Phoenician alphabet  

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-:[[Α]] [[Β]] [[Γ]] [[Δ]] [[Ε]] [[Ζ]] [[Η]] [[Θ]] [[Ι]] [[Κ]] [[∧]] [[Μ]] [[Ν]] [[Ξ]] [[Ο]] [[∏]] [[Ρ]] [[∑]] [[Τ]] [[Υ]] [[Φ]] [[Χ]] [[Ψ]] [[Ω]]+The '''Phoenician alphabet''', called by convention the '''Proto-Canaanite alphabet''' for inscriptions older than around 1050 BC, was a non-[[pictograph]]ic [[consonant]]al [[alphabet]], or [[abjad]]. It was used for the writing of [[Phoenician language|Phoenician]], a Northern [[Semitic languages|Semitic]] language, used by the civilization of [[Phoenicia]]. It has been [[classified]] as an abjad because it records only [[consonant]]al sounds, with the addition of ''[[matres lectionis]]'' for some [[vowel]]s.
-:[[α]] [[β]] [[γ]] [[δ]] [[ε]] [[ζ]] [[η]] [[θ]] [[ι]] [[κ]] [[λ]] [[μ]] [[ν]] [[ξ]] [[ο]] [[π]] [[ρ]] [[σ]] [[τ]] [[υ]] [[φ]] [[χ]] [[ψ]] [[ω]]+
 +Phoenician became one of the most widely used [[writing systems]], spread by Phoenician merchants across the [[Mediterranean]] world, where it was assimilated by many other cultures and evolved.
 +The [[Aramaic alphabet]], a modified form of Phoenician, was the ancestor of the modern [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]] and [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew scripts]]. The [[Greek alphabet]] (and by extension its descendants such as the [[Latin alphabet|Latin]], the [[Cyrillic alphabet|Cyrillic]] and the [[Coptic alphabet|Coptic]]), was a direct successor of Phoenician, though certain [[letter value]]s were changed to represent vowels.
-The '''Greek alphabet''' is a set of twenty-four letters that has been used to write the [[Greek language]] since the late [[9th century BC|9th]] or early 8th century BCE. It is the first and oldest [[alphabet]] in the narrow sense that it notes each vowel and consonant with a separate symbol. It is as such in continuous use to this day. The letters were also used to represent [[Greek numerals]], beginning in the 2nd century BCE.+==See also==
- +*[[Arabic alphabet]]
-The Greek alphabet is descended from the [[Phoenician alphabet]], and is not related to [[Linear B]] or the [[Cypriot syllabary]], earlier writing systems for Greek. It has given rise to many other alphabets used in [[Europe]] and the [[Middle East]], including the [[Latin alphabet]]. In addition to being used for writing [[Modern Greek]], its letters are today used as [[Greek letters used in mathematics|symbols in mathematics and science]], [[particle physics|particle names]] in physics, as [[Astronomical naming conventions#Names of stars|names of stars]], in the names of [[fraternities and sororities]], in the [[Lists of tropical cyclone names|naming of supernumerary tropical cyclones]], and for other purposes.+*[[Aramaic alphabet]]
-== Main letters ==+*[[Hebrew alphabet]]
-Below is a table listing the Greek letters, as well as their forms when [[romanization|romanized]]. The table also provides the equivalent [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician letter]] from which each Greek letter is derived. Pronunciations transcribed using the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]].+*[[Greek alphabet]]
- +*[[Paleo-Hebrew alphabet]]
-The classical pronunciation given below is the reconstructed pronunciation of Attic in the late 5th and early 4th century BC. Some of the letters had different pronunciations in pre-classical times or in non-Attic dialects. For details, see [[History of the Greek alphabet]] and [[Ancient Greek phonology]]. For details on post-classical Ancient Greek pronunciation, see [[Koine Greek phonology]].+*[[Tanakh at Qumran]]
- +*[[Tifinagh]]
-{| class="wikitable"+*[[Old Turkic script]]
-!rowspan="2" style="background:#ccf;"|Letter+
-!rowspan="2" style="background:#ccf;"|Corresponding<br />[[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]]<br />letter+
-!colspan="4" style="background:#ccf;"|Name+
-!colspan="2" style="background:#ccf;"|[[Transliteration of Greek to the Latin alphabet|Transliteration]]<sup>1</sup> <!-- footnote explains caveats -->+
