Peter T. Daniels scripsit:

> Why couldn't it simply have said "logographic" instead of "ideographic"?

Because "ideographic", though etymologically incorrect, is well-understood.
"Logographic" would only startle and confuse the intended audience.

--
John Cowan jcowan@... www.reutershealth.com www.ccil.org/~cowan
[R]eversing the apostolic precept to be all things to all men, I usually [before
Darwin] defended the tenability of the received doctrines, when I had to do
with the [evolution]ists; and stood up for the possibility of [evolution] among
the orthodox -- thereby, no doubt, increasing an already current, but quite
undeserved, reputation for needless combativeness. --T. H. Huxley