View source for Syriac alphabet

{{Infobox Writing system
 |name=Syriac alphabet
 |type= Impure [[Abjad]]
 |languages=[[Aramaic language|Aramaic]] ([[Syriac language|Classical Syriac]], [[Western Neo-Aramaic]], [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]], [[Chaldean Neo-Aramaic]], [[Turoyo language|Turoyo]], [[Aramaic language#Christian Palestinian Aramaic|Christian Palestinian Aramaic]]), [[Arabic]] ([[Garshuni]]), [[Malayalam]] ([[Suriyani Malayalam]])
 |time=c. 200 BC – present
 |fam1=[[Egyptian hieroglyphs]]
 |fam2=[[Proto-Sinaitic script]]
 |fam3=[[Phoenician alphabet]]
 |fam4=[[Aramaic alphabet]]
 |sample=Aramaic alphabet.jpg
 |image_size=300px
 |caption=Estrangela styled alphabet
 |children=[[Sogdian alphabet|Sogdian]]
:→[[Old Turkic alphabet]]
::→[[Old Hungarian alphabet]]
::→[[Old Uyghur alphabet]]
:::→[[Mongolian script]]
::→[[Manichaean alphabet]]<br/>
[[Nabataean alphabet]]
:→[[Arabic alphabet]]
::→[[N'Ko alphabet]]
|iso15924=Syrc
|iso15924 note={{ubl
 |<code>Syre, {{ISO 15924 number|Syre}}</code> (ʾEsṭrangēlā variant)
 |<code>Syrj, {{ISO 15924 number|Syrj}}</code> (Western variant)
 |<code>Syrn, {{ISO 15924 number|Syrn}}</code> (Eastern variant)
}}
|unicode={{ublist |class=nowrap |[http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0700.pdf U+0700–U+074F] {{smaller|Syriac}} |[http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U0860.pdf U+0860-U+086F] {{smaller|Syriac Supplement}}}}
}}
{{Special characters
| image      =Shlama.svg
| alt        =
| link       =http://www.bethmardutho.org/index.php/resources/fonts.html
| special    =Syriac text, written from right to left in a cursive style with some letters joined
| fix        =Help:Multilingual_support#Syriac/Aramaic script
| characters =[[Syriac script]]
| error      =unjoined Syriac letters or other symbols }}

The '''Syriac alphabet''' is a [[writing system]] primarily used to write the [[Syriac language]] from the 1st century AD.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/578972/Syriac-alphabet | title=Syriac alphabet | work=Encyclopædia Britannica Online | accessdate=June 16, 2012}}</ref> It is one of the [[Semitic languages|Semitic]] [[abjad]]s descending from the [[Aramaic alphabet]] through the [[Palmyrene alphabet]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.nl/books?id=QnG2067meU0C&pg=PA26|title=The Cambridge History of the Bible: Volume 1, From the Beginnings to Jerome|author=P. R. Ackroyd,C. F. Evans|page= 26|year= 1975}}</ref> and it shares similarities with the [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]], [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew]], [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]] and the traditional [[Mongolian script]]s.

Syriac is written from right to left in horizontal lines. It is a [[cursive]] script, but not all letters connect within a word. Spaces separate individual words.

All 22 letters are consonants, but there are optional diacritic marks to indicate vowels and other features. In addition to the sounds of the language, the letters of the Syriac alphabet can be used to represent numbers in a system similar to [[Hebrew numerals|Hebrew]] and [[Greek numerals]].

When [[Arabic]] began to be the dominant spoken language in the [[Fertile Crescent]], texts were often written in Arabic with the Syriac script as knowledge of the Arabic alphabet was not yet widespread. [[Malayalam]] was also written with Syriac script and was called [[Suriyani Malayalam]]. Such writings are usually called ''Karshuni'' or ''[[Garshuni]]'' ({{lang|syr|ܓܪܫܘܢܝ}}). Garshuni is often used today by Neo-Aramaic-speakers for written communication, such as letters and fliers.

==Forms==
[[File:Syriac Sertâ book script.jpg|thumb|300px|11th century book in Syriac {{transl|sem|Serṭā}}.]]
The alphabet has three major forms: ''ʾEsṭrangēlā'', ''Maḏnḥāyā'', and ''Serṭā''.

==={{anchor|Estrangelo variant}} Classical ''ʾEsṭrangēlā''===
[[File:Eesho Aramaic name of Jesus.jpg|thumb|''Yəšūʿ'' or ''ʾĪšōʿ'', the Syriac name of [[Jesus]].]]
The oldest and classical form of the alphabet is ''{{transl|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}'' ({{lang|syr|{{Script/Strng|ܐܣܛܪܢܓܠܐ}}}}; the name is thought to derive from the [[Ancient Greek]] adjective {{lang|grc|στρογγύλη}} [''strongylē'', 'rounded'],<ref>[[William Hatch|Hatch, William]] (1946). ''An album of dated Syriac manuscripts''. Boston: The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, reprinted in 2002 by Gorgias Press. p. 24. {{ISBN|1-931956-53-7}}.</ref> but it has also been suggested to derive from {{lang|syc|{{Script/Strng|ܣܪܛܐ ܐܘܢܓܠܝܐ}}}} [''{{transl|sem|serṭā ʾewwangēlāyā}}'', 'gospel character']<ref>[[Eberhard Nestle|Nestle, Eberhard]] (1888). ''Syrische Grammatik mit Litteratur, Chrestomathie und Glossar''. Berlin: H. Reuther's Verlagsbuchhandlung. [translated to English as ''Syriac grammar with bibliography, chrestomathy and glossary'', by R. S. Kennedy. London: Williams & Norgate 1889. p. 5].</ref>). Although ʾEsṭrangēlā is no longer used as the main script for writing Syriac, it has received some revival since the 10th century. It is often used in scholarly publications (such as the [[Leiden University]] version of the [[Peshitta]]), in titles and in [[inscriptions]]. In some older [[manuscript]]s and inscriptions, any letter may join to the left, and older Aramaic letter forms (especially of [[Heth|{{transl|sem|Ḥeth}}]] and the [[lunate]] [[Mem]]) are found. Vowel marks are usually not used with ʾEsṭrangēlā.

