glyphocentric

Glyphocentric is an adjective that describes a worldview or approach that places excessive importance on written symbols, particularly glyphs, to the exclusion of other forms of communication or understanding. It suggests a focus on the visual representation of language rather than its broader context, meaning, or spoken form.

Someone or something described as glyphocentric might prioritize the detailed analysis of a character's shape, its historical origins as a written mark, or its precise placement within a text. This focus can sometimes lead to an underappreciation of oral traditions, non-verbal cues, or the lived experiences that inform meaning. The term implies a potential limitation in perspective, where the written word becomes the sole or primary arbiter of truth or knowledge.

In certain academic fields, like historical linguistics or epigraphy, a degree of glyphocentrism might be necessary for specialized study. However, when applied more broadly, it can suggest an imbalance, where the tangible form of a glyph overshadows its function as a carrier of meaning or its role within a dynamic communicative act. It is a concept that highlights the potential pitfalls of a purely text-based understanding of human interaction and knowledge creation.