When did Greek adopt Phoenician alphabet?

Most specialists believe that the Phoenician alphabet was adopted for Greek during the early 8th century BC, perhaps in Euboea. The earliest known fragmentary Greek inscriptions date from this time, 770–750 BC, and they match Phoenician letter forms of c. 800–750 BC.

Who adopted the Phoenician alphabet?

In the 9th century BCE the Aramaeans had adopted the Phoenician alphabet, added symbols for the initial “aleph” and for long vowels. This Aramaic alphabet eventually turned into modern Arabic.

What are the first 10 letters of the Greek alphabet?

The letters of the Greek alphabet are: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta, eta, theta, iota, kappa, lambda, mu, nu1, xi, omicron, pi1, rho, sigma, tau, upsilon, phi, chi1, psi1, omega.

Who invented the ancient Greek alphabet?

Phoenicians
Around 800 BC, the Ancient Greeks developed a new alphabet that used separate vowels and consonants for the first time. Greek letters were adapted from an earlier alphabet invented by a people called the Phoenicians.

Who discovered ABCD alphabets?

The original alphabet was developed by a Semitic people living in or near Egypt. * They based it on the idea developed by the Egyptians, but used their own specific symbols. It was quickly adopted by their neighbors and relatives to the east and north, the Canaanites, the Hebrews, and the Phoenicians.

When was the Phoenician alphabet adopted in Greece?

Chronology of adoption. Most specialists believe that the Phoenician alphabet was adopted for Greek during the early 8th century BC, perhaps in Euboea. The earliest known fragmentary Greek inscriptions date from this time, 770–750 BC, and they match Phoenician letter forms of c. 800–750 BC.

Who invented the Supplementary Letters in the Phoenician alphabet?

Plutarch and other ancient Greek writers credited the legendary Palamedes of Nauplion on Euboea with the invention of the supplementary letters not found in the original Phoenician alphabet.

Why did the ancient Greeks use the alphabet they did?

The ancient and modern-day translators just did the best they could. The Greeks adopted this Phoenician alphabet, and added vowels to it. The refined combination worked very well. It enabled the philosophy of Socrates and the theater plays of Euripides — among many other great works of literature — to be passed down to us.

How many letters are there in the Greek alphabet?

Other consonants have since been added to the Greek alphabet. Alpha was the first of eighteen letters, because alphe means honor, and alphainein is to invent. Some ancient Greek scholars argued that the Greek alphabet should not be attributed to the Phoenician alphabet.