They had a definite meaning,for they were as near as early m

这位网友,这个句子确实有一些难,你的问题问得十分切中要害,该句难词没有,难就难在断句分层.我读了很多遍,觉得get to writing不是一个译群,句子如果改写成这样,或许好理解一点：
They (可能指eary man早期人类创造的早期文字、字符或者符号等）had a definite meaning .Early man could get that near to writing 意思是说：早期人类的书写水平就是这样了,这是早期人类的最高书写水平.
另外有一个短句可能有些帮助：
Speak to me as quick as you can.这里包含一个搭配,就是 speak quickly to me.讨论的例句中be as near as they could get to writing,也包含一个搭配,就是 get near to writing
这里writing可能更倾向于名词.仅供参考.欢迎追问.