This concept presents the Ancient Greek alphabet through explanations, videos and workouts.

Greek Alphabet & Writing: A Summary

Greek has almost always been written with an alphabet. Within an alphabet, each expression just about corresponds to 1 noise. The Greek alphabet has been utilized to publish the Greek language for over 2700 years. The exclusion normally the earliest kind for the written Greeek language, called Mycenaean Greek, that has been encoded in a writing system called a syllabary.

In this concise that is single, i will show the many types of Greek writing. Over the method, we’ll coach you on to compose the scripts on your own. Yourself yearning for more practice with letters, accents, words and phrases, consider getting more hands-on time with my thorough, step-by-step workbook called Learn to Write Ancient Greek if you find.

The Early Greek Alphabet

Happily, the form that is early of Greek alphabet can be on the list of simplest to understand. let us travel straight straight back more than 2000 years. Initially, the Greeks penned in that which we call UPPERCASE letters. Including many different epigraphic and monumental scripts, that have been etched into stone and painted on pottery. The early Greeks did not yet integrate the diacritics (“accent marks” and “breathing marks”) that embellish and complicate later Greek writing.

Greek Letters	Greek Letter Names	Pronunciation
?	????	a in father
?	????	b
?	?????	g
?	?????	d
?	??????	e in let
?	????	sd in Thursday
?	???	e in they
?	????	th in pot-hole, maybe perhaps not in thing
?	????	i in sing
?	?????	k in sky
?	??????	l
?	??	m
?	??	n
?	???	x in fax, maybe perhaps not instance
?	???????	o in sock
?	???	p in spire
?	??	r (trilled)
?	?????	s
?	???	t in stay
?	??????	u in French tu*
?	???	ph in loophole
?	???	kh in backhoe
?	???	ps in lips
?	?????	o in therefore

* To make this noise, round your lips to pronounce the “oo” in “soon” but say the “ee” in “seem” alternatively.

A few records. It’s not hard to spell names and other Greek terms you might already know just utilizing the equivalents We give above. Decide to try reading: ????????, ????????, ??????.

This as a type of Greek had been written without areas. For instance, ??????????????????? is “alpha and beta and gamma”.

right Here I omit some “extra” letters missing from standard versions associated with the alphabet, such as for instance digamma.

The image that is following a close-up of Greek text on the famous Rosetta Stone. Try to look for ???????????? and ?????????? in this text.

The Later Uncial Script

The seed of very early writing that is greek right into a amount of various scripts. By the millenium that is first of period, Hellenic Koine Greek (????? just means “common”) took over whilst the talked language, as a result of Alexander’s conquest. This international part was only solidified beneath the iron hold associated with the Romans. Through the Eastern Empire, Greek endured while the standard written language.

The Greek alphabet used in texts during this period can be “uppercase only”, but it includes a style that is unique. We call this the Uncial alphabet.

Should you choose any archaeological sleuthing, you will find that Uncial ended up being typical in Greek texts on papyrus, parchment and vellum throughout the very early years advertising. Therefore, the Uncial script is roofed right right here maybe maybe not just for the interest to pupils for the brand New Testament and very very early Christianity, but additionally due to the tremendous historic value of works through the period that is roman.

Such as the uppercase that is original, Uncials had been written without any areas between terms.

Below the truth is an image of a authentic papyrus that is ancient Uncial writing. Make an effort to find the phrases that are following ?????????, ????????????, ?????????.

The Greek Minuscule Alphabet

Sometime within the past 2000 years, Greek got smaller. Particularly, Greeks started to compose with exactly what we today call lowercase letters. In some situations, we find both uppercase (“majuscule”) and lowercase (“minuscule”) letters utilized together. In every situations, the minuscules arrived to dominate – lowercase became much more abundant.

In the event that you learn the ancient greek language language from any contemporary guide, become familiar with how exactly to utilized this blended, minuscule-based script. Like in English, proper nouns (names of individuals and places) begin with a money page. Paragraphs additionally begin with a capitalized page, but specific sentences don’t.

Let us take a good look during the uppercase and lowercase variations of each and every letter in this script.

Majuscule & Minuscule	Greek Name
? ?	????
? ?	????
? ?	?????
? ?	?????
? ?	? ?????
? ?	????
? ?	???
? ?	????
? ?	????
? ?	?????
? ?	??????
? ?	??
? ?	??
? ?	???
? ?	? ??????
? ?	???
? ?	??
? ?	????? *
? ?	???
? ?	? ?????
? ?	???
? ?	???
? ?	???
? ?	? ????

* lowercase ????? is written ? at the conclusion of the word and ? every-where else.

