Syriac alphabet

{{short description|Writing system}} {{Infobox Writing system | name = Syriac alphabet | type = Impure abjad | languages = Aramaic (Classical Syriac, Western Neo-Aramaic, Sureth, Turoyo, Christian Palestinian Aramaic), Arabic (Garshuni), Malayalam (Karshoni), Sogdian | time = c. 1st century CE – present | fam1 = Egyptian | fam2 = Proto-Sinaitic | fam3 = Phoenician | fam4 = Aramaic | fam5 = Palmyrene | sample = File:Syriac_letters.png | imagesize = 200px | caption = Estrangela-styled alphabet | children = *Sogdian **Old Turkic ***Old Hungarian **Old Uyghur ***Mongolian | iso15924 = Syrc | iso15924 note = {{ubl | {{mono|Syre, {{ISO 15924 number|Syre}}}} (ʾEsṭrangēlā variant) | {{mono|Syrj, {{ISO 15924 number|Syrj}}}} (Western variant) | {{mono|Syrn, {{ISO 15924 number|Syrn}}}} (Eastern variant) }} | unicode = {{ublist |class=nowrap |[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0700.pdf U+0700–U+074F] {{smaller|Syriac}} |[https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0860.pdf U+0860–U+086F] {{smaller|Syriac Supplement}}}} | direction = Right-to-left script }} {{Special characters | image =Shlama.svg | alt = | link =http://bethmardutho.org/meltho/ | special =Syriac text, written from right to left in a cursive style with some letters joined | fix =Help:Multilingual_support#Syriac/Aramaic script | characters =Syriac alphabet | error =unjoined Syriac letters or other symbols}}

The '''Syriac alphabet''' ({{lang|syc|ܐܠܦ ܒܝܬ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ}} {{transliteration|sem|ʾālep̄ bêṯ Sūryāyā}}{{efn|Also {{lang|syc|ܐܒܓܕ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ}} {{transliteration|sem|ʾabgad Sūryāyā}}.}}) is a writing system primarily used to write the Syriac language since the 1st century.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/578972/Syriac-alphabet | title=Syriac alphabet | encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica Online | access-date=June 16, 2012}}</ref> It is one of the Semitic abjads descending from the Aramaic alphabet through the Palmyrene alphabet,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QnG2067meU0C&pg=PA26|title=The Cambridge History of the Bible: Volume 1, From the Beginnings to Jerome|author=P. R. Ackroyd, C. F. Evans|page= 26|year= 1975|publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521099738}}</ref> and shares similarities with the Phoenician, Hebrew, Arabic and Sogdian, the precursor and a direct ancestor of the traditional Mongolian scripts.

Syriac is written from right to left in horizontal lines. It is a cursive script where most—but not all—letters connect within a word. There is no letter case distinction between upper and lower case letters, though some letters change their form depending on their position within a word. Spaces separate individual words.

All 22 letters are consonants (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܐܵܬܘܼܬܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ˀātūṯā}}). There are optional diacritic marks (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܢܘܼܩܙܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|nuqzā}}) to indicate vowels ({{Script/Mdnh|ܙܵܘܥܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|zāwˁā}}) and other features. In addition to the sounds of the language, the letters of the Syriac alphabet can be used to represent numbers in a system similar to Hebrew and Greek numerals.

Apart from Classical Syriac Aramaic, the alphabet has been used to write other dialects and languages. Several Christian Neo-Aramaic languages, from Turoyo to the Northeastern Neo-Aramaic language of Suret, once vernaculars, primarily began to be written in the 19th century. The {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}} variant has explicitly been adapted to write Western Neo-Aramaic, previously written in the square Maalouli script, developed by George Rizkalla (Rezkallah), based on the Hebrew alphabet.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Maissun Melhem |title=Schriftenstreit in Syrien |url=https://www.dw.com/de/schriftenstreit-in-syrien/a-5166405 |publisher=Deutsche Welle |access-date=15 November 2023 |language=German |date=21 January 2010 |quote="Several years ago, the political leadership in Syria decided to establish an institute where Aramaic could be learned. Rizkalla was tasked with writing a textbook, primarily drawing upon his native language proficiency. For the script, he chose Hebrew letters."}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Oriens Christianus |date=2003 |page=77 |language=German |quote="As the villages are very small, located close to each other, and the three dialects are mutually intelligible, there has never been the creation of a script or a standard language. Aramaic is the unwritten village dialect..."}}</ref> Besides Aramaic, when Arabic began to be the dominant spoken language in the Fertile Crescent after the Islamic conquest, texts were often written in Arabic using the Syriac script as knowledge of the Arabic alphabet was not yet widespread; such writings are usually called ''Karshuni'' or ''Garshuni'' ({{Script|Syrj|ܓܪܫܘܢܝ}}). In addition to Semitic languages, Sogdian was also written with Syriac script, as well as Malayalam, which form was called Suriyani Malayalam.

==Alphabet forms== [[File:SyriacJohn.svg|thumb|450px|The opening words of the Gospel of John written in {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}}, {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} and {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (top to bottom) — {{transliteration|sem|brēšiṯ iṯaw[hy]-[h]wā melṯā}}, 'in the beginning was the word'.]] There are three major variants of the Syriac alphabet: {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}, {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} and {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}}.

==={{anchor|Estrangelo variant}} Classical {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}=== [[File:Estrangela.jpg|thumb|A 9th century {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} manuscript of John Chrysostom's ''Homily on the Gospel of John''.]] [[File:Syriac NT Lectionary, Borgia Syriac Ms 13.jpg|thumb|A 17th century {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} liturgical manuscript from the Vatican Library. Note the title written in {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}.]] [[File:Early Syriac alphabet form of the name of Jesus.svg|thumb|''Yəšūʿ'' or ''ʾĪšōʿ'', the Syriac name of Jesus in the {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} script.]] The oldest and classical form of the alphabet is {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}{{efn|Also pronounced/transliterated {{transliteration|sem|Estrangelo}} in Western Syriac.}} ({{lang|syr|{{Script/Strng|ܐܣܛܪܢܓܠܐ}}}}). The name of the script is thought to derive from the Greek adjective ''strongýlē'' ({{lang|grc|στρογγύλη}}, 'rounded'),<ref>Hatch, William (1946). ''An Album of Dated Syriac Manuscripts''. Boston: The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, reprinted in 2002 by Gorgias Press. p. 24. {{ISBN|1-931956-53-7}}.</ref> though it has also been suggested to derive from {{transliteration|sem|serṭā ʾewwangēlāyā}} ({{lang|syc|{{Script/Strng|ܣܪܛܐ ܐܘܢܓܠܝܐ}}}}, 'gospel character').<ref>Nestle, Eberhard (1888). ''Syrische Grammatik mit Litteratur, Chrestomathie und Glossar''. Berlin: H. Reuther's Verlagsbuchhandlung. [translated to English as ''Syriac grammar with bibliography, chrestomathy and glossary'', by R. S. Kennedy. London: Williams & Norgate 1889. p. 5].</ref> Although ʾEsṭrangēlā is no longer used as the main script for writing Syriac, it has received some revival since the 10th century. It is often used in scholarly publications (such as the Leiden University version of the Peshitta), in titles, and in inscriptions. In some older manuscripts and inscriptions, it is possible for any letter to join to the left, and older Aramaic letter forms (especially of {{transliteration|sem|ḥeṯ}} and the lunate {{transliteration|sem|mem}}) are found. Vowel marks are usually not used with {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}, because it is the oldest form of the script and arose before specialized diacritics were developed.

