Changes

==Types of alphabets==

==Types of alphabets==

In additional to full alphabets that use letters to indicate each vowel and consonant, two other types of alphabet are widely used. One type is called an '''abjad''' or '''consonant alphabet''', in which the letters primarily or exclusively represent only consonants; the Hebrew alphabet is an example.<ref>[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/alphabetic.htm Abjads / Consonant Alphabets]</ref>  The other type is called an '''abugida''', '''alphasyllabary''', or '''syllabic alphabet'''. In an abugida, each letter represents a consonant followed by an inherent vowel. For a different vowel or no vowel, a [[diacritical mark]] is applied to the consonant letter.<ref>[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/syllabic.htm Syllabic alphabets / Alphasyllabaries / Abugidas]</ref>  Separate vowel letters are used to write vowel-initial words; for example, in Tibetan, a letter represents the inherent vowel ''a'' (which may be thought of as a silent consonant plus the inherent vowel), and the other vowels are represented by the same diacritical marks used with consonant letters.<ref>[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tibetan.htm Tibetan alphabet]</ref> The major writing systems of [[India]] are abugidas.

In additional to full alphabets that use letters to indicate each vowel and consonant, two other types of alphabet are widely used. One type is called an '''abjad''' or '''consonant alphabet''', in which the letters primarily or exclusively represent only consonants; the Hebrew alphabet is an example.<ref>[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/alphabetic.htm Abjads / Consonant Alphabets]</ref>  The other type is called an '''abugida''', '''alphasyllabary''', or '''syllabic alphabet'''. In an abugida, each letter represents a consonant followed by an inherent vowel. For a different vowel or no vowel, a [[diacritic]] is applied to the consonant letter.<ref>[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/syllabic.htm Syllabic alphabets / Alphasyllabaries / Abugidas]</ref>  Separate vowel letters are used to write vowel-initial words; for example, in Tibetan, a letter represents the inherent vowel ''a'' (which may be thought of as a silent consonant plus the inherent vowel), and the other vowels are represented by the same diacritics used with consonant letters.<ref>[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/tibetan.htm Tibetan alphabet]</ref> The major writing systems of [[India]] are abugidas.

== Latin Alphabets ==

== Latin Alphabets ==

The '''Latin alphabet''' (or '''Roman alphabet''') is the most widely-used [[alphabetic writing system]] in the world.<ref>http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Latin/Grammar/Latin-Alphabet.html</ref> Most Western alphabets are based on the script of ancient [[Rome]] which comprises the following 23 characters or letters:

The '''Latin alphabet''' (or '''Roman alphabet''') is the most widely used [[alphabetic writing system]] in the world.<ref>http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Latin/Grammar/Latin-Alphabet.html</ref> Most Western alphabets are based on the script of ancient [[Rome]] which comprises the following 23 characters or letters:

:[[A|Aa]], [[B|Bb]], [[C|Cc]], [[D|Dd]], [[E|Ee]], [[F|Ff]], [[G|Gg]], [[H|Hh]], [[I|Ii]], [[K|Kk]], [[L|Ll]], [[M|Mm]], [[N|Nn]], [[O|Oo]], [[P|Pp]], [[Q|Qq]], [[R|Rr]], [[S|Ss]], [[T|Tt]], [[V|Vv]], [[X|Xx]], [[Y|Yy]], [[Z|Zz]]

:[[A]]a, [[B]]b, [[C]]c, [[D]]d, [[E]]e, [[F]]f, [[G]]g, [[H]]h, [[I]]i, [[K]]k, [[L]]l, [[M]]m, [[N]]n, [[O]]o, [[P]]p, [[Q]]q, [[R]]r, [[S]]s, [[T]]t, [[V]]v, [[X]]x, [[Y]]y, [[Z]]z

It should be noted that although the Latin alphabet does not contain the letter U, the language itself now contains both the sounds of the English U and V, both denoted by V - the placing of the letter determines the pronunciation.<ref>http://www.ai.uga.edu/mc/latinpro.pdf</ref>

It should be noted that although the Latin alphabet does not contain the letter U, the language itself now contains both the sounds of the English U and V, both denoted by V - the placing of the letter determines the pronunciation.<ref>http://www.ai.uga.edu/mc/latinpro.pdf</ref>

