A written language is the representation of a language by means of a writing system. Written language is an invention in that it must be taught to children; children will pick up spoken language (oral or sign) by exposure without being specifically taught.
A written language exists only as a complement to a specific spoken language, and no natural language is purely written. However, extinct languages may be in effect purely written when only their writings survive.
Read more about Written Language: Written Language Vs. Spoken Language, Further Reading
Famous quotes containing the words written and/or language:
“Paper is soft and ink is fluid; it might be better if some pages of this chronicle could be written on chips of granite at the point of steel.”
—E. M. Almedingen (b. 1898–?)
“After all, when you come right down to it, how many people speak the same language even when they speak the same language?”
—Russell Hoban (b. 1925)