==={{anchor|Eastern variant}} East Syriac ''Maḏnḥāyā''===
The East Syriac dialect is usually written in the ''{{transl|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}}'' ({{Script/Mdnh|ܡܲܕ݂ܢܚܵܝܵܐ}}, 'Eastern') form of the alphabet. Other names for the script include ''{{transl|sem|Swāḏāyā}}'' ({{Script/Mdnh|ܣܘܵܕ݂ܵܝܵܐ}}, 'conversational', often translated as 'contemporary', reflecting its use in writing modern Neo-Aramaic), ''{{transl|sem|ʾĀṯūrāyā}}'' ({{Script/Mdnh|ܐܵܬ݂ܘܼܪܵܝܵܐ}}, 'Assyrian', not to be confused with the traditional name for the [[Hebrew alphabet]]), ''{{transl|sem|Kaldāyā}}'' ({{Script/Mdnh|ܟܲܠܕܵܝܵܐ}}, 'Chaldean'), and, inaccurately, "[[Nestorianism|Nestorian]]" (a term that was originally used to refer to the [[Church of the East]] in the [[Sasanian Empire]]). The Eastern script resembles ʾEsṭrangēlā somewhat more closely than the Western script.

====Vowels====
The Eastern script uses a system of dots above or below letters, based on an older system, to indicate vowel sounds not found in the script:

* A dot above and a dot below a letter represent {{IPA|[a]}}, transliterated as ''a'' or ''ă'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܦܬ݂ܵܚܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Pṯāḥā}}''),
* Two diagonally-placed dots above a letter represent {{IPA|[ɑ]}}, transliterated as ''ā'' or ''â'' or ''å'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܙܩܵܦ݂ܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Zqāp̄ā}}''),
* Two horizontally-placed dots below a letter represent {{IPA|[ɛ]}}, transliterated as ''e'' or ''ĕ'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ ܐܲܪܝܼܟ݂ܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Rḇāṣā ʾărīḵā}}'' or {{Script/Mdnh|ܙܠܵܡܵܐ ܦܫܝܼܩܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Zlāmā pšīqā}}''; often pronounced {{IPA|[ɪ]}} and transliterated as ''i'' in the East Syriac dialect),
* Two diagonally-placed dots below a letter represent {{IPA|[e]}}, transliterated as ''ē'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ ܟܲܪܝܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Rḇāṣā karyā}}'' or {{Script/Mdnh|ܙܠܵܡܵܐ ܩܲܫܝܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Zlāmā qašyā}}''),
* The letter ''Waw'' with a dot below it represents {{IPA|[u]}}, transliterated as ''ū'' or ''u'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܥܨܵܨܵܐ ܐܲܠܝܼܨܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|ʿṢāṣā ʾălīṣā}}'' or {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Rḇāṣā}}''),
* The letter ''Waw'' with a dot above it represents {{IPA|[o]}}, transliterated as ''ō'' or ''o'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܥܨܵܨܵܐ ܪܘܝܼܚܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|ʿṢāṣā rwīḥā}}'' or {{Script/Mdnh|ܪܘܵܚܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Rwāḥā}}''),
* The letter ''Yōḏ'' with a dot beneath it represents {{IPA|[i]}}, transliterated as ''ī'' or ''i'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܚܒ݂ܵܨܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Ḥḇāṣā}}''),
* A combination of ''{{transl|sem|Rḇāṣā karyā}}'' (usually) followed by a letter ''Yōḏ'' represents {{IPA|[e]}} (possibly *{{IPA|[e̝]}} in Proto-Syriac), transliterated as ''ē'' or ''ê'' (called {{Script/Mdnh|ܐܲܣܵܩܵܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|ʾĂsāqā}}'').

It is thought that the Eastern method for representing vowels influenced the development of the ''[[niqqud]]'' markings used for writing Hebrew.

In addition to the above vowel marks, transliteration of Syriac sometimes includes ''ə'', ''e̊'' or superscript ''<sup>e</sup>'' (or often nothing at all) to represent an original Aramaic [[schwa]] that was lost at some point later point the development of Syriac. Some transliteration schemes find its inclusion necessary for showing spirantization or for historical reasons. Because its distribution is mostly predictable (usually inside a syllable-initial two-consonant cluster) and its pronunciation was lost, both the Eastern and the Western forms of the alphabet have no sign to represent the schwa.

[[File:SyriacJohn.svg|thumb|450px|The opening words of the [[Gospel of John]] written in {{transl|sem|Serṭā}}, {{transl|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} and {{transl|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (top to bottom) — {{transl|sem|brēšiṯ iṯaw[hy]-[h]wā melṯā}}, 'in the beginning was the word'.]]

