Alphabetisation

/ˌælfəbətaɪˈzeɪʃən/ noun

Definition

The process of arranging things in alphabetical order, or the act of teaching people to read and write using an alphabetic system.

Etymology

From 'alphabetize' + the suffix '-tion' (British spelling '-isation'), creating an abstract noun for the process. This term emerged in 19th-century educational and organizational contexts.

Kelly Says

The 'alphabetisation' of a whole country's population was actually a radical political act—governments realized that literate citizens were easier to govern (through written laws), tax (through records), and control (through propaganda).

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