I have held two secrets from you. First, some Ancient Greek terms start out with an “h”. Whenever a term begins having an h-sound, the minuscule script works on the breathing that is rough together with the next vowel (? = “ha”). Realize that rough breathing seems like a quote that is single towards the term. Whenever a term doesn’t start by having an h-sound, we compose a smooth respiration mark above the vowel (? = “a”).

Initial vowels simply just take rough or smooth respiration marks. An”r that is initial takes a rough breathing mark, too: ?? tells us to pronounce the word hro (usually spelled “rho” in English). These breathings don’t connect with other initial consonants, simply to vowels and rho.

The 2nd key has related to the funny-looking markings perched atop some vowels: severe accent (?), grave accent (`) and circumflex (?). These diacritics provide us with pronunciation info that is extra. Because of them, we realize to boost our pitch (?), reduced our pitch (?) or raise-then-lower it (?) while pronouncing a vowel. Initially, this sort of improvement in intonation noises tricky, however it merely calls for practice and exposure.

The many complex situation happens when both the tone while the breathing mark autumn in the exact same vowel. Since breathings connect with the start of a term, this just takes place whenever a preliminary vowel or diphthong is accented: ????, ???. In both ???? and ???, the smooth respiration tells us to not pronounce an “h” at the start of your message: alpha and eta, perhaps not *halpha and *heta. The pitch accent mark simply suggests how exactly to “sing” the vowel – a little greater in ????, but high-then-low in ??.

Attempt to say the following words and expressions out noisy:

??????????, ????? ?? ??? ??????, ????, ??????, ????

The Byzantine Minuscule Script

If you should be particularly enthusiastic about this alphabet, you will learn a great deal more on my web web page focused on the Byzantine & Medieval Greek minuscule script.

One of the more striking examples of this script that is minuscule from texts written in belated antiquity as well as the Middle Ages, during the rule associated with Byzantine Empire.

Notice the initial, cursive style and movement of this writing. All records provided for the minuscule system above nevertheless apply (particularly diacritics, or breathings and pitch accent markings).

Below the truth is a picture of a authentic ancient text, written in Greek because of the Byzantine minuscule design. Take to to discover the words that are following expressions:

??? ?? ???? ???????, ??????????, ???? ??????, ???????

Tricky Components of Greek Pronunciation

Pronouncing the Greek language is, for the many part, easy once you’ve discovered the alphabet. There is almost no akin towards the “silent ag ag e” of English “fares” or the “ough” in “through” versus “trough”. Nevertheless, there are always a couple of pronunciation points worth your attention.

Diphthongs (vowel + vowel)

An iota or upsilon after another vowel represented a y-sound (?) or a w-sound (?), as in ??, ??, ??, ?? in ancient times.

Eventually, ?? ultimately acquired the noise of “oo” in “moon”: ???????
And ?? came to be pronounced like “ee” in “seem”: ????????

The iota subscript (a tiny iota written below an alpha, eta or omega) makes for a deceptive diphthong. Iota subscript typically goes unpronounced: ? ? ? . Pupils and learners in many cases are taught to ignore that small iota, but behind its silence lies its historic value.

Consonant + consonant

The exact same consonant written twice in Greek (a geminate or double consonant) suggests you support the consonant sound out much much much longer. Two consonants, two times as long – that is the insight that is basic. Greece’s really name in Greek posseses an exemplory instance of double-lambda: ?????.

A g is a g for the part that is most (like in English game or offer, maybe not age or mild). Often times, however, Greek gamma plays its tricks that are own it often appears just like the “n” in “sing”. That unique velar nasal noise is discovered only if gamma comes before “k” and “g” noises that trigger the pronunciation that is nasal.

Gamma before kappa: ??????
Gamma before gamma: ???????
Gamma before mu: ????

FAQ – Faqs about Ancient Greek Writing

What is the earliest (or the earliest) written Greek?

Greek is written in different variations of two scripts that are different. The script that is second all of the variations we discovered above, and it is referred to as Greek alphabet. Greek remains written making use of this alphabet.

there is certainly an also older Greek system that is writing from inscriptions in Crete and southern Greece. We realize this script as Linear B, plus it appears entirely unrelated towards the Greek that is later alphabet. Inscriptions in Linear B protect a dialect that is early Mycenaean Greek. Linear B predates the Greek alphabet by possibly 500 customwriting years. It really is a syllabary (symbols represent syllables, perhaps perhaps not letters that are individual sounds) with a few logographs (“picture-words”).

The Greek alphabet must are around by the time Homer’s epic poetry was written, perhaps before 750 BC ( a lot more than 2700 years ago). Having said that, the Mycenaean Greeks borrowed their Linear B writing system through the Minoans. The Mycenaean Greeks first inscribed their language into the 1300s BC (3300 years ago).