In the English language three characters have been added to the Latin alphabet, and the English alphabet comprises the following '''26''' characters:

In the English language three characters have been added to the Latin alphabet, and the English alphabet comprises the following '''26''' characters:

:Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, '''[[J|Jj]]''', Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt, '''[[U|Uu]]''', Vv, '''[[W|Ww]]''', Xx, Yy, Zz

:Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, '''[[J]]j''', Kk, Ll, Mm, Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt, '''[[U]]u''', Vv, '''[[W]]w''', Xx, Yy, Zz

=== Other Languages ===

=== Other Languages ===

Most Germanic and Romance languages from Europe use the same letters as the English alphabet. Some languages expand the alphabet's representation with with [[diacritic]]al<ref>Sometimes referred to as ''accented'' letter, e.g. á, ç, è, î, ñ, ü</ref> markings on the letters, but these are not considered by the language to be distinct letters. [[digraph]]s<ref>Two letters that represent a single sound and are regarded as distinct from their individual components, such as ''ll'' in Welsh or Spanish</ref> and [[ligature]]s <ref>Two letters that are combined into one such as the German double-S: '''''ß'''''</ref>.

Most Germanic and Romance languages from Europe use the same letters as the English alphabet. Some languages expand the alphabet's representation with [[diacritic]]al<ref>Sometimes referred to as ''accented'' letter, e.g. á, ç, è, î, ñ, ü</ref> markings on the letters, but these are not considered by the language to be distinct letters. [[digraph]]s<ref>Two letters that represent a single sound and are regarded as distinct from their individual components, such as ''ll'' in Welsh or Spanish</ref> and [[ligature]]s.<ref>Two letters that are combined into one such as the German double-S: '''''ß'''''</ref>  

== Greek Alphabet ==

== Greek Alphabet ==

The Greek alphabet comprises the following characters:

The Greek alphabet comprises the following characters:

[[Alpha|Αα]], [[Beta|Ββ]], [[Gamma|Γγ]], [[Delta|Δδ]], [[Epsilon|Εε]], [[Zeta|Ζζ]], [[Eta|Ηη]], [[Theta|Θθ]], [[Iota|Ιι]], [[Kappa|Κκ]], [[Lamda|Λλ]], [[Mu (Greek letter)|Μμ]], [[Nu|Νν]], [[Xi|Ξξ]], [[Omicron|Οο]], [[Pi|Ππ]], [[Rho| Ρ ρ]], [[Sigma|Σσς]], [[Tau|Ττ]], [[Upsilon|Υυ]], [[Phi|Φφ]], [[Chi|Χχ]], [[Psi|Ψψ]], [[Omega|Ωω]]

[[Alpha|Αα]], [[Beta|Ββ]], [[Gamma|Γγ]], [[Delta|Δδ]], [[Epsilon|Εε]], [[Zeta|Ζζ]], [[Eta|Ηη]], [[Theta|Θθ]], [[Iota|Ιι]], [[Kappa|Κκ]], [[Lamda|Λλ]], [[Mu (Greek letter)|Μμ]], [[Nu|Νν]], [[Xi|Ξξ]], [[Omicron|Οο]], [[Pi|Ππ]], [[Rho|Ρ ρ]], [[Sigma|Σσς]], [[Tau|Ττ]], [[Upsilon|Υυ]], [[Phi|Φφ]], [[Chi|Χχ]], [[Psi|Ψψ]], [[Omega|Ωω]]

In addition to the single letters, Greek letters may be combined to make completely new sounds, such as ντ, which makes a "d" sound or αυ, which makes the sound "af" or "av".

In addition to the single letters, Greek letters may be combined to make completely new sounds, such as ντ, which makes a "d" sound or αυ, which makes the sound "af" or "av".

== Thai alphabet ==

== Thai alphabet ==

==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Semitic languages]]

*[[Semitic languages]]

==External Links==

==External links==

*[http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~rfradkin/alphapage.html Evolution of Alphabets]

*[http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~rfradkin/alphapage.html Evolution of Alphabets]

*[http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~rfradkin/phon-greek.html Evolution of Greek Alphabet from Phoenecian]

*[http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~rfradkin/phon-greek.html Evolution of Greek Alphabet from Phoenecian]