The Greek Alphabet was created on the model of the Alphabet phenician. The Greek alphabet such as it is currently read is the result of several centuries of evolution, during which the tiny S were created (it is thus a bicameral alphabet ) and the Diacritique S added. Following the conquests of Alexandre Large the, the culture and the writing Greek were spread in most of the basin the Mediterranean N. For example, in Egypt, cultural mixing brought the creation of the writing Copte, inspired by the uncial Greek, and supplemented by six original letters drawn from the Hiéroglyphe S Démotique S. It still is used nowadays, hardly simplified, in Greece.

The Greek alphabet is at the origin of several other alphabets of which, for most famous:

• the Etruscan , which gave birth directly to the Latin alphabet;
• various alphabets Anatolia NS of which the Carien, the Lycien, the Lydian , the Pamphylien, the Phrygian and the Sidétique;
• the Cyrillic used by the Slavic orthodoxe S and which was extended to the Soviet world ;
• the gotic;
• the Copt alphabet.

In the scientific circle (Mathematical, Physical, etc), one still uses the letters of the alphabet Greek to indicate the data with variable values. The French word “alphabet” comes from the first two letters of the alphabet Greek: alpha (α) and beta (β). If these words do not have any precise significance in Greek, one however knows that they are adaptations of Semitic terms, in the order “ox” and “house”. By adapting the writing phenician to their needs (all while preserving the Order Levantine to him), the Greeks transformed the Glottal stop ─ noted by the ancestor of alpha .

The traditional Greek alphabet

The Greek alphabet comes from the Alphabet phenician. He is written from left to right; in the oldest stages, it could be written from right to left or in Boustrophédon. It currently counts twenty-four letters; knowing that it is a writing become Bicamérale, each letter has two alternatives, capital and tiny.

Two letters have contextual Variantes, beta (in the French editions only) and sigma . Names of the letters, which do not have any significance in Greek (besides some like omicron “small O ” in opposition to large omega “ O ”, epsilon “ E simple” and upsilon “ U simple”) are probably of origin Araméen and do not respect yet the Ordre Levantine of the alphabet Cunéiforme of Ougarit.

There existed in the Antiquity of many grindings of the alphabet, according to the areas and the cities. The traditional alphabet comes from the Ionian model, selected by the city of Athens in 403 before the Christian era to replace the model attic. The language of Athens having become that of the Greek world as a whole as a Koinè, it is this same Ionian model which was essential everywhere else, thus making disappear from the letters known as “antiquated” (Digamma, Koppa, Sampi). During centuries, by an alphabet made up of capital, it was enriched, especially with the Moyen-âge, of tiny and additional signs, of which the Ponctuation and of many signs Diacritique S. Those used in the modern editions are described in the article Diacritiques of the Greek alphabet . The current model is thus the result of several centuries of use. Such or such tiny, for example, is a Byzantine invention , such other the capital letter traced in smaller. Many the binding S and medieval C-Ws communication left use between the XVIIIe and the 19th century. One however finds of it still the trace in the alphabetical numeration, which also preserved the memory of older letters.

The pronunciation given as an indication is that which one practices in the mediums school French-speaking person, known as érasmienne . It mixes with the old, medieval and false values. To consult Pronunciation of the old Greek for a linguistic approach of the question.

