The linear alphabet , also called alphabet protocananéen or alphabet protosinaitic , is one of oldest among the known Alphabet S. Comprising 23 signs distinct, which indicates that it cannot be a question of a Syllabaire, he is derived from the Hiéroglyphe S Egyptians: more half of the signs can be put in relation to their Egyptian prototype. Certain researchers estimate besides that it is only about one degenerated spelling-book where each symbol represents a Consonne followed by a unspecified Voyelle, which corresponds de facto to a Abjad; the Egyptian signs unilitères seem to have deeply influenced the characters of the linear alphabet.

One is unaware of by whom and where was invented this first alphabet. Nevertheless it is generally thought that it is an adaptation of the Egyptian writing created to transcribe their own language by workmen then speaking one or more Semitic idioms working in the the Sinai under Egyptian domination. One estimates his appearance at the end of the Moyen Empire or during the Second period intermediate which followed it. The oldest inscriptions are gone back to -1700 approximately and were found with Serābiṭ Al-Khādim, in the the Sinai. One generally names protosinaitic the oldest badly deciphered inscriptions dating from half of the Bronze Age (between -2000 and -1525) and protocananéen those, surer of the end of the Bronze Age (between -1525 and -1200), written in a Semitic Langue.

The Egyptian origin of this writing is corroborated by another index: the Principe acrophonic is checked for a high number of symbols. It was seen that these symbols can be attached to the Egyptian symbol from which they result. If one takes the Semitic name of the symbol, one notes that its phonetic value very often corresponds to the beginning of this Semitic name. One most simply explains that by making inventors of this alphabet of the Semitic speakers knowing the significance of the hiéroglyphes.

that one said *bēt into Semitic, derived from the hieroglyphic symbol for the same word, was used to transcribe the Phonème /b/.

The comparison with the Alphabet phenician, later, watch that this last derives from the linear alphabet protocananéen, just as the model sudarabic which, for the blow, does not follow any more the Alphabetical order traditional Levantine , already attested in Ougaritique.