Final answer:
Computers use coding systems like ASCII and Unicode to represent letters and words. The Unicode system can represent characters from all language systems, and modern computers have significantly influenced document creation and global communication.
Step-by-step explanation:
Computers use a coding system to represent letters and words. This system transforms the written language's arbitrary symbols into electronic format. One of the most widely known coding systems is the ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) for English, which uses numeric values to represent characters and symbols.
However, as the need for a more inclusive system that could handle international characters became evident, Unicode was developed, a standard that can represent characters and symbols from all language systems around the world, far exceeding ASCII's capabilities. Unicode currently supports over 100,000 characters from various scripts and symbols, including those used in English, Mandarin, and many more.
Every language has a structure with elements like subject, object, and action, which are used to communicate ideas effectively. For example, the English language has an alphabet consisting of 26 letters, which creates over 600,000 recognized words.
Mandarin Chinese uses more than 8,000 characters, where the meaning of a single character can change based on tone and inflection. In contrast, ancient scripts such as the Maya hieroglyphics used a logographic system with pictographic symbols to represent words or syllables. However, today's computers rely primarily on Unicode to encompass the vast array of characters needed for global communication.
The integration of computers into everyday life has drastically changed the way we create and process written content. From early word processors with limited capabilities to modern systems that allow for complex documents similar to professional typesetting, computer technology continues to evolve and impact our communication methods.
Computers facilitate not only the creation of documents but also complex calculations, control of machines, information storage, and access to the global network through the Internet.