==={{anchor|Western variant}} West Syriac ''Serṭā''===
The West Syriac dialect is usually written in the ''{{transl|sem|Serṭā}}'' ({{Script/Serto|ܣܶܪܛܳܐ}}, 'line') form of the alphabet, also known as the ''{{transl|sem|Pšīṭā}}'' ({{Script/Serto|ܦܫܺܝܛܳܐ}}, 'simple'), 'Maronite', or the 'Jacobite' script (the last term is considered derogatory). Most of the letters are clearly derived from ʾEsṭrangēlā but are simplified, flowing lines. A cursive [[chancery hand]] is evidenced in the earliest Syriac manuscripts, but important works were written in ʾEsṭrangēlā. From the 8th century, the simpler Serṭā style came into fashion, perhaps because of its more economical use of [[parchment]]. The [[Nabataean alphabet]], which gave rise to the [[Arabic alphabet]], was based on this form of Syriac handwriting.

====Vowels====
The Western script is usually vowel-pointed, with miniature Greek vowel letters above or below the letter which they follow:
* Capital [[Alpha]] ({{lang|grc|Α}}) represents {{IPA|[a]}}, transliterated as ''a'' or ''ă'' ({{Script/Serto|ܦܬ݂ܳܚܳܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Pṯāḥā}}''),
* Lowercase Alpha ({{lang|grc|α}}) represents {{IPA|[ɑ]}}, transliterated as ''ā'' or ''â'' or ''å'' ({{Script/Serto|ܙܩܳܦ݂ܳܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Zqāp̄ā}}''; pronounced as {{IPA|[o]}} and transliterated as ''o'' in the West Syriac dialect),
* Lowercase [[Epsilon]] ({{lang|grc|ε}}) represents both {{IPA|[ɛ]}}, transliterated as ''e'' or ''ĕ'', and {{IPA|[e]}}, transliterated as ''ē'' ({{Script/Serto|ܪܒ݂ܳܨܳܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Rḇāṣā}}''),
* Capital [[Eta]] ({{lang|grc|H}}) represents {{IPA|[i]}}, transliterated as ''ī'' ({{Script/Serto|ܚܒ݂ܳܨܳܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|Ḥḇāṣā}}''),
* A combined symbol of capital [[Upsilon]] ({{lang|grc|Υ}}) and lowercase [[Omicron]] ({{lang|grc|ο}}) represents {{IPA|[u]}}, transliterated as ''ū'' or ''u'' ({{Script/Serto|ܥܨܳܨܳܐ}}, ''{{transl|sem|ʿṢāṣā}}''),
* Lowercase [[Omega]] ({{lang|grc|ω}}), used only in the vocative interjection ''{{transl|sem|ʾō}}'' ({{Script/Serto|ܐܘّ<!--Arabic shadda used, replace with real Unicode character if ever made-->}}, 'O!').

==Summary table==
{{alphabet}}
The Syriac alphabet consists of the following letters, shown in their isolated (non-connected) forms. When isolated, the letters ''Kāp̄'', ''Mīm'', and ''Nūn'' are usually shown with their initial form connected to their final form (see [[#Contextual forms of letters|below]]). The letters ''ʾĀlap̄'', ''Dālaṯ'', ''Hē'', ''Waw'', ''Zayn'', ''Ṣāḏē'', ''Rēš'', and ''Taw'' (and, in early ʾEsṭrangēlā manuscripts, the letter ''Semkaṯ''<ref>Coakley, J. F. (2002). ''Robinson's paradigms and exercises in Syriac grammar'' (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 141. {{ISBN|978-0-19-926129-1}}.</ref>) do not connect to a following letter within a word. These are marked with an asterisk (*).