-!colspan="2" style="background:#ccf;"|[[International Phonetic Alphabet|Pronunciation]]+
-!rowspan="2" style="background:#ccf;"|[[Greek numerals|Numeric<br />value]]+
-|-+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|English+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|Ancient<br />Greek+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|Medieval<br />Greek<br />([[polytonic orthography|polytonic]])+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|{{audio-nohelp|Ell-AlphabitosUpload.ogg|Modern<br />Greek}}+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|Ancient<br />Greek+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|Modern<br />Greek+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|Classical<br />Ancient<br />Greek+
-!style="background:#ccffff;"|Modern<br />Greek+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Α α+
-|[[Image:Phoenician aleph.svg|x16px|Aleph]] [[Aleph (letter)|Aleph]]+
-|[[Alpha (letter)|Alpha]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|ἄλφα}}+
-|άλφα+
-|colspan="2"|a+
-|{{IPA|[a] [aː]}}+
-|{{IPA|[a]}}+
-|1+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Β β+
-|[[Image:Phoenician beth.svg|x16px|Beth]] [[Beth (letter)|Beth]]+
-|[[Beta (letter)|Beta]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|βῆτα}}+
-|βήτα+
-|b+
-|v+
-|{{IPA|[b]}}+
-|{{IPA|[v]}}+
-|2+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Γ γ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician gimel.svg|x16px|Gimel]] [[Gimel (letter)|Gimel]]+
-|[[Gamma (letter)|Gamma]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|γάμμα}}+
-|γάμ(μ)α+
-|g+
-|gh, g, y+
-|{{IPA|[ɡ]}}+
-|{{IPA|[ɣ], [ʝ]}}+
-|3+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Δ δ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician daleth.svg|x16px|Daleth]] [[Daleth]]+
-|[[Delta (letter)|Delta]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|δέλτα}}+
-|δέλτα+
-|d+
-|d, dh+
-|{{IPA|[d]}}+
-|{{IPA|[ð]}}+
-|4+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Ε ε+
-|[[Image:Phoenician he.svg|x16px|He]] [[He (letter)|He]]+
-|[[Epsilon]]+
-|{{polytonic|ε{{unicode|ἶ}}}}+
-|{{polytonic|{{unicode|ἒ}} ψιλόν}}+
-|έψιλον+
-|colspan="2"|e+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[e]}}+
-|5+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ζ ζ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician zayin.svg|x16px|Zayin]] [[Zayin]]+
-|[[Zeta (letter)|Zeta]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|ζῆτα}}+
-|ζήτα+
-|colspan="2"|z+
-|{{IPA|[[Zeta (letter)#Pronunciation|[zd, dz, zː] ]]}}(?)+
-|{{IPA|[z]}}+
-|7+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Η η+
-|[[Image:Phoenician heth.svg|x16px|Heth]] [[Heth (letter)|Heth]]+
-|[[Eta (letter)|Eta]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|ἦτα}}+
-|ήτα+
-|e, ē+
-|i+
-|{{IPA|[ɛː]}}+
-|{{IPA|[i]}}+
-|8+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Θ θ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician teth.svg|x16px|Teth]] [[Teth]]+
-|[[Theta (letter)|Theta]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|θῆτα}}+
-|θήτα+
-|colspan="2"|th+
-|{{IPA|[tʰ]}}+
-|{{IPA|[θ]}}+
-|9+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ι ι+
-|[[Image:Phoenician yodh.svg|x16px|Yodh]] [[Yodh]]+
-|[[Iota (letter)|Iota]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|ἰῶτα}}+
-|(γ)ιώτα+
-|colspan="2"|i+
-|{{IPA|[i] [iː]}}+
-|{{IPA|[i], [ʝ]}}+
-|10+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Κ κ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician kaph.svg|x16px|Kaph]] [[Kaph]]+
-|[[Kappa (letter)|Kappa]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|κάππα}}+
-|κάπ(π)α+
-|colspan="2"|k+
-|{{IPA|[k]}}+
-|{{IPA|[k], [c]}}+
-|20+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Λ λ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician lamedh.svg|x16px|Lamedh]] [[Lamedh]]+
-|[[Lambda (letter)|Lambda]]+
-|{{polytonic|λάβδα}}+
-|{{polytonic|λάμβδα}}+
-|λάμ(β)δα+
-|colspan="2"|l+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[l]}}+