==={{anchor|Eastern variant}} East Syriac {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}}=== The East Syriac dialect is usually written in the {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} ({{Script/Mdnh|ܡܲܕ݂ܢܚܵܝܵܐ}}, 'Eastern') form of the alphabet. Other names for the script include {{transliteration|sem|Swāḏāyā}} ({{Script/Mdnh|ܣܘܵܕ݂ܵܝܵܐ}}, 'conversational' or 'vernacular', often translated as 'contemporary', reflecting its use in writing modern Neo-Aramaic), {{transliteration|sem|ʾĀṯōrāyā}} ({{Script/Mdnh|ܐܵܬ݂ܘܿܪܵܝܵܐ}}, 'Assyrian', not to be confused with the traditional name for the Hebrew alphabet), {{transliteration|sem|Kaldāyā}} ({{Script/Mdnh|ܟܲܠܕܵܝܵܐ}}, 'Chaldean'), and, inaccurately, "Nestorian" (a term that was originally used to refer to the Church of the East in the Sasanian Empire). The Eastern script resembles ʾEsṭrangēlā somewhat more closely than the Western script.

====Vowels==== The Eastern script uses a system of dots above and/or below letters, based on an older system, to indicate vowel sounds not found in the script:

* (30px|class=skin-invert) A dot above and a dot below a letter represent {{IPA|[a]}}, transliterated as ''a'' or ''ă'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܦܬ݂ܵܚܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|pṯāḥā}}), (sometimes a dot above only) * (30px|class=skin-invert) Two diagonally-placed dots above a letter represent {{IPA|[ɑ]}}, transliterated as ''ā'' or ''â'' or ''å'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܙܩܵܦ݂ܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|zqāp̄ā}}), * (30px|class=skin-invert) Two horizontally-placed dots below a letter represent {{IPA|[ɛ]}}, transliterated as ''e'' or ''ĕ'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ ܐܲܪܝܼܟ݂ܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|rḇāṣā ʾărīḵā}} or {{Script/Mdnh|ܙܠܵܡܵܐ ܦܫܝܼܩܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|zlāmā pšīqā}}; often pronounced {{IPA|[ɪ]}} and transliterated as ''i'' in the East Syriac dialect), * (40px|class=skin-invert) Two diagonally-placed dots below a letter represent {{IPA|[e]}}, transliterated as ''ē'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ ܟܲܪܝܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|rḇāṣā karyā}} or {{Script/Mdnh|ܙܠܵܡܵܐ ܩܲܫܝܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|zlāmā qašyā}}), * ({{Script/Mdnh|ܘܼ}}) The letter ''waw'' with a dot below it represents {{IPA|[u]}}, transliterated as ''ū'' or ''u'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܥܨܵܨܵܐ ܐܲܠܝܼܨܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ʿṣāṣā ʾălīṣā}} or {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|rḇāṣā}}), * ({{Script/Mdnh|ܘܿ}}) The letter {{transliteration|sem|waw}} with a dot above it represents {{IPA|[o]}}, transliterated as ''ō'' or ''o'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܥܨܵܨܵܐ ܪܘܝܼܚܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ʿṣāṣā rwīḥā}} or {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܘܵܚܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|rwāḥā}}), * ({{Script/Mdnh|ܝܼ}}) The letter ''yōḏ'' with a dot beneath it represents {{IPA|[i]}}, transliterated as ''ī'' or ''i'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܚܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ḥḇāṣā}}), * (30px|class=skin-invert) A combination of {{transliteration|sem|rḇāṣā karyā}} (usually) followed by a letter ''yōḏ'' represents {{IPA|[e]}} (possibly *{{IPA|[e̝]}} in Proto-Syriac), transliterated as ''ē'' or ''ê'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܐܲܣܵܩܵܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ʾăsāqā}}).

It is thought that the Eastern method for representing vowels influenced the development of the ''niqqud'' markings used for writing Hebrew.

In addition to the above vowel marks, transliteration of Syriac sometimes includes ''ə'', ''e̊'' or superscript ''e'' (or often nothing at all) to represent an original Aramaic schwa that became lost later on at some point in the development of Syriac. Some transliteration schemes find its inclusion necessary for showing spirantization or for historical reasons. Whether because its distribution is mostly predictable (usually inside a syllable-initial two-consonant cluster) or because its pronunciation was lost, both the East and the West variants of the alphabet traditionally have no sign to represent the schwa.

==={{anchor|Western variant}} West Syriac {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}}=== alt=|thumb|426x426px|A 16th century Sertā manuscript of the New Testament Epistle of James. thumb|180px|An example of Garshuni: a 16th-century Arabic-language manuscript written in the Syriac {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}} script. The West Syriac dialect is usually written in the {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}} or {{transliteration|sem|Serṭo}} ({{Script/Serto|ܣܶܪܛܳܐ}}, 'line') form of the alphabet, also known as the {{transliteration|sem|Pšīṭā}} ({{Script/Serto|ܦܫܺܝܛܳܐ}}, 'simple'), 'Maronite'. Most of the letters are clearly derived from ʾEsṭrangēlā, but are simplified, flowing lines. A cursive chancery hand is evidenced in the earliest Syriac manuscripts, but important works were written in ʾEsṭrangēlā. From the 8th century, the simpler Serṭā style came into fashion, perhaps because of its more economical use of parchment.

====Vowels==== The Western script is usually vowel-pointed, with miniature Greek vowel letters above or below the letter which they follow: * (30px|class=skin-invert) Capital alpha ({{lang|grc|Α}}) represents {{IPA|[a]}}, transliterated as ''a'' or ''ă'' ({{Script/Serto|ܦܬ݂ܳܚܳܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|pṯāḥā}}), * (30px|class=skin-invert) Lowercase alpha ({{lang|grc|α}}) represents {{IPA|[ɑ]}}, transliterated as ''ā'' or ''â'' or ''å'' ({{Script/Serto|ܙܩܳܦ݂ܳܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|zqāp̄ā}}; pronounced as {{IPA|[o]}} and transliterated as ''o'' in the West Syriac dialect), * (30px|class=skin-invert) Lowercase epsilon ({{lang|grc|ε}}) represents both {{IPA|[ɛ]}}, transliterated as ''e'' or ''ĕ'', and {{IPA|[e]}}, transliterated as ''ē'' ({{Script/Serto|ܪܒ݂ܳܨܳܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|rḇāṣā}}), * (30px|class=skin-invert) Capital eta ({{lang|grc|Η}}) represents {{IPA|[i]}}, transliterated as ''ī'' ({{Script/Serto|ܚܒ݂ܳܨܳܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ḥḇāṣā}}), * (30px|class=skin-invert) A combined symbol of capital upsilon ({{lang|grc|Υ}}) and lowercase omicron ({{lang|grc|ο}}) represents {{IPA|[u]}}, transliterated as ''ū'' or ''u'' ({{Script/Serto|ܥܨܳܨܳܐ}}, {{transliteration|sem|ʿṣāṣā}}), * Lowercase omega ({{lang|grc|ω}}), used only in the vocative interjection {{transliteration|sem|ʾō}} ({{Script/Serto|ܐܘّ}}, 'O!').

