As writing developed, the relationship between characters and the objects they represented became less strong. Writing became phonetic-letters represented sounds, like in the modern English alphabet. The phonetic alphabet developed by the Phoenicians about 3,000 years ago influenced the writing of modern Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and English. Today, about 85 percent of the world's population can read and write. Whatever form of writing those people use, it remains one of humanity's most powerful forms of artistic and creative expression.