Aramaic Language/Alphabet

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The Assyrian alphabet, or Syriac alphabet, is a writing system used to write the Syriac language from the 1st century AD.[1] It is a Semitic abjad (akin to the Arabic alphabet) that descends from the Aramaic alphabet. Assyrian is written from right to left. It is a cursive script where some, but not all, letters connect within a word. The alphabet consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants. The vowel sounds are supplied either by the reader's memory or by optional diacritic marks.

Alphabet table[edit | edit source]

The Assyrian alphabet (which is in the Syriac script) consists of the following letters:

Letter Name Letter Transliteration Pronunciation
Alap A [ʔ], [a]
Beyth B [b], [v]
Gamal G [ɡ], [ɣ]
Dalath D [d], [ð]
Heh H [h]
Waw W [w]
Zayn Z [z]
Kheyth Kh, Ḥ [ħ], [x]
Teyth Emphatic T [tˤ]
Yod Y, I [j], [i]
Kap K [k]
Lamad L [i]
Meem M [m]
Noon N [n]
Simkath S [s]
'Eh ', E [ʕ], [e]
Peh P, F [p], [f]
Sadeh Emphatic S [sˤ]
Qop Guttural Q [q]
Resh R [r]
Sheen Sh, Š [ʃ]
Taw T, Th [t], [θ]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Syriac alphabet". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved June 16, 2012.