-|30+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Μ μ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician mem.svg|x16px|Mem]] [[Mem]]+
-|[[Mu (letter)|Mu]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|μῦ}}+
-|μι/μυ+
-|colspan="2"|m+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[m]}}+
-|40+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ν ν+
-|[[Image:Phoenician nun.svg|x16px|Nun]] [[Nun (letter)|Nun]]+
-|[[Nu (letter)|Nu]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|νῦ}}+
-|νι/νυ+
-|colspan="2"|n+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[n]}}+
-|50+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ξ ξ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician samekh.svg|x16px|Samekh]] [[Samekh]]+
-|[[Xi (letter)|Xi]]+
-|{{polytonic|ξεῖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|ξῖ}}+
-|ξι+
-|x+
-|x, ks+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[ks]}}+
-|60+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ο ο+
-|[[Image:Phoenician ayin.svg|x16px|Ayin]] [[Ayin|'Ayin]]+
-|[[Omicron]]+
-|{{polytonic|οὖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|ὂ μικρόν}}+
-|όμικρον+
-|colspan="2"|o+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[o]}}+
-|70+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Π π+
-|[[Image:Phoenician pe.svg|x16px|Pe]] [[Pe (letter)|Pe]]+
-|[[Pi (letter)|Pi]]+
-|{{polytonic|πεῖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|πῖ}}+
-|πι+
-|colspan="2"|p+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[p]}}+
-|80+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Ρ ρ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician res.svg|x16px|Res]] [[Resh]]+
-|[[Rho (letter)|Rho]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|ῥῶ}}+
-|ρω+
-|r, rh+
-|r+
-|{{IPA|[r]}}, {{IPA|[r̥]}}+
-|{{IPA|[r]}}+
-|100+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Σ σ ς+
-|[[Image:Phoenician sin.svg|x16px|Sin]] [[Shin (letter)|Sin]]+
-|[[Sigma (letter)|Sigma]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|σῖγμα}}+
-|σίγμα+
-|colspan="2"|s+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[s]}}+
-|200+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Τ τ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician taw.svg|x16px|Taw]] [[Taw (letter)|Taw]]+
-|[[Tau (letter)|Tau]]+
-|colspan="2"|{{polytonic|ταῦ}}+
-|ταυ+
-|colspan="2"|t+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[t]}}+
-|300+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Υ υ+
-|[[Image:Phoenician waw.svg|x16px|Waw]] [[Waw (letter)|Waw]]+
-|[[Upsilon (letter)|Upsilon]]+
-|{{polytonic|ὖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|ὖ ψιλόν}}+
-|ύψιλον+
-|u, y+
-|y, v, f+
-|{{IPA|[ʉ(ː)], [y(ː)]}}+
-|{{IPA|[i]}}+
-|400+
-|-+
-|<span style="font-size:133%;">Φ φ+
-|rowspan="3"|origin disputed<br />(see text)+
-|[[Phi (letter)|Phi]]+
-|{{polytonic|φεῖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|φῖ}}+
-|φι+
-|ph+
-|f+
-|{{IPA|[pʰ]}}+
-|{{IPA|[f]}}+
-|500+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Χ χ+
-|[[Chi (letter)|Chi]]+
-|{{polytonic|χεῖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|χῖ}}+
-|χι+
-|ch+
-|ch, kh+
-|{{IPA|[kʰ]}}+
-|{{IPA|[x], [ç]}}+
-|600+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ψ ψ+
-|[[Psi (letter)|Psi]]+
-|{{polytonic|ψεῖ}}+
-|{{polytonic|ψῖ}}+
-|ψι+
-|colspan="2"|ps+
-|colspan="2"|{{IPA|[ps]}}+
-|700+
-|-+
-|style="font-size:133%;"|Ω ω+
-|[[Image:Phoenician ayin.svg|x16px|Ayin]] [[Ayin|'Ayin]]+
-|[[Omega]]+
-|{{polytonic|ὦ}}+
-|{{polytonic|ὦ μέγα}}+
-|ωμέγα+
-|o, ō+
-|o+
-|{{IPA|[ɔː]}}+
-|{{IPA|[o]}}+
-|800+
-|-+
-|}+
-# For details and different transliteration systems see [[Romanization of Greek]].+
- +
-=== Variant forms ===+
-Some letters can occur in variant shapes, mostly inherited from medieval [[History of the Greek alphabet#Later developments|minuscule]] handwriting. While their use in normal typography of Greek is purely a matter of font styles, some such variants have been given separate encodings in [[Unicode]].+
