghai in 1942 for Bliss and his wife. It was during this time that Bliss discovered Chinese ideograms, which supplemented his interest in symbols as an easier form of communication.

Eventually moving to Australia, Bliss and his wife became naturalized citizens and then began work on the development of the symbols. In 1949, Bliss published ‘International Semantography’ outlining his system but the three volume text met with little success. It was not until 1971 that Bliss learnt that his system had been used since 1965 in teaching children with cerebral palsy to communicate in Canada.

Present day success

Blissymbols is used in over 33 countries today and has been translated into 17 countries. Blissymbols Communication International (BCI) is a non-profit charitable organization based in Canada which has the copyright on the system and is active in teaching the method to those with speech and physical problems who would otherwise not be able to communicate with others.