Ben (Armenian letter)

Ben
Բ բ
Usage
Writing system	Armenian alphabet
Type	Alphabetic
Language of origin	Armenian
Phonetic usage	b (Eastern Armenian) pʰ (Western Armenian, in some places in the Eastern)
Unicode codepoint	U+0532, U+0562
Alphabetical position	2nd Numerical value: 2
History
Development	Possibly Β β or Ϝ ϝ Բ բ
Time period	Since 405 to present
Other
Associated numbers	2
This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

Ben (majuscule: Բ, minuscule: բ; Armenian: բեն) is a letter of the Armenian alphabet, used in the Armenian language.

It was one of the original letters in the Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 AD.^[1]

It is speculated to be derived from the Greek letter Beta with the rightmost curves cut off somewhat. Along with the letter Ayb, it forms the word "այբուբեն" (alphabet).

Usage

It is the 2nd letter of the Armenian alphabet, used in the Armenian language. In Eastern Armenian dialect, it is usually pronounced as the voiced bilabial plosive [b], though in some sub-dialects, it can be pronounced as the voiceless bilabial plosive [p], or as the aspirated voiceless bilabial plosive [pʰ]. In the Western Armenian dialect, it is pronounced as the aspirate voiceless bilabial plosive [pʰ].^[2] In English, it is transliterated as the letter B.^[3] In Armenian numeral system, the letter corresponds to the number 2.^[4]

Encodings

Gallery

• 
  Rounded erkat'agir
• 
  Angular erkat'agir
• 
  Bolorgir
• 
  Notrgir
• 
  Shghagir
• 
  Handwritten form

External links

• Բ on Wiktionary
• բ on Wiktionary

References

This page was last edited on 30 May 2024, at 13:24