Phoenician alphabet

Phoenician Alphabet

The Phoenician Alphabet (IPA: /fəˈniːʃən/), also known as the Proto-Canaanite alphabet when used before the 1050 BC, is a script that was used for writing the Phoenician language, and other languages of the Levant and Canaan.

Etymology

The term "Phoenician alphabet" comes from the Greek word Phoinikeia grammata, meaning "Phoenician letters". The Phoenician alphabet is derived from the Proto-Sinaitic script, which in turn was influenced by the Egyptian hieroglyphs.

History

The Phoenician alphabet was first uncovered by archaeologists in the form of inscriptions on stone in the early 19th century. It is believed to have been in use from approximately 1200 BC to 150 BC. The Phoenician alphabet is considered the ancestor of almost all modern alphabets, including the Greek alphabet, Latin alphabet, Arabic alphabet, and Hebrew alphabet.

Structure

The Phoenician alphabet consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants. It is an abjad, a type of writing system where each symbol stands for a consonant, leaving it to the reader's knowledge and experience to infer the vowels.

Legacy

The Phoenician alphabet's simplicity and flexibility led to its adoption by many cultures, both for official inscriptions and for everyday use. It was spread by Phoenician merchants across the Mediterranean region, where it evolved and was adapted into the Greek alphabet, and subsequently the Latin alphabet.

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Phoenician alphabet

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