==Summary table== {{alphabet}} The Syriac alphabet consists of the following letters, shown in their isolated (non-connected) forms. When isolated, the letters {{transliteration|sem|kāp̄}}, {{transliteration|sem|mīm}}, and {{transliteration|sem|nūn}} are usually shown with their initial form connected to their final form (see below). The letters {{transliteration|sem|ʾālep̄}}, {{transliteration|sem|dālaṯ}}, {{transliteration|sem|hē}}, {{transliteration|sem|waw}}, {{transliteration|sem|zayn}}, {{transliteration|sem|ṣāḏē}}, {{transliteration|sem|rēš}} and {{transliteration|sem|taw}} (and, in early ʾEsṭrangēlā manuscripts, the letter {{transliteration|sem|semkaṯ}}<ref>Coakley, J. F. (2002). ''Robinson's Paradigms and Exercises in Syriac Grammar'' (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 141. {{ISBN|978-0-19-926129-1}}.</ref>) do not connect to a following letter within a word; these are marked with an asterisk (*).

{|class="wikitable skin-invert-image" |- ! colspan="8" |Letter !colspan="2"|Sound Value (Classical Syriac) !rowspan="2" style="font-size: smaller;"| Numerical Value !rowspan="2" style="font-size: smaller;"| Phoenician Equivalent !rowspan="2" style="font-size: smaller;"| Imperial Aramaic Equivalent !rowspan="2" style="font-size: smaller;"| Hebrew Equivalent ! rowspan="2" style="font-size: smaller;"| Arabic Equivalent |- ! style="font-size: smaller;"| Name ! style="font-size: smaller;"| Translit. ! style="font-size: smaller;"| {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā (classical)}} ! style="font-size: smaller;"| {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā (eastern)}} ! style="font-size: smaller;"| {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā (western)}} ! style="font-size: smaller;"| ''Latin'' ''(1930)'' ! style="font-size: smaller;"| ''Cyrillic'' ''(pre-1929, 1938)'' ! style="font-size: smaller;"| Unicode ''(typing)'' ! style="font-size: smaller;"| Transliteration !IPA |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܐܠܦ}} |{{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlep̄}}*{{efn|Also pronounced {{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlap̄}} or {{transliteration|sem|ʾOlaf}} ({{Script/Serto|ܐܳܠܰܦ}}) in Western Syriac.}} |30px |30px |30px |''a, ə'' |''ə, a'' |{{Lang|syr|ܐ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|ʾ}}'' or null mater lectionis: ''{{transliteration|syc|ā}}'' |{{IPAblink|ʔ}} or ∅ mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|ɑ}} |1 |{{script|Phnx|𐤀}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡀}} |{{Script/Hebr|א}} |{{Script/Arabic|ا}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܒܝܬ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Bēṯ}} |30px |30px |30px |''b, v'' |''б, в'' |{{Lang|syr|ܒ}} |hard: ''{{transliteration|syc|b}}'' soft: ''{{transliteration|syc|ḇ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|bh}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|v}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|ꞵ}}'') |hard: {{IPAblink|b}} soft: {{IPAblink|v}} or {{IPAblink|w}} |2 |{{script|Phnx|𐤁}} |{{script/Aramaic|𐡁}} |{{Script/Hebr|ב}} |{{Script/Arabic|ب}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܓܡܠ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Gāmal}} |30px |30px |30px |''g, x/h, ç'' |''г, h, dж'' |{{Lang|syr|ܓ}} |hard: ''{{transliteration|syc|g}}'' soft: ''{{transliteration|syc|ḡ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|g̱}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|gh}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|ġ}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|γ}}'') |hard: {{IPAblink|ɡ}} soft: {{IPAblink|ɣ}} |3 |{{script|Phnx|𐤂}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡂}} |{{Script/Hebr|ג}} |{{Script/Arabic|ج}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܕܠܬ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Dālaṯ}}* |30px |30px |30px |''d'' |''d'' |{{Lang|syr|ܕ}} |hard: ''{{transliteration|syc|d}}'' soft: ''{{transliteration|syc|ḏ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|dh}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|ð}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|ẟ}}'') |hard: {{IPAblink|d}} soft: {{IPAblink|ð}} |4 |{{script|Phnx|𐤃}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡃}} |{{Script/Hebr|ד}} |{{Script/Arabic|د / ذ}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܗܐ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Hē}}* |30px |30px |30px |''h'' |''h'' |{{Lang|syr|ܗ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|h}}'' mater lectionis: ''{{transliteration|syc|ē}}'' (or ''{{transliteration|syc|e}}'') |{{IPAblink|h}} mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|e}} |5 |{{script|Phnx|𐤄}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡄}} |{{Script/Hebr|ה}} |{{Script/Arabic|ه}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܘܘ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Waw}}* |30px |30px |30px |''v, o, u'' |''в, o, у'' |{{Lang|syr|ܘ}} |consonant: ''{{transliteration|syc|w}}'' mater lectionis: ''{{transliteration|syc|ū}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|ō}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|u}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|o}}'') |consonant: {{IPAblink|w}} mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|u}} or {{IPAblink|o}} |6 |{{script|Phnx|𐤅}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡅}} |{{Script/Hebr|ו}} |{{Script/Arabic|و}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܙܝܢ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Zayn}}* |30px |30px |30px |''z'' |''з'' |{{Lang|syr|ܙ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|z}}'' |{{IPAblink|z}} |7 |{{script|Phnx|𐤆}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡆}} |{{Script/Hebr|ז}} |{{Script/Arabic|ز}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܚܝܬ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Ḥēṯ}} |30px |30px |30px |''x'' |''x'' |{{Lang|syr|ܚ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|ḥ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|H}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|kh}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|x}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|ħ}}'') |{{IPAblink|ħ}}, {{IPAblink|x}} or {{IPAblink|χ}} |8 |{{script|Phnx|𐤇}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡇}} |{{Script/Hebr|ח}} |{{Script/Arabic|ح / خ}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܛܝܬ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Ṭēṯ}} |30px |30px |30px |''ţ'' |''t'' |{{Lang|syr|ܛ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|ṭ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|T}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|ţ}}'') |{{IPAblink|tˤ}} |9 |{{script|Phnx|𐤈}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡈}} |{{Script/Hebr|ט}} |{{Script/Arabic|ظ / ط}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܝܘܕ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Yōḏ}} |30px |30px |30px |''j, ij/ьj'' |''j, иj/ыj'' |{{Lang|syr|ܝ}} |consonant: ''{{transliteration|syc|y}}'' mater lectionis: ''{{transliteration|syc|ī}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|i}}'') |consonant: {{IPAblink|j}} mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|i}} or {{IPAblink|ɪ}} |10 |{{script|Phnx|𐤉}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡉}} |{{Script/Hebr|י}} |{{Script/Arabic|ي}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܟܦ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Kāp̄}} |30px |30px |30px |''k, x, c'' |''q, x, ч'' |{{Lang|syr|ܟ}} |hard: ''{{transliteration|syc|k}}'' soft: ''{{transliteration|syc|ḵ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|kh}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|x}}'') |hard: {{IPAblink|k}} soft: {{IPAblink|x}} |20 |{{script|Phnx|𐤊}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡊}} |{{Script/Hebr|כ ך}} |{{Script/Arabic|ك}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܠܡܕ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Lāmaḏ}} |30px |30px |30px |''l'' |''l'' |{{Lang|syr|ܠ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|l}}'' |{{IPAblink|l}} |30 |{{script|Phnx|𐤋}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡋}} |{{Script/Hebr|ל}} |{{Script/Arabic|ل}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܡܝܡ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Mīm}} |30px |30px |30px |''m'' |''м'' |{{Lang|syr|ܡ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|m}}'' |{{IPAblink|m}} |40 |{{script|Phnx|𐤌}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡌}} |{{Script/Hebr|מ ם}} |{{Script/Arabic|م}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܢܘܢ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Nūn}} |30px |30px |30px |''n'' |''н'' |{{Lang|syr|ܢܢ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|n}}'' |{{IPAblink|n}} |50 |{{script|Phnx|𐤍}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡍}} |{{Script/Hebr|נ ן}} |{{Script/Arabic|ن}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܣܡܟܬ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Semkaṯ}} |30px |30px |30px |''s'' |''c'' |{{Lang|syr|ܣ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|s}}'' |{{IPAblink|s}} |60 |{{script|Phnx|𐤎}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡎}} |{{Script/Hebr|ס}} |{{Script/Arabic|س}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܥܐ}} |{{transliteration|sem|ʿĒ}} |30px |30px |30px |''a'' |''ə'' |{{Lang|syr|ܥ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|ʿ}}'' |{{IPAblink|ʕ}}{{efn|Among most Assyrian Neo-Aramaic speakers, the pharyngeal sound of ''{{transliteration|sem|ʿĒ}}'' ({{IPA|/ʕ/}}) is not pronounced as such; rather, it typically merges into the plain sound of ''{{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlep̄}}'' ({{IPA|[ʔ]}} or ∅) or geminates a previous consonant.|name=|group=}} |70 |{{script|Phnx|𐤏}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡏}} |{{Script/Hebr|ע}} |{{Script/Arabic|ع / غ}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܦܐ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Pē}} |30px |30px |30px |''p, f'' |''п, ф'' |{{Lang|syr|ܦ}} |hard: ''{{transliteration|syc|p}}'' soft: ''{{transliteration|syc|p̄}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|p̱}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|ᵽ}}'', ''{{transliteration|syc|ph}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|f}}'') |hard: {{IPAblink|p}} soft: {{IPAblink|f}} |80 |{{script|Phnx|𐤐}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡐}} |{{Script/Hebr|פ ף}} |{{Script/Arabic|ف}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܨܕܐ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Ṣāḏē}}* |30px |30px |30px |''s'' |''c'' |{{Lang|syr|ܨ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|ṣ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|S}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|ş}}'') |{{IPAblink|sˤ}} |90 |{{script|Phnx|𐤑}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡑}} |{{Script/Hebr|צ ץ}} |{{Script/Arabic|ض / ص}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܩܘܦ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Qōp̄}} |30px |30px |30px |''q'' |''к'' |{{Lang|syr|ܩ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|q}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|ḳ}}'') |{{IPAblink|q}} |100 |{{script|Phnx|𐤒}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡒}} |{{Script/Hebr|ק}} |{{Script/Arabic|ق}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܪܝܫ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Rēš}}* |30px |30px |30px |''r'' |''p'' |{{Lang|syr|ܪ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|r}}'' |{{IPAblink|r}} |200 |{{script|Phnx|𐤓}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡓}} |{{Script/Hebr|ר}} |{{Script/Arabic|ر}} |-style="text-align:center;" |{{lang|syr|ܫܝܢ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Šīn}} |30px |30px |30px |''ş, ƶ'' |''ш, ж'' |{{Lang|syr|ܫ}} |''{{transliteration|syc|š}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|sh}}'') |{{IPAblink|ʃ}} |300 |{{script|Phnx|𐤔}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡔}} |{{Script/Hebr|ש}} |{{Script/Arabic|ش}} |-style="text-align:center;" |*{{lang|syr|ܬܘ}} |{{transliteration|sem|Taw}}* |30px |30px |30px |''t'' |''т'' |{{Lang|syr|ܬ}} |hard: ''{{transliteration|syc|t}}'' soft: ''{{transliteration|syc|ṯ}}'' (also ''{{transliteration|syc|th}}'' or ''{{transliteration|syc|θ}}'') |hard: {{IPAblink|t}} soft: {{IPAblink|θ}} |400 |{{script|Phnx|𐤕}} |{{Script/Aramaic|𐡕}} |{{Script/Hebr|ת}} |{{Script/Arabic|ت / ث}} |}

==Contextual forms of letters== {|class="wikitable" style="background:white; text-align:center" !rowspan="2"|Letter name ! colspan="3" |'''{{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (classical)''' ! colspan="3" |'''{{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} (eastern)''' |- !Unconnected final !Connected final !Initial or unconnected