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Name
!colspan="3"|Letter
!colspan="2"|Sound Value
!rowspan="2"|Numerical<br />Value
!rowspan="2"|Phoenician<br />Equivalent
!rowspan="2"|Imperial Aramaic<br />Equivalent
!rowspan="2"|Hebrew<br />Equivalent
|-
!{{transl|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}}
!{{transl|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} 
!{{transl|sem|Serṭā}}
!Transliteration
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Aleph|ʾĀlep̄]]}}'' or ''{{transl|sem|ʾĀlap̄}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܐܠܦ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela alap.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern alap.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta alap.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|ʾ}}'' or nothing <br />mater lectionis: ''{{transl|syc|ā}}''
|{{IPAblink|ʔ}} or silent <br />mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|ɑ}}
|1
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_aleph.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡀}}
|{{lang|he|א}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Bet (letter)|Bēṯ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܒܝܬ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela bet.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern bet.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta bet.svg|30px]]
|hard: ''{{transl|syc|b}}''<br />soft: ''{{transl|syc|ḇ}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|bh}}'', ''{{transl|syc|v}}'', ''{{transl|syc|β}}'')
|hard: {{IPAblink|b}}<br />soft: {{IPAblink|v}} or {{IPAblink|w}}
|2
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_beth.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡁}}
|{{lang|he|ב}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Gimel|Gāmal]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܓܡܠ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela gamal.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern gamal.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta gamal.svg|30px]]
|hard: ''{{transl|syc|g}}''<br />soft: ''{{transl|syc|ḡ}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|g̱}}'', ''{{transl|syc|gh}}'', ''{{transl|syc|ġ}}'', ''{{transl|syc|γ}}'')
|hard: {{IPAblink|ɡ}}<br />soft: {{IPAblink|ɣ}}
|3
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_gimel.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡂}}
|{{lang|he|ג}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Dalet|Dālaṯ]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܕܠܬ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela dalat.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern dalat.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta dalat.svg|30px]]
|hard: ''{{transl|syc|d}}''<br />soft: ''{{transl|syc|ḏ}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|dh}}'', ''{{transl|syc|ð}}'', ''{{transl|syc|δ}}'')
|hard: {{IPAblink|d}}<br />soft: {{IPAblink|ð}}
|4
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_daleth.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡃}}
|{{lang|he|ד}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[He (letter)|Hē]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܗܐ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela he.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern he.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta he.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|h}}''
|{{IPAblink|h}}
|5
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_he.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡄}}
|{{lang|he|ה}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Waw (letter)|Waw]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܘܘ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela waw.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern waw.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta waw.svg|30px]]
|consonant: ''{{transl|syc|w}}''<br />mater lectionis: ''{{transl|syc|ū}}'' or ''{{transl|syc|ō}}''<br />(also ''{{transl|syc|u}}'' or ''{{transl|syc|o}}'')
|consonant: {{IPAblink|w}}<br />mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|u}} or {{IPAblink|o}}
|6
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_waw.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡅}}
|{{lang|he|ו}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Zayin|Zayn]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܙܝܢ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela zayn.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern zayn.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta zayn.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|z}}''
|{{IPAblink|z}}
|7
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_zayin.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡆}}
|{{lang|he|ז}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Heth|Ḥēṯ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܚܝܬ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela het.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern het.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta het.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|ḥ}}''
|{{IPAblink|ħ}}, {{IPAblink|x}}, or {{IPAblink|χ}}
|8
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_heth.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡇}}
|{{lang|he|ח}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Teth|Ṭēṯ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܛܝܬ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela tet.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern tet.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta tet.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|ṭ}}''
|{{IPAblink|tˤ}}
|9
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_teth.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡈}}
|{{lang|he|ט}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Yodh|Yōḏ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܝܘܕ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela yod.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern yod.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta yod.svg|30px]]
|consonant: ''{{transl|syc|y}}''<br />mater lectionis: ''{{transl|syc|ī}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|i}}'')
|consonant: {{IPAblink|j}}<br />mater lectionis: {{IPAblink|i}} or {{IPAblink|e}}
|10
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_yodh.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡉}}
|{{lang|he|י}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Kaph|Kāp̄]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܟܦ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela kap.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern kap.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta kap.svg|30px]]
|hard: ''{{transl|syc|k}}''<br />soft: ''{{transl|syc|ḵ}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|kh}}'', ''{{transl|syc|x}}'')
|hard: {{IPAblink|k}}<br />soft: {{IPAblink|x}}
|20
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_kaph.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡊}}
|{{lang|he|כ ך}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Lamedh|Lāmaḏ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܠܡܕ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela lamad.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern lamad.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta lamad.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|l}}''
|{{IPAblink|l}}
|30
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_lamedh.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡋}}
|{{lang|he|ל}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Mem|Mīm]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܡܝܡ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela mim.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern mim.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta mim.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|m}}''
|{{IPAblink|m}}
|40
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_mem.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡌}}
|{{lang|he|מ ם}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Nun (letter)|Nūn]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܢܘܢ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela nun.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern nun.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta nun.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|n}}''
|{{IPAblink|n}}
|50
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_nun.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡍}}
|{{lang|he|נ ן}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Samekh|Semkaṯ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܣܡܟܬ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela semkat.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern semkat.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta semkat.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|s}}''
|{{IPAblink|s}}
|60
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_samekh.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡎}}
|{{lang|he|ס}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Ayin|ʿĒ]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܥܐ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela 'e.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern 'e.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta 'e.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|ʿ}}''
|{{IPAblink|ʕ}}{{ref|a|1}}
|70
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_ayin.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡏}}
|{{lang|he|ע}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Pe (letter)|Pē]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܦܐ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela pe.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern pe.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta pe.svg|30px]]
|hard: ''{{transl|syc|p}}''<br />soft: ''{{transl|syc|p̄}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|p̱}}'', ''{{transl|syc|ᵽ}}'', ''{{transl|syc|ph}}'', ''{{transl|syc|f}}'')
|hard: {{IPAblink|p}}<br />soft: {{IPAblink|f}}
|80
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_pe.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡐}}
|{{lang|he|פ ף}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Tsade|Ṣāḏē]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܨܕܐ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela sade.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern sade.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta sade.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|ṣ}}''
|{{IPAblink|sˤ}}
|90
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_sade.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡑}}
|{{lang|he|צ ץ}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Qoph|Qōp̄]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܩܘܦ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela qop.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern qop.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta qop.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|q}}''
|{{IPAblink|q}}
|100
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_qoph.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡒}}
|{{lang|he|ק}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Resh|Rēš]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܪܝܫ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela res.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern res.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta res.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|r}}''
|{{IPAblink|r}}
|200
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_res.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡓}}
|{{lang|he|ר}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Shin (letter)|Šīn]]}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܫܝܢ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela sin.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern sin.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta sin.svg|30px]]
|''{{transl|syc|š}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|sh}}'')
|{{IPAblink|ʃ}}
|300
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_sin.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡔}}
|{{lang|he|ש}}
|-style="text-align:center;"
|''{{transl|sem|[[Taw]]}}''* ({{lang|syr|ܬܘ}})
|[[File:Syriac Estrangela taw.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Eastern taw.svg|30px]]
|[[File:Syriac Serta taw.svg|30px]]
|hard: ''{{transl|syc|t}}''<br />soft: ''{{transl|syc|ṯ}}'' (also ''{{transl|syc|th}}'', ''{{transl|syc|θ}}'')
|hard: {{IPAblink|t}}<br />soft: {{IPAblink|θ}}
|400
|{{script|Phnx|[[File:Phoenician_taw.svg|12px]]}}
|{{lang|arc|𐡕}}
|{{lang|he|ת}}
|}

