Phonocentrism
The term phonocentrism, identified by the French philosopher Jacques Derrica, is generally defined as the superiority of speech language (e.g. presence) over written language (e.g. absence). It is also true for the metaphysical superiority of speech language over sign language. The examples of phonocentrism are as follows:
"Writing is not language, but merely a way of recording language." [1]
Writing is invariably regarded as "a substitute of speech", "technology", etc. [2]
Orality is "natural", writing is "artificial" and text is "dead". (Walter Ong)
"...calls phonetic writing 'true writing' and everything else 'embryowriting'" [3]
"You cannot hear? How did you learn to write and read English fluently?"
"Speaking is used long before writing is invented."
These assumptions are untrue as there are refuting arguments against them. Derrida defies influential, phonocentric contributions made by a number of theorists, philosophers and linguists, such as Plato, Aristotle, Saussure, Lévi-Strauss, Rousseau, Walter Ong, Leonard Bloomfield and many others for their implications of phonocentrism in their works.
[1] Leonard Bloomfield. Language (New York: Rinehart & Winston, 1993) p. 219 cited in Daniel Chandler, "Biases of the Ear and Eye: Phonocentrism", http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/litoral/litoral2.html
[2] Ibid.
[3] David Diringer, one of the authorities on writing system, cited in Elkins, p 127.