medial !Unconnected final !Connected final !Initial or unconnected

medial |- |{{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlep̄}}|| || ||alt=|28x28px|| ||File:SyriacAlaph2.png{{Efn|In the final position following {{transliteration|sem|Dālaṯ}} or {{transliteration|sem|Rēš}}, {{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlep̄}} takes the normal form rather than the final form in the {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} variant of the alphabet.|name=|group=}}||File:SyriacAlaph.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Bēṯ}}|| ||alt=|26x26px||alt=|20x20px|| ||File:SyriacBeth2.png||File:SyriacBeth.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Gāmal}}|| ||alt=|33x33px||alt=|33x33px|| ||File:SyriacGamal2.png||File:SyriacGamal.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Dālaṯ}}|| || ||alt=|17x17px|| || ||File:SyriacDalath.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Hē}}|| || ||alt=|23x23px|| || ||File:SyriacHe.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Waw}}|| || ||alt=|15x15px|| || ||File:SyriacWaw.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Zayn}}|| || ||alt=|20x20px|| || ||File:SyriacZayn.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Ḥēṯ}}|| ||alt=|19x19px||alt=|19x19px|| ||File:SyriacKheth2.png||File:SyriacKheth.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Ṭēṯ}}|| ||alt=|30x30px||alt=|30x30px|| ||File:SyriacTeth2.png||File:SyriacTeth.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Yōḏ}}|| ||alt=|24x24px||alt=|17x17px|| ||File:SyriacYodh2.png||File:SyriacYodh.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Kāp̄}}||alt=|32x32px||alt=|25x25px||alt=|22x22px||File:SyriacKaph3.png||File:SyriacKaph2.png||File:SyriacKaph.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Lāmaḏ}}|| ||alt=|32x32px||alt=|30x30px|| ||File:SyriacLamadh2.png||File:SyriacLamadh.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Mīm}}|| ||alt=|22x22px||alt=|26x26px|| ||File:SyriacMeem2.png||File:SyriacMeem.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Nūn}}||alt=|22x22px||alt=|23x23px||alt=|18x18px||File:SyriacNun3.png||File:SyriacNun2.png||File:SyriacNun.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Semkaṯ}}|| ||alt=|22x22px||alt=|23x23px|| ||File:SyriacSimkath2.png / File:SyriacSimkath3.png||File:SyriacSimkath.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|ʿĒ}}|| ||alt=|25x25px||alt=|20x20px|| ||File:Syriac'E2.png||File:Syriac'E.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Pē}}|| ||alt=|25x25px||alt=|22x22px|| ||File:SyriacPe2.png||File:SyriacPe.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Ṣāḏē}}|| || ||alt=|17x17px|| || ||File:SyriacSadhe.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Qōp̄}}|| ||alt=|24x24px||alt=|18x18px|| ||File:SyriacQop2.png||File:SyriacQop.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Rēš}}|| || ||alt=|22x22px|| || ||File:SyriacResh.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Šīn}}|| ||alt=|25x25px||alt=|20x20px|| ||File:SyriacSheen2.png||File:SyriacSheen.png |- |{{transliteration|sem|Taw}}|| || ||alt=|20x20px|| || ||File:SyriacTaw.png |}

===Ligatures=== {|class="wikitable" style="background:white; text-align:center" !rowspan="2"|Letter name ! colspan="3" |'''{{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (classical)''' ! colspan="3" |'''{{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} (eastern)'''|| rowspan="2" |Unicode character(s)||rowspan="2"|Description |- !Unconnected final !Connected final !Initial or unconnected

medial !Unconnected final !Connected final !Initial or unconnected

medial |- |{{transliteration|sem|Lāmaḏ-ʾĀlep̄}}|| colspan="2" |alt=|38x38px|| || colspan="2" |30px|| ||<big><big>'''ܠܐ'''</big></big>||{{transliteration|sem|Lāmaḏ}} and {{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlep̄}} combined at the end of a word |- |{{transliteration|sem|Taw-ʾĀlep̄}}|| colspan="2" |alt=|41x41px | ||File:SyriacTawAlaph2.png / File:SyriacTawAlaph3.png||File:SyriacTawAlaph.png||File:SyriacAlaph.png File:SyriacTaw.png||<big><big>'''ܬܐ'''</big></big>||{{transliteration|sem|Taw}} and {{transliteration|sem|ʾĀlep̄}} combined at the end of a word |- |{{transliteration|sem|Hē-Yōḏ}}|| || || || ||File:SyriacHeYodh.png|| ||<big><big>'''ܗܝ'''</big></big>||{{transliteration|sem|Hē}} and {{transliteration|sem|Yōḏ}} combined at the end of a word |- |{{transliteration|sem|Taw-Yōḏ}}|| || || || ||20px|| ||<big><big>'''ܬܝ'''</big></big>||{{transliteration|sem|Taw}} and {{transliteration|sem|Yōḏ}} combined at the end of a word |}

==Letter alterations== ===''Matres lectionis''=== [[File:Adam in Syriac in the Xian Nestorian Stele.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|The name of the monk "Adam" in Syriac in the 781 CE Xi'an Nestorian Stele, China.]] Three letters act as ''matres lectionis'': rather than being a consonant, they indicate a vowel. {{transliteration|sem|ʾālep̄}} ({{lang|syr|ܐ}}), the first letter, represents a glottal stop, but it can also indicate a vowel, especially at the beginning or the end of a word. The letter ''waw'' ({{lang|syr|ܘ}}) is the consonant ''w'', but can also represent the vowels ''o'' and ''u''. Likewise, the letter {{Nowrap|{{transliteration|sem|yōḏ}} ({{lang|syr|ܝ}})}} represents the consonant ''y'', but it also stands for the vowels ''i'' and ''e''.

==={{transliteration|sem|Majlīyānā}}=== In modern usage, some alterations can be made to represent phonemes not represented in classical phonology. A mark similar in appearance to a tilde (~), called ''majlīyānā'' ({{Script/Mdnh|ܡܲܓ̰ܠܝܼܵܢܵܐ}}), is placed above or below a letter in the ''Maḏnḥāyā'' variant of the alphabet to change its phonetic value (see also: ''Geresh''):

* Added below {{transliteration|sem|gāmal}}: {{IPA|[ɡ]}} to {{IPA|[d͡ʒ]}} (voiced palato-alveolar affricate) * Added below {{transliteration|sem|kāp̄}}: {{IPA|[k]}} to {{IPA|[t͡ʃ]}} (voiceless palato-alveolar affricate) * Added above or below {{transliteration|sem|zayn}}: {{IPA|[z]}} to {{IPA|[ʒ]}} (voiced palato-alveolar sibilant) * Added above {{transliteration|sem|šīn}}: {{IPA|[ʃ]}} to {{IPA|[ʒ]}}

==={{transliteration|sem|Rūkkāḵā}} and {{transliteration|sem|qūššāyā}}=== In addition to foreign sounds, a marking system is used to distinguish {{transliteration|sem|qūššāyā}} ({{lang|syr|ܩܘܫܝܐ}}, 'hard' letters) from {{transliteration|sem|rūkkāḵā}} ({{lang|syr|ܪܘܟܟܐ}}, 'soft' letters). The letters {{transliteration|sem|bēṯ}}, {{transliteration|sem|gāmal}}, {{transliteration|sem|dālaṯ}}, {{transliteration|sem|kāp̄}}, {{transliteration|sem|pē}}, and {{transliteration|sem|taw}}, all stop consonants ('hard') are able to be 'spirantized' (lenited) into fricative consonants ('soft'). The system involves placing a single dot underneath the letter to give its 'soft' variant and a dot above the letter to give its 'hard' variant (though, in modern usage, no mark at all is usually used to indicate the 'hard' value):