'''Notes:'''
#{{note|a}}Among most [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic]] speakers, the pharyngeal sound {{IPA|[ʕ]}} in ''{{transl|sem|ʿĒ}}'' is rendered as [ei], [ai] or [e],{{cn|date=September 2017}} depending on the dialect.

==Contextual forms of letters==
{|class="wikitable" style="background:white; text-align:center"
!rowspan="2"|Letter
!colspan="3"|{{transl|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (classical)
!colspan="3"|{{transl|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} (eastern)
|-
!Normal<br />form||Final<br />connected||Final<br />unconnected||Normal<br />form||Final<br />connected||Final<br />unconnected
|-
|{{transl|sem|ʾĀlap̄}}||[[File:aramaic alap.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacAlaph.png]]||[[File:SyriacAlaph2.png]] <sup>1</sup>||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Bēṯ}}||[[File:aramaic beth.png]]||[[File:aramaic beth c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacBeth.png]]||[[File:SyriacBeth2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|Gāmal||[[File:aramaic gamal.png]]||[[File:aramaic gamal c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacGamal.png]]||[[File:SyriacGamal2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Dālaṯ}}||[[File:aramaic daleth.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacDalath.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
|Hē||[[File:aramaic heh.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacHe.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
|Waw||[[File:aramaic waw.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacWaw.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
|Zayn||[[File:aramaic zain.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacZayn.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Ḥēṯ}}||[[File:aramaic kheth.png]]||[[File:aramaic kheth c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacKheth.png]]||[[File:SyriacKheth2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Ṭēṯ}}||[[File:aramaic teth.png]]||[[File:aramaic teth c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacTeth.png]]||[[File:SyriacTeth2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Yōḏ}}||[[File:aramaic yodh.png]]||[[File:aramaic yodh c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacYodh.png]]||[[File:SyriacYodh2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Kāp̄}}||[[File:aramaic kap.png]]||[[File:aramaic kap c.png]]||[[File:aramaic kap f.png]]||[[File:SyriacKaph.png]]||[[File:SyriacKaph2.png]]||[[File:SyriacKaph3.png]]
|-
|{{transl|sem|Lāmaḏ}}||[[File:aramaic lamadh.png]]||[[File:aramaic lamadh c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacLamadh.png]]||[[File:SyriacLamadh2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|Mīm||[[File:aramaic meem.png]]||[[File:aramaic meem c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacMeem.png]]||[[File:SyriacMeem2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|Nūn||[[File:aramaic noon.png]]||[[File:aramaic noon c.png]]||[[File:aramaic noon f.png]]||[[File:SyriacNun.png]]||[[File:SyriacNun2.png]]||[[File:SyriacNun3.png]]
|-
|{{transl|sem|Semkaṯ}}||[[File:aramaic simkath.png]]||[[File:aramaic simkath c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacSimkath.png]]||[[File:SyriacSimkath2.png]] / [[File:SyriacSimkath3.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|ʿĒ||[[File:aramaic ain.png]]||[[File:aramaic ain c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:Syriac'E.png]]||[[File:Syriac'E2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|Pē||[[File:aramaic payin.png]]||[[File:aramaic payin c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacPe.png]]||[[File:SyriacPe2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Ṣāḏē}}||[[File:aramaic tsade.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacSadhe.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
|{{transl|sem|Qōp̄}}||[[File:aramaic qoph.png]]||[[File:aramaic qoph c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacQop.png]]||[[File:SyriacQop2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|Rēš||[[File:aramaic resh.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacResh.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-
|Šīn||[[File:aramaic sheen.png]]||[[File:aramaic sheen c.png]]||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacSheen.png]]||[[File:SyriacSheen2.png]]||&nbsp;
|-
|Taw||[[File:aramaic taw.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacTaw.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|}

<sup>1</sup> In the final position following ''Dālaṯ'' or ''Rēš'', ''ʾĀlap̄'' takes the normal form rather than the final form.

