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Literary
March 29, 1928
The Milwaukee Leader
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
What is this article about?
This educational article explains the origins of the Greek alphabet, derived from Phoenician letters and standardized around 400 B.C. in Athens. It discusses variations in early Greek writing, the etymology of 'alphabet,' and the lack of word spacing in ancient texts.
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HOW MEN LEARNED TO WRITE.
IX GREEK ALPHABET
We sometimes speak of our alphabet as "the A-B-C's" and that gives us a hint of how the word "alphabet" was started. It arose from the first two letters of the common Greek writing signs. Those signs were called "alpha" and "beta." If you put them together, leaving off the "a" of the second one, you have alphabet.
KALLIA AlrI00IO TVPEVTRA3 CAROPOTA
Greek writing found near Thebes
The early Greeks learned their letters from the Phoenicians, but they changed many of them. For a long time there was no common alphabet in Greece. Different letters were used in different parts of the country.
The sound for "R" was made by the "p" sign in most parts of Greece. In the city of Elis, the O was made in a diamond shape, and in several other places O was dotted in the middle! At Corinth the "E" sound was expressed by the letter "B."
Such differences made it hard for messages to be sent from one city to another, and the Greeks were smart enough to form a common alphabet. That took place about the year 400 B. C., and the movement was started by the city of Athens.
We often hear a person say, "That's Greek to me," which means that he cannot understand what has been said or written. I suppose the saying arose from the differences between the Greek alphabet and the alphabet which we use.
Although some Greek letters were unlike our own, others have kept almost the same form for 2,400 years. The letters which have come down to us from the Greeks without much change include A, K, M. N, O and T.
Greek schoolboys must have had a hard time to learn to read. The words in their books were all jumbled together like this:
Nowwecanseethetrouble.
TheearlyGreekshadto Learntoreadwemaythank Ourluckystarsthat Wehaveperiodscommas Andquestionmarks.
Can you read that? If you will puzzle over it for a while, you will probably be able to make out the words. The system of dividing words by spaces did not come into use in Greece for a long time.
Tomorrow—Roman Writings.
Copyright, 1928, Publishers' Syndicate.
IX GREEK ALPHABET
We sometimes speak of our alphabet as "the A-B-C's" and that gives us a hint of how the word "alphabet" was started. It arose from the first two letters of the common Greek writing signs. Those signs were called "alpha" and "beta." If you put them together, leaving off the "a" of the second one, you have alphabet.
KALLIA AlrI00IO TVPEVTRA3 CAROPOTA
Greek writing found near Thebes
The early Greeks learned their letters from the Phoenicians, but they changed many of them. For a long time there was no common alphabet in Greece. Different letters were used in different parts of the country.
The sound for "R" was made by the "p" sign in most parts of Greece. In the city of Elis, the O was made in a diamond shape, and in several other places O was dotted in the middle! At Corinth the "E" sound was expressed by the letter "B."
Such differences made it hard for messages to be sent from one city to another, and the Greeks were smart enough to form a common alphabet. That took place about the year 400 B. C., and the movement was started by the city of Athens.
We often hear a person say, "That's Greek to me," which means that he cannot understand what has been said or written. I suppose the saying arose from the differences between the Greek alphabet and the alphabet which we use.
Although some Greek letters were unlike our own, others have kept almost the same form for 2,400 years. The letters which have come down to us from the Greeks without much change include A, K, M. N, O and T.
Greek schoolboys must have had a hard time to learn to read. The words in their books were all jumbled together like this:
Nowwecanseethetrouble.
TheearlyGreekshadto Learntoreadwemaythank Ourluckystarsthat Wehaveperiodscommas Andquestionmarks.
Can you read that? If you will puzzle over it for a while, you will probably be able to make out the words. The system of dividing words by spaces did not come into use in Greece for a long time.
Tomorrow—Roman Writings.
Copyright, 1928, Publishers' Syndicate.
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What keywords are associated?
Greek Alphabet
Phoenicians
Athens
Writing History
Ancient Greece
Alphabet Standardization
Literary Details
Title
How Men Learned To Write. Ix Greek Alphabet
Subject
History Of The Greek Alphabet And Its Development
Form / Style
Educational Prose Article
Key Lines
We Sometimes Speak Of Our Alphabet As "The A B C's" And That Gives Us A Hint Of How The Word "Alphabet" Was Started.
The Early Greeks Learned Their Letters From The Phoenicians, But They Changed Many Of Them.
Such Differences Made It Hard For Messages To Be Sent From One City To Another, And The Greeks Were Smart Enough To Form A Common Alphabet. That Took Place About The Year 400 B. C., And The Movement Was Started By The City Of Athens.
The Words In Their Books Were All Jumbled Together Like This: Nowwecanseethetrouble. Theearlygreekshadto Learntoreadwemaythank Ourluckystarsthat Wehaveperiodscommas Andquestionmarks.