{|class="wikitable" ! colspan=1 | Name !! colspan=1 | Stop !! colspan=1 | Translit. !! colspan=1 | IPA ! colspan=1 | Name !! colspan=1 | Fricative !! colspan=1 | Translit. !! colspan=1 | IPA ! Notes |- | ''Bēṯ (qšīṯā)'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܒ݁}}}} | align="center" | ''b'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[b]}} | ''Bēṯ rakkīḵtā'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܒ݂}}}} | align="center" | ''ḇ'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[v]}} or {{IPA|[w]}} | {{IPA|[v]}} has become {{IPA|[w]}} in most modern dialects. |- | ''Gāmal (qšīṯā)'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܓ݁}}}} | align="center" | ''g'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[ɡ]}} | ''Gāmal rakkīḵtā'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܓ݂}}}} | align="center" | ''ḡ'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[ɣ]}} |Usually becomes [j], [ʔ], or is not pronounced in modern Eastern dialects. |- | ''Dālaṯ (qšīṯā)'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܕ݁}}}} | align="center" | ''d'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[d]}} | ''Dālaṯ rakkīḵtā'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܕ݂}}}} | align="center" | ''ḏ'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[ð]}} | {{IPA|[d]}} is left unspirantized in some modern Eastern dialects. |- | ''Kāp̄ (qšīṯā)'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܟ݁}}}} | align="center" | ''k'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[k]}} | ''Kāp̄ rakkīḵtā'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܟ݂}}}} | align="center" | ''ḵ'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[x]}} | |- | ''Pē (qšīṯā)'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܦ݁}}}} | align="center" | ''p'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[p]}} | ''Pē rakkīḵtā'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܦ݂}}}} or {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܦ̮}}}} | align="center" | ''p̄'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[f]}} or {{IPA|[w]}} | {{IPA|[f]}} is not found in most modern Eastern dialects. Instead, it either is left unspirantized or sometimes appears as {{IPA|[w]}}. ''Pē'' is the only letter in the Eastern variant of the alphabet that is spirantized by the addition of a semicircle instead of a single dot. |- | ''Taw (qšīṯā)'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܬ݁}}}} | align="center" | ''t'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[t]}} | ''Taw rakkīḵtā'' | align="center" | {{Script/Hebrew|1={{lang|syc|ܬ݂}}}} | align="center" | ''ṯ'' | align="center" | {{IPA|[θ]}} | {{IPA|[t]}} is left unspirantized in some modern Eastern dialects. |- |}

The mnemonic {{transliteration|sem|bḡaḏkp̄āṯ}} ({{lang|syr|ܒܓܕܟܦܬ}}) is often used to remember the six letters that are able to be spirantized (see also: ''Begadkepat'').

In the East Syriac variant of the alphabet, spirantization marks are usually omitted when they interfere with vowel marks. The degree to which letters can be spirantized varies from dialect to dialect as some dialects have lost the ability for certain letters to be spirantized. For native words, spirantization depends on the letter's position within a word or syllable, location relative to other consonants and vowels, gemination, etymology, and other factors. Foreign words do not always follow the rules for spirantization.

==={{transliteration|sem|Syāmē}}=== Syriac uses two (usually) horizontal dots{{efn|In some {{transliteration|sem|Serṭā}} usages, the {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} dots are placed diagonally when they appear above the letter {{transliteration|sem|Lāmaḏ}}.}} above a letter within a word, similar in appearance to diaeresis, called {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} ({{lang|syr|ܣܝ̈ܡܐ}}, literally 'placings', also known in some grammars by the Hebrew name {{transliteration|sem|ribbuy}} [{{lang|he|רִבּוּי}}], 'plural'), to indicate that the word is plural.<ref>Nöldeke, Theodor and Julius Euting (1880). ''Kurzgefasste syrische Grammatik''. Leipzig: T.O. Weigel. [translated to English as ''Compendious Syriac Grammar'', by James A. Crichton. London: Williams & Norgate 1904. 2003 edition. pp. 10–11. {{ISBN|1-57506-050-7}}]</ref> These dots, having no sound value in themselves, arose before both eastern and western vowel systems as it became necessary to mark plural forms of words, which are indistinguishable from their singular counterparts in regularly-inflected nouns. For instance, the word {{transliteration|sem|malk'''ā'''}} ({{lang|syr|ܡܠܟܐ}}, 'king') is consonantally identical to its plural {{transliteration|sem|malk'''ē'''}} ({{lang|syr|ܡܠܟ̈ܐ}}, 'kings'); the {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} above the word {{transliteration|sem|malk'''ē'''}} ({{lang|syr|ܡܠܟ̈ܐ}}) clarifies its grammatical number and pronunciation. Irregular plurals also receive {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} even though their forms are clearly plural: e.g. {{transliteration|sem|baytā}} ({{lang|syr|ܒܝܬܐ}}, 'house') and its irregular plural {{transliteration|sem|bāttē}} ({{lang|syr|ܒ̈ܬܐ}}, 'houses'). Because of redundancy, some modern usage forgoes {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} points when vowel markings are present.

There are no firm rules for which letter receives {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}}; the writer has full discretion to place them over any letter. Typically, if a word has at least one {{transliteration|sem|rēš}}, then {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} are placed over the {{transliteration|sem|rēš}} that is nearest the end of a word (and also replace the single dot above it: {{lang|syr|ܪ̈}}). Other letters that often receive {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} are low-rising letters—such as {{transliteration|sem|yōḏ}} and {{transliteration|sem|nūn}}—or letters that appear near the middle or end of a word.

Besides plural nouns, {{transliteration|sem|syāmē}} are also placed on: * plural adjectives, including participles (except masculine plural adjectives/participles in the absolute state); * the cardinal numbers 'two' and the feminine forms of 11–19, though inconsistently; * and certain feminine plural verbs: the 3rd person feminine plural perfect and the 2nd and 3rd person feminine plural imperfect.

==={{transliteration|sem|Mṭalqānā}}=== Syriac uses a diacritic line, called {{transliteration|sem|mṭalqānā}} ({{lang|syr|ܡܛܠܩܢܐ}}, literally 'concealer', also known by the Latin term ''linea occultans'' in some grammars), to indicate a silent letter that can occur at the beginning or middle of a word.<ref>Nöldeke, Theodor and Julius Euting (1880). ''Kurzgefasste syrische Grammatik''. Leipzig: T.O. Weigel. [translated to English as ''Compendious Syriac Grammar'', by James A. Crichton. London: Williams & Norgate 1904. 2003 edition. pp. 11–12. {{ISBN|1-57506-050-7}}]</ref> In Eastern Syriac, this line is diagonal and only occurs above the silent letter (e.g. {{Script/Mdnh|ܡܕ݂ܝܼܢ݇ܬܵܐ}}, 'city', pronounced {{transliteration|sem|mḏīttā}}, not *{{transliteration|sem|mḏīntā}}, with the {{transliteration|sem|mṭalqānā}} over the {{transliteration|sem|nūn}}, assimilating with the {{transliteration|sem|taw}}). The line can only occur above a letter {{transliteration|sem|ʾālep̄}}, {{transliteration|sem|hē}}, {{transliteration|sem|waw}}, {{transliteration|sem|yōḏ}}, {{transliteration|sem|lāmaḏ}}, {{transliteration|sem|mīm}}, {{transliteration|sem|nūn}}, {{transliteration|sem|ʿē}} or {{transliteration|sem|rēš}} (which comprise the mnemonic {{lang|syr|ܥܡ̈ܠܝ ܢܘܗܪܐ}} {{transliteration|sem|ʿamlay nūhrā}}, 'the works of light'). In Western Syriac, this line is horizontal and can be placed above or below the letter (e.g. {{Script/Serto|ܡܕ݂ܺܝܢ̄ܬܳܐ}}, 'city', pronounced {{transliteration|sem|mḏīto}}, not *{{transliteration|sem|mḏīnto}}).