===Ligatures===
{|class="wikitable" style="background:white; text-align:center"
!rowspan="2"|Name||colspan="3"|{{transl|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (classical)||colspan="3"|{{transl|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} (eastern)||rowspan="2"|Unicode<br />character(s)||rowspan="2"|Description
|-
!Normal<br />form||Final<br />connected||Final<br />unconnected||Normal<br />form||Final<br />connected||Final<br />unconnected
|-
|{{transl|sem|Lāmaḏ-ʾĀlap̄}}||[[File:aramaic lamadh alap.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:Lamadh-alaph.svg|30px]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||<big><big>'''ܠܐ'''</big></big>||{{transl|sem|Lāmaḏ}} and {{transl|sem|ʾĀlap̄}} combined<br />at the end of a word
|-
|{{transl|sem|Taw-ʾĀlap̄}}||[[File:aramaic taw alap.png]]||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacAlaph.png]] [[File:SyriacTaw.png]]||[[File:SyriacTawAlaph.png]]||[[File:SyriacTawAlaph2.png]] / [[File:SyriacTawAlaph3.png]]||<big><big>'''ܬܐ'''</big></big>||{{transl|sem|Taw}} and {{transl|sem|ʾĀlap̄}} combined<br />at the end of a word
|-
|{{transl|sem|Hē-Yōḏ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:SyriacHeYodh.png]]||&nbsp;||<big><big>'''ܗܝ'''</big></big>||{{transl|sem|Hē}} and {{transl|sem|Yōḏ}} combined<br />at the end of a word
|-
|{{transl|sem|Taw-Yōḏ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||[[File:Tawyodh.svg|20px]]||&nbsp;||<big><big>'''ܬܝ'''</big></big>||{{transl|sem|Taw}} and {{transl|sem|Yōḏ}} combined<br />at the end of a word
|}

==Letter alterations==
[[File:Syriac Table or Syriac Diagram.svg|370px|thumb|right|[[Transliteration]] of the Syriac alphabet.]]
===Matres lectionis===
Three letters act as [[Mater lectionis|matres lectionis]]: rather than being a consonant, they indicate a vowel. ''[[Aleph (letter)|ʾĀlap̄]]'' ({{lang|syr|ܐ}}), the first letter, represents a [[glottal stop]], but it can also indicate a vowel, especially at the beginning or the end of a word. The letter ''[[Waw (letter)|Waw]]'' ({{lang|syr|ܘ}}) is the consonant ''w'', but can also represent the vowels ''o'' and ''u''. Likewise, the letter ''{{Nowrap|[[Yodh|Yōḏ]]'' ({{lang|syr|ܝ}})}} represents the consonant ''y'', but it also stands for the vowels ''i'' and ''e''.

===''Majlīyānā''===
In modern usage, some alterations can be made to represent [[phoneme]]s not represented in classical phonology. A mark similar in appearance to a [[tilde]] (~), called ''majlīyānā'' ({{Script/Mdnh|ܡܓ̰ܠܝܢܐ}}), is placed above or below a letter in the ''Maḏnḥāyā'' variant of the alphabet to change its phonetic value (see also: ''[[Geresh]]''):

* Added below ''Gāmal'': {{IPA|[ɡ]}} to {{IPA|[d͡ʒ]}} ([[voiced palato-alveolar affricate]])
* Added below ''Kāp̄'': {{IPA|[k]}} to {{IPA|[t͡ʃ]}} ([[voiceless palato-alveolar affricate]])
* Added above or below ''Zayn'': {{IPA|[z]}} to {{IPA|[ʒ]}} ([[voiced palato-alveolar sibilant]])
* Added above ''Šīn'': {{IPA|[ʃ]}} to {{IPA|[ʒ]}}

===''Rūkkāḵā'' and ''qūššāyā''===
In addition to foreign sounds, a marking system is used to distinguish ''{{transl|sem|qūššāyā}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܩܘܫܝܐ}}, 'hard' letters) from ''{{transl|sem|rūkkāḵā}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܪܘܟܟܐ}}, 'soft' letters). The letters ''Bēṯ'', ''Gāmal'', ''Dālaṯ'', ''Kāp̄'', ''Pē'', and ''Taw'', all [[stop consonant]]s ('hard') are able to be 'spirantized' ([[lenition|lenited]]) into [[fricative consonant]]s ('soft'). The system involves placing a single dot underneath the letter to give its 'soft' variant and a dot above the letter to give its 'hard' variant (though, in modern usage, no mark at all is usually used to indicate the 'hard' value):

{|class="wikitable"
! colspan=1 | Name
!! colspan=1 | Stop
!! colspan=1 | Translit.
!! colspan=1 | IPA
! colspan=1 | Name
!! colspan=1 | Fricative
!! colspan=1 | Translit.
!! colspan=1 | IPA
! Notes
|-
| ''Bēṯ (qšīṯā)''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܒ݁}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''b''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[b]}}
| ''Bēṯ rakkīḵtā''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܒ݂}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''ḇ''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[v]}} or {{IPA|[w]}}
| {{IPA|[v]}} has become {{IPA|[w]}} in most modern dialects.
|-
| ''Gāmal&nbsp;(qšīṯā)''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܓ݁}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''g''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[ɡ]}}
| ''Gāmal&nbsp;rakkīḵtā''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܓ݂}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''ḡ''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[ɣ]}}
|
|-
| ''Dālaṯ (qšīṯā)''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܕ݁}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''d''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[d]}}
| ''Dālaṯ rakkīḵtā''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:150%;">{{lang|syc|ܕ݂}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''ḏ''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[ð]}}
| {{IPA|[d]}} is left unspirantized in some modern Eastern dialects. 
|-
| ''Kāp̄ (qšīṯā)''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:180%;">{{lang|syc|ܟ݁ܟ݁}}
</span>}}
| align="center" | ''k''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[k]}}
| ''Kāp̄ rakkīḵtā''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:180%;">{{lang|syc|ܟ݂ܟ݂}}
</span>}}
| align="center" | ''ḵ''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[x]}}
|
|-
| ''Pē (qšīṯā)''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܦ݁}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''p''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[p]}}
| ''Pē rakkīḵtā''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:130%;">{{lang|syc|ܦ݂}}</span>}} or {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:130%;">{{lang|syc|ܦ̮}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''p̄''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[f]}} or {{IPA|[w]}}
| {{IPA|[f]}} is not found in most modern Eastern dialects. Instead, it either is left unspirantized or sometimes appears as {{IPA|[w]}}. ''Pē'' is the only letter in the Eastern variant of the alphabet that is spirantized by the addition of a semicircle instead of a single dot.
|-
| ''Taw (qšīṯā)''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">{{lang|syc|ܬ݁}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''t''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[t]}}
| ''Taw rakkīḵtā''
| align="center" | {{Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;line-height:130%;">{{lang|syc|ܬ݂}}</span>}}
| align="center" | ''ṯ''
| align="center" | {{IPA|[θ]}}
| {{IPA|[t]}} is left unspirantized in some modern Eastern dialects. 
|-
|}

