[Home]Estruscan alphabet

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The Etruscan alphabet derives from the Greek, it is however not clear whether the process of adaptation took place in Italy or in Greece/Asia Minor. It was in any case a Western Greek alphabet. In the alphabets of the West, X had the sound value [ks], Psi stood for [k_h]; in Etruscan: X = [s], Psi = [k_j] or [k_X] (Rix 202-209). An additional sign, 8, was present in both Lydian and Etruscan (Jensen 513) Its origin is disputed; it may be an altered B or H or an ex novo creation (Rix 202). Its sound value was /f/ and it replaced the Etruscan FH.

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Last edited October 29, 2001 9:28 pm by Tsja (diff)
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