Classically, {{transliteration|sem|mṭalqānā}} was not used for silent letters that occurred at the end of a word (e.g. {{lang|syr|ܡܪܝ}} {{transliteration|sem|mār[ī]}}, '[my] lord'). In modern Turoyo, however, this is not always the case (e.g. {{Script/Serto|ܡܳܪܝ̱}} {{transliteration|sem|mor[ī]}}, '[my] lord').

==Latin alphabet and romanization== In 1930, a Latin alphabet for Syriac was developed with some material promulgated.<ref> Moscati, Sabatino, et al. The Comparative Grammar of Semitic Languages. Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, Germany, 1980.</ref> It was used until around 1938, when it was replaced by a Cyrillic script. Although they did not supplant the Syriac script, the usage of the Latin script in the Syriac community has still become widespread because most of the Assyrian diaspora is in Europe and the Anglosphere, where the Latin alphabet is predominant.

In Syriac romanization, some letters are altered and would feature diacritics and macrons to indicate long vowels, schwas and diphthongs. The letters with diacritics and macrons are mostly upheld in educational or formal writing.<ref>S. P. Brock, "Three Thousand Years of Aramaic literature", in Aram,1:1 (1989)</ref>

{|class="wikitable" |+ Soviet Latin alphabet<ref>{{cite journal |language = de |title = Neusyrisches in Lateinschrift aus der Sowjetunion|journal=Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft|number=109 |last = Friedrich |first = Johannes |author-link=Johannes Friedrich (linguist) |year = 1959 |pages=50–81 |url = http://menadoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/dmg/periodical/titleinfo/94045}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title = Studies in Modern Syriac |journal = Journal of Semitic Studies |volume = 6 |number = 1 |last = Polotsky |first = Hans Jakob |author-link = Hans Jakob Polotsky |year = 1961 |pages=1–32|doi = 10.1093/jss/6.1.1 }}</ref> | A || B || C || Ç || D | E |Ə|| F || G || H || I | J || K || L || M || N | O || P || Q || R || S | Ş || T |Ţ|| U || V | X || Z || Ƶ || Ь || IJ/ЬJ (digraph) |} {|class="wikitable" |+ Soviet Cyrillic alphabet (some Latin letters are used)<ref>Письменность и революция. Сб. 1, 1933, [https://viewer.rusneb.ru/ru/000202_000006_RuPRLIB12055619?page=122&rotate=0&theme=white p. 120]</ref><ref>[:File:Aysor cyrillic alphabet, USSR, 1930.jpg Aysor Cyrillic alphabet, from М. Бит Ләзер, В. Скоробогатов. Qтава d'аllаббит. Урха хаdта ка маdраса d'шита камета. М.: Пиjшеlи бусмина басмәхәнә кинtрунета d'әlмә d'СССР, 1930]</ref> | A || Ə || Б || В || Г || Һ || D | E | Ж || З || И || J | К || Q || L || М || Н | O || П || Р || С | Т || t || У || Ф || Х | Ш || Ч || Ы || DЖ (digraph) |} The Latin letters below are commonly used when it comes to transliteration from the Syriac script to Latin:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/romanization/syriac.pdf|title=Syriac Romanization Table |website=Library of Congress }}</ref> {|class="wikitable" |+ Transliterated Syriac-Latin alphabet<ref name="AwdeLamassu2007">{{cite book|author1=Nicholas Awde|author2=Nineb Lamassu|author3=Nicholas Al-Jeloo|title=Aramaic (Assyrian/Syriac) Dictionary & Phrasebook: Swadaya-English, Turoyo-English, English-Swadaya-Turoyo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5R1y1nvcWccC|year=2007|publisher=Hippocrene Books|isbn=978-0-7818-1087-6}}</ref> | A || Ā || B |Ḇ|| C || D | Ḏ || E || Ē |Ĕ|| F | G || H || Ḥ || I || J | K |Ḵ|| L || M || N || O | Ō || P || Q || R|| S || Š | Ṣ || T || Ṭ |Ṯ|| U || Ū | V || W || X || Y || Z |}

* Ā is used to denote a long "a" sound or [ɑː] as heard in "car". * Ḏ is used to represent a voiced dental fricative [ð], the "th" sound as heard in "that". * Ē is used to denote a long close-mid unrounded vowel, [eː]. * Ĕ is to represent an "eh" sound or [ɛ], as heard in ''Ninwĕ'' * Ḥ represents a voiceless pharyngeal fricative ([ħ]), only upheld by Turoyo and Chaldean speakers. * Ō represents a long "o" sound or [ɔː]. * Š is a voiceless postalveolar fricative ([ʃ]), the English digraph "sh". * Ṣ denotes an emphatic "s" or "thick s", [sˤ]. * Ṭ is an emphatic "t", [tˤ], as heard in the Urmi/Nochiya-Assyrian word ''ṭla'' ("three"). * Ū is used to represent an "oo" sound or the close back rounded vowel [uː].

Sometimes additional letters may be used and they tend to be:

* Ḇ may be used in the transliteration of biblical Aramaic to show the voiced bilabial fricative allophone value ("v") of the letter ''Bēṯ''. * Ī denotes a schwa sound, usually when transliterating biblical Aramaic. * Ḵ is utilized for the voiceless velar fricative, [x], or the "kh" sound. * Ṯ is used to denote the "th" sound or the voiceless dental fricative, [θ].

==Unicode== The Syriac alphabet was added to the Unicode Standard in September, 1999 with the release of version 3.0. Additional letters for Suriyani Malayalam were added in June, 2017 with the release of version 10.0.

===Blocks=== {{Main|Syriac (Unicode block)|Syriac Supplement|l2 = Syriac Supplement (Unicode block)}}

The Unicode block for Syriac is U+0700–U+074F:

The Syriac Abbreviation (a type of overline) can be represented with a special control character called the Syriac Abbreviation Mark (U+070F).