The mnemonic ''bḡaḏkp̄āṯ'' ({{lang|syr|ܒܓܕܟܦܬ}}) is often used to remember the six letters that are able to be spirantized (see also: ''[[Begadkefat]]'').

In the East Syriac variant of the alphabet, spirantization marks are usually omitted when they interfere with vowel marks. The degree to which letters can be spirantized varies from dialect to dialect as some dialects have lost the ability for certain letters to be spirantized. For native words, spirantization depends on the letter's position within a word or syllable, location relative to other consonants and vowels, [[gemination]], [[etymology]], and other factors. Foreign words do not always follow the rules for spirantization.

===''{{transl|sem|Syāmē}}''===
Syriac uses two (usually) horizontal dots above a letter within a word, similar in appearance to [[diaeresis (diacritic)|diaeresis]], called ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܣܝ̈ܡܐ}}, literally 'placings'), to indicate that the word is plural. These dots, having no sound value in themselves, arose before both eastern and western vowel systems as it became necessary to mark plural forms of words, which are indistinguishable from their singular counterparts in regularly inflected nouns. For instance, the word ''{{transl|sem|malk'''ā'''}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܡܠܟܐ}}, 'king') is consonantally identical to its plural ''{{transl|sem|malk'''ē'''}}'' ('kings'); the ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' above the word ({{lang|syr|ܡܠܟ̈ܐ}}) clarifies its grammatical number. Irregular plurals also receive ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' even though their forms are clearly plural: e.g. ''{{transl|sem|baytā}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܒܝܬܐ}}, 'house') and its irregular plural ''{{transl|sem|bāttē}}'' ({{lang|syr|ܒ̈ܬܐ}}, 'houses'). Because of redundancy, some modern usage forgoes ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' points when vowel markings are present.

There are no firm rules for which letter receives ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}''; the writer has full discretion to place them over any letter. Typically, if a word has at least one ''{{transl|sem|Rēš}}'', then ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' are placed over the ''{{transl|sem|Rēš}}'' that is nearest the end of a word (and also replace the single dot above it). Other letters that often receive ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' are low-rising letters—such as ''{{transl|sem|Yōḏ}}'' and ''{{transl|sem|Nūn}}''—or letters that appear near the middle or end of a word.

Besides nouns, ''{{transl|sem|syāmē}}'' are also placed on:
* plural adjectives, including participles (except masculine plural adjectives/participles in the absolute state);
* the cardinal numbers 'two' and the feminine forms of 11-19, though inconsistently;
* and certain feminine plural verbs.

==Unicode==
The Syriac alphabet was added to the [[Unicode]] Standard in September, 1999 with the release of version 3.0.
Additional letters for Suriyani Malayalam were added in June, 2017 with the release of version 10.0.

===Blocks===
{{Main article|Syriac (Unicode block)|Syriac Supplement|l2=Syriac Supplement (Unicode block)}}

The Unicode block for Syriac is U+0700&ndash;U+074F:

{{Unicode chart Syriac}}

The Syriac Abbreviation (a type of [[overline]]) can be represented with a special control character called the [[Syriac Abbreviation Mark]] (U+070F).

The Unicode block for Suriyani Malayalam specific letters is called the Syriac Supplement block and is U+0860–U+086F:

{{Unicode chart Syriac Supplement}}

===HTML code table===
'''Note''': [[Character encodings in HTML#HTML character references|HTML numeric character references]] can be in decimal format (&amp;#''DDDD'';) or hexadecimal format (&amp;#x''HHHH'';). For example, &amp;#1813; and &amp;#x0715; (1813 in decimal) both represent U+0715 SYRIAC LETTER DALATH.

