The origins of the art and practice of professional writing : the written word as a tool for social justice then and now / Kathryn Rosser Raign.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Raign, Kathryn Rosser, author.

Series:

SUNY Series, Studies in Technical Communication Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Technical writing--History.

Technical writing.

Written communication--History.

Written communication.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (200 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Albany, NY : State University of New York Press, [2024]

Summary:

Explores the origins of written communication to offer a counter-history to the separation of rhetoric/composition and technical/professional communication.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Preface

Prologue

Introduction: Expanding the History and Purpose of Technical Communication

Why Do We Need This Book?

Methodology

The Trouble with Translations

The Historical Context of Writing in Ancient Mesopotamia

Chapter Outline

Conclusion

Chapter 1 Cylinder Seals: Written Communication's First Technological Breakthrough

Cylinder Seals

Cylinder Seals as Technical Communication

A Tool for Communicating Professional and Technical Information

Types of Seals and Their Uses

Personal Seals

Official Seals

Temple Seals

Seal Ideology

Seals as a Tool for TPC

User-Centered Design

Mass Production of a Message

Proto Literate Period-Before 3000 BCE

Early Dynastic Period: 2900-2300

Queen Puabi

Akkadian Period: 2340-2180

Kalki the Scribe

Ur III: 2100-2000 (3rd Dynasty of Ur

Sumerian Renaissance, Post-Akkad)

The Old Babylonian/Old Assyrian Period

Middle Babylonian/Assyrian

Cylinder Seals and Social Justice

Chapter 2 Ancient Technical Manuals and Letters: The Origins of Instructional Writing

A Perfume-making Recipe of Tapputi-belet-ekallim

Use of Linguistic Techniques and Structure

Use of Conditional Clauses

Use of Imperative Mood

Appropriate Level of Detail for Audience

Use of Logically Ordered Steps

Rhetorical Moves

Use of Passive Mood

Letters

Sumerian to Neo-Babylonian (3000-600 BCE)

Old Babylonian (2000-1600 BCE)

"Give the Silver to Su-Belim"-Letter from a Sister to her Brothers (emphasis mine)

Use of Adversative Clause

Use of Second Person

Appropriate Level of Detail and Technicality

Chronological Steps

Rhetorical Motives

Use of Infinitive

Use of an Adversative Clause

Use of Passive Voice

Use of Adjectives

Call to Action.

Letter from Son to Father-Instructions for Ensuring Filial Loyalty

Conditional Clauses

Step-by-Step Directions

Appropriate Level of Detail And Technicality for Audience

Use of Passive Voice and Third Person

Opening Apology

Use of Threats

Chapter 3 Finding Our Missing Pieces: Women Technical Writers in Ancient Mesopotamia

Assigning Gender to Ancient Mesopotamian Texts

Two Classes of Women Writers

Women under Patriarchal Rule

Women Not Under Patriarchal Rule

What It Meant to Say a Woman "Wrote"

Instrumental Agent

Independent Agent

Genres of Writing

Literary Texts Written by Independent Agents

"A Hymn to Inanna"-To Accomplish Something and Provide Instructions for Doing So

Instrumental Literary Texts

The Atra-Hasis-to Make the Tacit Explicit

The Old Man and the Young Girl-to Provide Instruction

The Epic of Gilgamesh-to Make the Tacit Explicit

Ritual to Induce Labor-to Provide Instruction

Ritual to Save a Pregnancy-to Provide Instruction

Ritual for Treating Rheumatism-to Provide Instruction

Kislimu Ritual for Esagil-to Provide Instruction

Praise Be to Nidaba-To Make the Tacit Explicit

Nonliterary Texts Written by Independent Agents

Letter Written by Ninsatapada to Rim-Sin, the King of Larsa-to Accomplish Something

Letter from Serua-eterat to Assur-Sarrat-to Accomplish Something

Letter from Serua-eterat to Libbali-Sarrat-to Accomplish Something

Nonliterary Texts Written by Instrumental Agents

Terms of Redress-to Accomplish Something

Death Ritual of Queen Puabi-Making the Tacit Explicit

Chapter 4 Decentering the History of the Writing Center: A Case for the Mesopotamian Edubba as an Early Writing Center

What Was Taught at the Edubba?.

Phase 1-Learn and Practice the Written Symbols of Cuneiform

Phase 2-Citizen Training

Phase 3-The Study of Literature

Who Taught? The Ancient Teaching Staff

The Ummia

The Big Brother/Sister

Women Teachers

What Methods Did They Use?

An Emphasis on Collaboration

An Emphasis on Genre and Form

An Emphasis on Revision

Which is More Like the Edubba? A Composition Course or a Modern Writing Center?

Chapter 5 Mythos, Nomos, Logos: Evidence of Sophistic Reasoning before the Sophists

The Structure of the Disputation

Prologue/Introduction

Formal Debate/Statement of Fact and Confirmation

Adjudication/Conclusion

The Disputations' Purpose

What Did the Disputations Teach?

Are the Disputations Rhetorical?

What Makes the Disputations a Precursor to Sophistic Rhetoric?

Mythos, Logos, and Nomos

Mythos

Logos

Nomos

The Use of Ethos and Pathos

Use of Ethos

Use of Pathos

An Analysis of Hoe and Plow

Logical Structure

What Plow Can Do

What Plow Cannot Do

A Repetition of What Plow Can Do

Three "I" Statements

Ten Examples of What Others Do for Plow

Five Examples of How Others Describe or Respond to Plow's Work

Five Examples of What Plow Does or Provides for Others

Four Disparaging Descriptions of What Hoe Does Beginning With "O Hoe"

Three Commands

One Description of Hoe

Two Threats Against Hoe

One Final Brag

Use of Nomos

Chapter 6 Myth, Magic, and Medicine: Medical Writing in Ancient Mesopotamia

Medical Practitioners

Medical Texts

The Diagnostic and Prognostic Series

The Pharmacology

The Therapeutic Series

The Medical Process

Use of Horizontal Lines and Charts

Useful Repetition

Sequential References

Medical Commentary

Medicine and Social Justice

Could Women Be Doctors?

Conclusion.

Chapter 7 Writing as Social Justice

Oppression and Justice

Before 4000 BCE: The Urban Revolution

Between 4000 and 3000 BCE: Temple Rule

3000-2300 BCE: Big Men and Kings

The Big Men

The Rule of Urukagina

Cuneiform

Scribes, Writing, and Access to Literacy

Notes

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781438497303

143849730X

OCLC:

1427664080