-*The symbol {{Unicode|ϐ}} ("curled beta") is a cursive variant form of [[Beta (letter)|beta]] (β). In the French tradition of Ancient Greek typography β is used word-initially {{Unicode|ϐ}} is used word-internally.+
-*The letter [[epsilon]] can occur in two equally frequent stylistic variants, either shaped <math>\epsilon\,\!</math> ('lunate epsilon', like a semicircle with a stroke) or <math>\varepsilon\,\!</math> (similar to a reversed number 3). The symbol {{Unicode|ϵ}} (U+03F5) is designated specifically for the lunate form, used as a technical symbol.+
-*The symbol {{Unicode|ϑ}} ("script theta") is a cursive form of [[theta]] (θ), frequent in handwriting, and used with a specialized meaning as a technical symbol.+
-*The symbol {{Unicode|ϰ}} ("kappa symbol") is a cursive form of [[kappa]] (κ), used as a technical symbol.+
-*The symbol {{Unicode|ϖ}} ("variant pi") is an archaic script form of [[pi]] (π), also used as a technical symbol.+
-*The letter [[rho (letter)|rho]] (ρ) can occur in different stylistic variants, with the descending tail either going straight down or curled to the right. The symbol {{Unicode|ϱ}} (U+03F1) is designated specifically for the curled form, used as a technical symbol.+
-*The letter [[sigma]], in standard orthography, has two variants: ς, used only at the ends of words, and σ, used elsewhere. The form {{Unicode|ϲ}} ("lunate sigma", resembling a Latin ''[[c]]'') is a medieval stylistic variant that can be used in both environments without the final/non-final distinction.+
-*The capital letter [[upsilon]] (Υ) can occur in different stylistic variants, with the upper strokes either straight like a Latin ''Y'', or slightly curled. The symbol {{Unicode|ϒ}} (U+03D2) is designated specifically for the curled form, used as a technical symbol.+
-*The letter [[Phi (letter)|phi]] can occur in two equally frequent stylistic variants, either shaped as <math>\textstyle\phi\,\!</math> (a circle with a vertical stroke through it) or as <math>\textstyle\varphi\,\!</math> (a curled shape open at the top). The symbol {{Unicode|ϕ}} (U+03D5) is designated specifically for the closed form, used as a technical symbol.+
- +
-== See also ==+
-*[[Ancient Greek phonology]]+
-*[[Arvanitic alphabet]]+
-*[[Attic numerals]], a system of acrophonic representing numbers using letters of the Greek alphabet+
-*[[Euboean alphabet]] Cumae alphabet+
-*[[English pronunciation of Greek letters]]+
-*[[Greek Font Society]]+
-*[[Greek letters used in mathematics, science, and engineering]]+
-*[[Greek numerals]], a system of sequential representing numbers using letters of the Greek alphabet+
-*[[Greek spelling alphabet]] Hellenic phonetic alphabet+
-*[[Greeklish]]+
-*[[List of Greek words with English derivatives]]+
-*[[List of XML and HTML character entity references]]+
-*[[Phoenician alphabet]]+
-*[[Romanization of Greek]] Greek transliteration+
-*[[:Category:Hellenic scripts]]+
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The Phoenician alphabet, called by convention the Proto-Canaanite alphabet for inscriptions older than around 1050 BC, was a non-pictographic consonantal alphabet, or abjad. It was used for the writing of Phoenician, a Northern Semitic language, used by the civilization of Phoenicia. It has been classified as an abjad because it records only consonantal sounds, with the addition of matres lectionis for some vowels.

Phoenician became one of the most widely used writing systems, spread by Phoenician merchants across the Mediterranean world, where it was assimilated by many other cultures and evolved. The Aramaic alphabet, a modified form of Phoenician, was the ancestor of the modern Arabic and Hebrew scripts. The Greek alphabet (and by extension its descendants such as the Latin, the Cyrillic and the Coptic), was a direct successor of Phoenician, though certain letter values were changed to represent vowels.

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Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Phoenician alphabet" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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