The Unicode block for Suriyani Malayalam specific letters is called the Syriac Supplement block and is U+0860–U+086F:

===HTML code table=== '''Note''': HTML numeric character references can be in decimal format (&#''DDDD'';) or hexadecimal format (&#x''HHHH'';). For example, &#1813; and &#x0715; (1813 in decimal) both represent U+0715 SYRIAC LETTER DALATH.

===={{transliteration|sem|Ālep̄ bēṯ}}==== {|border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" width="500" style="text-align:center;" class="wikitable" |- | width="25%" |<big><big>ܕ</big></big>|| width="25%" |<big><big>ܓ</big></big>|| width="25%" |<big><big>ܒ</big></big>|| width="25%" |<big><big>ܐ</big></big> |- !&#1813;||&#1811;||&#1810;||&#1808; |- |<big><big>ܚ</big></big>||<big><big>ܙ</big></big>||<big><big>ܘ</big></big>||<big><big>ܗ</big></big> |- !&#1818;||&#1817;||&#1816;||&#1815; |- |<big><big>ܠ</big></big>||<big><big>ܟܟ</big></big>||<big><big>ܝ</big></big>||<big><big>ܛ</big></big> |- !&#1824;||&#1823;||&#1821;||&#1819; |- |<big><big>ܥ</big></big>||<big><big>ܣ</big></big>||<big><big>ܢܢ</big></big>||<big><big>ܡܡ</big></big> |- !&#1829;||&#1828;||&#1826;||&#1825; |- |<big><big>ܪ</big></big>||<big><big>ܩ</big></big>||<big><big>ܨ</big></big>||<big><big>ܦ</big></big> |- !&#1834;||&#1833;||&#1832;||&#1830; |- | || ||<big><big>ܬ</big></big>||<big><big>ܫ</big></big> |- ! || ||&#1836;||&#1835; |}

====Vowels and unique characters==== {|width=250 border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" style="text-align:center;" class="wikitable" |- | width=50%|<big><big>ܲ</big></big>||<big><big>ܵ</big></big> |- !&#1842;||&#1845; |- |<big><big>ܸ</big></big>||<big><big>ܹ</big></big> |- !&#1848;||&#1849; |- |<big><big>ܼ</big></big>||<big><big>ܿ</big></big> |- !&#1852;||&#1855; |- |<big><big>̈</big></big>||<big><big>̰</big></big> |- !&#776;||&#816; |- |<big><big>݁</big></big>||<big><big>݂</big></big> |- !&#1857;||&#1858; |- |<big><big>܀</big></big>||<big><big>܂</big></big> |- !&#1792;||&#1794; |- |<big><big>܄</big></big>||<big><big>݇</big></big> |- !&#1796;||&#1863; |}

== Comparison of scripts == Matthew 5:8 (sixth beatitude), using the Urmi dialect: {| class="wikitable" !Syriac script !Latin script ''(1930)'' !Cyrillic script ''(before 1929, after 1938)'' !Translation |- |ܛܘܼܒ̣ܵܐ ܠܐܵܢܝܼ ܕܝܼܢܵܐ ܕܸܟ̣ܝܹ̈ܐ ܒܠܸܒܵܐ: ܣܵܒܵܒ ܕܐܵܢܝܼ ܒܸܬ ܚܵܙܝܼ ܠܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ. |''Ţuva l'ənij d'inə dixji b'libbə: səbəb d'ənij bit xəzij l'Ələhə.'' |''Tyвə l'aниj d'инa dиxjи б'lиббa: caбaб d'aниj бит xaзиj l'Alaha.'' |''Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'' |}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Sources== * Coakley, J. F. (2002). ''Robinson's Paradigms and Exercises in Syriac Grammar'' (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-19-926129-1}}. * Hatch, William (1946). ''An Album of Dated Syriac Manuscripts''. Boston: The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, reprinted in 2002 by Gorgias Press. {{ISBN|1-931956-53-7}}. * Kiraz, George (2015). ''The Syriac Dot: a Short History''. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press. {{ISBN|978-1-4632-0425-9}}. * Michaelis, Ioannis Davidis (1784). ''Grammatica Syriaca''. * Nestle, Eberhard (1888). ''Syrische Grammatik mit Litteratur, Chrestomathie und Glossar''. Berlin: H. Reuther's Verlagsbuchhandlung. [translated to English as ''Syriac grammar with bibliography, chrestomathy and glossary'', by R. S. Kennedy. London: Williams & Norgate 1889]. * Nöldeke, Theodor and Julius Euting (1880). ''Kurzgefasste syrische Grammatik''. Leipzig: T.O. Weigel. [translated to English as ''Compendious Syriac Grammar'', by James A. Crichton. London: Williams & Norgate 1904. 2003 edition: {{ISBN|1-57506-050-7}}]. * Phillips, George (1866). ''A Syriac Grammar''. Cambridge: Deighton, Bell, & Co.; London: Bell & Daldy. * Robinson, Theodore Henry (1915). ''Paradigms and Exercises in Syriac Grammar''. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-926129-6}}. * Rudder, Joshua. ''Learn to Write Aramaic: A Step-by-Step Approach to the Historical & Modern Scripts''. n.p.: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011. 220 pp. {{ISBN|978-1461021421}} Includes the Estrangela (pp. 59–113), Madnhaya (pp. 191–206), and the Western Serto (pp. 173–190) scripts. * Segal, J. B. (1953). ''The Diacritical Point and the Accents in Syriac.'' Oxford University Press, reprinted in 2003 by Gorgias Press. {{ISBN|1-59333-032-4}}. * Thackston, Wheeler M. (1999). ''Introduction to Syriac''. Bethesda, MD: Ibex Publishers, Inc. {{ISBN|0-936347-98-8}}.

==External links== {{Commons category|Syriac alphabet}} * [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/syriac.htm The Syriac alphabet] at [http://www.omniglot.com/ Omniglot.com] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120812195043/http://www.ancientscripts.com/syriac.html The Syriac alphabet] at [http://ancientscripts.com/index.html Ancientscripts.com] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060617231514/http://tlt.psu.edu/suggestions/international/bylanguage/syriacchart.html Unicode Entity Codes for the Syriac Script] * [https://bethmardutho.org/meltho/ Meltho Fonts for Syriac] * [http://www.nativlang.com/aramaic-language/aramaic-writing-cursive.php How to write Aramaic – learn the Syriac cursive scripts] * [http://www.syriac.talktalk.net/syriac_writing.html Aramaic and Syriac handwriting] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723101649/http://www.syriac.talktalk.net/syriac_writing.html |date=2018-07-23 }} {{transliteration|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (classical) * [http://www.learnassyrian.com/aramaic/ Learn Assyrian (Syriac-Aramaic) OnLine] {{transliteration|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} (eastern) * [https://www.gnu.org/software/freefont/ GNU FreeFont] Unicode font family with Syriac range in its sans-serif face. * [https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Assyrian/Latin_Alphabet Learn Syriac Latin Alphabet] on Wikiversity

{{DEFAULTSORT:Syriac Alphabet}} Category:Syriac alphabet Category:Right-to-left writing systems Category:Abjad writing systems