Ideogramme

An ideogram, also referred to as an ideogramme in some languages, is a graphical symbol that conveys an idea or concept without indicating its pronunciation. Unlike phonetic signs, which encode speech sounds, ideograms aim to express meaning directly. In practice, many writing systems described as logographic incorporate ideographic elements; conversely, an ideograph may function as a logogram within a broader script.

Historically, ideographic signs appear in various ancient traditions. In Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and other early scripts, signs could denote concepts such as sun, water, or city. In Chinese writing, characters are often described as logograms, each sign representing a morpheme; while some glyphs carry strong semantic content, the system also integrates phonetic components. The distinction between ideograms, pictograms, and logograms has varied among scholars and over time.

In modern use, ideograms are employed to communicate across language barriers. International signage, road and public-symbol systems rely on ideographic signs to convey instructions or information quickly. Constructed ideographic systems exist, such as Blissymbols, developed for cross-cultural communication. Emoji and other pictorial signs also function as contemporary ideograms in a broad sense, conveying concepts and emotions visually.

Related terminology includes pictograms (signs that resemble the objects they represent), logograms (signs that represent words or morphemes), and ideograms (signs that emphasize concept rather than pronunciation). The precise definitions can blur in practice, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday discourse.