Armenian alphabet

Armenian Alphabet

The Armenian alphabet is a unique script that was developed in the early 5th century for the Armenian language. It is an important cultural symbol for the Armenian people and has played a crucial role in the preservation and dissemination of Armenian literature and history.

History

The Armenian alphabet was created by Mesrop Mashtots around 405 AD. According to historical sources, Mashtots was a scholar and cleric who sought to create a writing system that could accurately represent the sounds of the Armenian language. Prior to the creation of the alphabet, Armenians used various scripts, including Greek and Persian, which were not well-suited to the phonetic structure of Armenian.

Mashtots, with the support of the Armenian King Vramshapuh and the Catholicos Sahak Partev, developed the alphabet to facilitate the translation of the Bible and other religious texts into Armenian. This was a significant step in the promotion of literacy and education among Armenians.

Structure

The Armenian alphabet originally consisted of 36 letters, each representing a single phoneme. Over time, three additional letters were added, bringing the total to 39. The alphabet is written from left to right and does not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters, although modern usage often includes both forms.

Letters

The Armenian alphabet is divided into vowels and consonants. The original 36 letters are as follows:

Letter	Name	Transliteration
Ա	Ayb	A
Բ	Ben	B
Գ	Gim	G
Դ	Da	D
Ե	Ech	E
Զ	Za	Z
Է	Eh	Ē
Ը	Ët	Ë
Թ	To	T'
Ժ	Zhe	Zh
Ի	Ini	I
Լ	Liwn	L
Խ	Xeh	Kh
Ծ	Tsa	Ts
Կ	Ken	K
Հ	Ho	H
Ձ	Dza	Dz
Ղ	Ghât	Gh
Ճ	Cheh	Ch
Մ	Men	M
Յ	Yi	Y
Ն	Nu	N
Շ	Sha	Sh
Ո	Vo	Vo
Չ	Cha	Ch'
Պ	Peh	P
Ջ	Jheh	J
Ռ	Ra	R
Ս	Seh	S
Վ	Vew	V
Տ	Tiwn	T
Ր	Reh	R'
Ց	Tso	Ts'
Ւ	Vyun	V
Փ	Pyur	P'
Ք	Keh	K'
Օ	Oh	O
Ֆ	Feh	F

Usage

The Armenian alphabet is used primarily for writing the Armenian language, which has two main dialects: Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian. It is also used in various Armenian communities around the world, maintaining its role as a key element of Armenian identity.

Influence and Legacy

The creation of the Armenian alphabet was a pivotal moment in Armenian history. It enabled the translation of important religious and literary texts, fostering a rich tradition of Armenian literature. The alphabet is celebrated annually on the feast day of Mesrop Mashtots, and it remains a source of national pride.

See Also

• Armenian language
• Mesrop Mashtots
• History of Armenia

References

• Adjarian, Hrachia. The Armenian Language. Yerevan: Armenian Academy of Sciences, 1971.
• Kouymjian, Dickran. The Armenian Alphabet. Yerevan: Matenadaran, 1981.

External Links

• Omniglot - Armenian Alphabet
• Encyclopaedia Britannica - Armenian Alphabet