Greek letters in sciences

• the Greek letters are often used to indicate scalars (in particular in algebra).
• the Greek letters are used to indicate the stars (Désignation from Bayer, example: Alpha Centauri, known under Alpha of the Centaur).
• the two figures of the duodecimal System having for values 10 and 11 in the decimal system are sometimes noted α (10) and β (11).
• the radioactive emissions produced by the fusion of hydrogen are noted α, β and γ.
• the angles are often noted θ ( tiny theta ) or α ( tiny alpha ).
• the letter θ ( tiny theta ) indicates also a temperature in chemistry. For example: θ_éb (Cyclohexane) = 81 °C
• letter Γ ( gamma capital) represents the function gamma in mathematics.
• the symbol of increment ∆ (Unicode $2206) uses the letter Δ ( delta capital). It is thus read delta and is used to indicate a geometrical line, or an interval or an Exemple variation: ∆t ( delta T ) indicates an time interval, ∆P ( delta P ) a variation of Pressure.
• the Discriminant of a polynomial is noted Δ ( delta capital).
• the letter δ ( tiny delta ) represents the function delta in mathematics.
• the letter ε ( tiny epsilon ) is used to indicate negligible values (minor amounts). ε (X) indicates a function which tends towards 0 when X tends towards the infinite one.
• the letter η ( tiny eta ) is used to indicate the output of an energy transformation.
• the letter π ( tiny pi ) indicates the relationship between the circumference and the diameter of a circle (either approximately 3,141 592.653 6).
• the operator produced " ∏" (Unicode $220F) is the letter Π ( pi capital). It indicates the product of elements: $\backslash \; prod\_\; \{i=1\}\; ^\; \{N\}\; a\_i$, and means the product of the elements a_i for I going of 1 to N (see also the Somme operator, below).
• the letter ω ( tiny omega ) indicates in physique a pulsation or an angular velocity.
• the symbol of the unit IF of electrical resistance, the Ohm, Ω (Unicode $2126), is the letter Ω ( omega capital). The omega capital letter indicates also sometimes the center of a circle, by extension of affix ω ( tiny omega ).
• the letter Ω ( omega capital) also indicates the Constante omega which is a particular value of the Fonction W of Lambert.
• the symbol of the prefix IF micro (which represents one millionth unit), uses the letter µ ( driven tiny, Unicode $00B5). For example, the symbol of the micrometer is µm (1 µm = 10^-6 m) and that of the Microseconde is µs (1 µs = 10^-6 S).
• the letter ρ ( rho tiny) is used in mathematics to define polar curves and radii of curvature, and indicates in physics the density. In Statistical, it is used to define the correlation between two sets of data.
• the letter χ ( chi tiny) is used in physics to indicate a coefficient of compressibility (thermodynamic and waves).
• the Latin capital letter ech (Unicode $01A9: Ʃ) resembles to mistake there with the Greek sigma capital letter (Unicode $03A3: Σ).
• the operator Summons " ∑" (Unicode $2211) is the letter Σ ( sigma capital). It is used in mathematics to indicate a sum of elements: $\backslash \; sum\_\; \{i=1\}\; ^\; \{N\}\; a\_i$ means nap of the elements a_i for I going of 1 to N, for example (see also the Produit operator, above).

Greek letters in chemistry

In Chemistry, the Greek letters are used:

Relative positions of two substituents

To indicate the relative positions of two substituents in organic chemistry:

• sigma (σ) is used to indicate the conductivity of several ionic species associated such as K⁺+Cl^-.
• lambda (λ) expresses the ionic molar conductivity of an ionic species such as K⁺.

These symbols are used for 2 formulas:

• G = σ·S/l: The conductance G is equal to the conductivity σ multiplied by the surface of the plates electrolytic and divided by the distance between the plates.

• σ = Σ λ _i.

In the names of company

To the the United States and the Canada, several secret societies or pseudo-secret, the '' fraternities '', or '' sororities '', give each other names made up of two, generally three Greek letters. It is the name of which they are known of all, but their true name is kept secretly by the members.

Tex coding or HTML

The Greek alphabet is obtained thanks to the cast iron symbol with code HTML a for alpha: α.

In a page Internet in HTML it is fast and effective to use the entities of characters like & alpha; for α.

On wiki to directly copy the characters α, β, γ,…

In a mathematical formula in Tex to use the control character \ with the entity of the character while coding: $\backslash \; alpha$ for $\backslash \; alpha$.

The Greek capitals are written by beginning the entity with a capital letter; for example for Γ: & Gamma; in HTML or $\backslash \; Gamma$ in Tex.

In the following table only the capitals distinct from the Latin capital letters are indicated.

External bonds

• special Characters in mathematics

• Examples of cast writing

Others

• code ISO 15924: Grek

Related articles

• additional Letters of the Greek alphabet;
• History of the Greek alphabet;
• Diacritic of the Greek alphabet;
• Greek Numeration;
• pronunciation of the old Greek;
• pronunciation of the modern Greek;
• Use of the letters in mathematics;
• Greek old, Greek modern;
• Alphabet;
• writing;
• Greek Letters in financial mathematics

Nds-nl: Griekse alfabet Simple: Greek alphabet

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