====''ʾĀlap̄ Bēṯ''====
{|border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" width="500" style="text-align:center;" class="wikitable"
|-
| width="25%" |<big><big>ܕ</big></big>|| width="25%" |<big><big>ܓ</big></big>|| width="25%" |<big><big>ܒ</big></big>|| width="25%" |<big><big>ܐ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1813;||&amp;#1811;||&amp;#1810;||&amp;#1808;
|-
|<big><big>ܚ</big></big>||<big><big>ܙ</big></big>||<big><big>ܘ</big></big>||<big><big>ܗ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1818;||&amp;#1817;||&amp;#1816;||&amp;#1815;
|-
|<big><big>ܠ</big></big>||<big><big>ܟܟ</big></big>||<big><big>ܝ</big></big>||<big><big>ܛ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1824;||&amp;#1823;||&amp;#1821;||&amp;#1819;
|-
|<big><big>ܥ</big></big>||<big><big>ܣ</big></big>||<big><big>ܢܢ</big></big>||<big><big>ܡܡ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1829;||&amp;#1828;||&amp;#1826;||&amp;#1825;
|-
|<big><big>ܪ</big></big>||<big><big>ܩ</big></big>||<big><big>ܨ</big></big>||<big><big>ܦ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1834;||&amp;#1833;||&amp;#1832;||&amp;#1830;
|-
| || ||<big><big>ܬ</big></big>||<big><big>ܫ</big></big>
|-
! || ||&amp;#1836;||&amp;#1835;
|}

====Vowels and unique characters====
{|width=250 border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="8" style="text-align:center;" class="wikitable"
|-
| width=50%|<big><big>ܲ</big></big>||<big><big>ܵ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1842;||&amp;#1845;
|-
|<big><big>ܸ</big></big>||<big><big>ܹ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1848;||&amp;#1849;
|-
|<big><big>ܼ</big></big>||<big><big>ܿ</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1852;||&amp;#1855;
|-
|<big><big>̈</big></big>||<big><big>̰</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#776;||&amp;#816;
|-
|<big><big>݁</big></big>||<big><big>݂</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1857;||&amp;#1858;
|-
|<big><big>܀</big></big>||<big><big>܂</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1792;||&amp;#1794;
|-
|<big><big>܄</big></big>||<big><big>݇</big></big>
|-
!&amp;#1796;||&amp;#1863;
|}

==Latin alphabet and romanization==
In the 1930s, following the state policy for minority languages of the [[Soviet Union]], a [[Latin alphabet]] for Syriac was [[romanization|developed]] with some material promulgated.<ref>Moscati, Sabatino, et al. The Comparative Grammar of Semitic Languages.
Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, Germany, 1980.</ref> Although it did not supplant the Syriac script, the usage of the Latin script in the Syriac community has still become widespread because most of the [[Assyrian diaspora]] is in [[Europe]] and the [[Anglosphere]], where the Latin alphabet is predominant. As a result of [[Westernisation]], the Latin alphabet has been used for Syriac writing.<ref>S. P. Brock, "Three Thousand Years of Aramaic literature", in Aram,1:1 (1989)</ref>

==See also==
* [[Abjad]]
* [[Alphabet]]
* [[Aramaic alphabet]]
* [[Aramaic language]]
* [[Mandaic language]]
* [[Mongolian script]]
* [[Sogdian alphabet]]
* [[Syriac language]]
* [[Suriyani Malayalam|Syriac Malayalam]]
* [[Old Uyghur alphabet]]
* [[History of the alphabet]]
* [[List of writing systems]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Coakley, J. F. (2002). ''Robinson's Paradigms and Exercises in Syriac Grammar'' (5th ed.). Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-19-926129-1}}.
* [[Hatch, William]] (1946). ''An Album of Dated Syriac Manuscripts''. Boston: The American Academy of Arts and Sciences, reprinted in 2002 by Gorgias Press. {{ISBN|1-931956-53-7}}.
* Michaelis, Ioannis Davidis (1784). ''Grammatica Syriaca''.
* [[Eberhard Nestle|Nestle, Eberhard]] (1888). ''Syrische Grammatik mit Litteratur, Chrestomathie und Glossar''. Berlin: H. Reuther's Verlagsbuchhandlung. [translated to English as ''Syriac grammar with bibliography, chrestomathy and glossary'', by R. S. Kennedy. London: Williams & Norgate 1889].
* [[Theodor Nöldeke|Nöldeke, Theodor]] and Julius Euting (1880). ''Kurzgefasste syrische Grammatik''. Leipzig: T.O. Weigel. [translated to English as ''Compendious Syriac Grammar'', by James A. Crichton. London: Williams & Norgate 1904. 2003 edition: {{ISBN|1-57506-050-7}}].
* Phillips, George (1866). ''A Syriac Grammar''. Cambridge: Deighton, Bell, & Co.; London: Bell & Daldy.
* Robinson, Theodore Henry (1915). ''Paradigms and Exercises in Syriac Grammar''. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-926129-6}}.
* Rudder, Joshua. ''Learn to Write Aramaic: A Step-by-Step Approach to the Historical & Modern Scripts''. n.p.: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011. 220 pp. {{ISBN|978-1461021421}} Includes the Estrangela (pp.&nbsp;59–113), Madnhaya (pp.&nbsp;191–206), and the Western Serto (pp.&nbsp;173–190) scripts.
* Thackston, Wheeler M. (1999). ''Introduction to Syriac''. Bethesda, MD: Ibex Publishers, Inc. {{ISBN|0-936347-98-8}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Syriac writing}}
* [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/syriac.htm The Syriac alphabet] at [http://www.omniglot.com/ Omniglot.com]
* [http://ancientscripts.com/syriac.html The Syriac alphabet] at [http://ancientscripts.com/index.html Ancientscripts.com]
* [http://tlt.psu.edu/suggestions/international/bylanguage/syriacchart.html Unicode Entity Codes for the Syriac Script]
* [http://www.bethmardutho.org/index.php/resources/fonts.html Download Syriac fonts]
* [http://www.nativlang.com/aramaic-language/aramaic-writing-cursive.php How to write Aramaic – learn the Syriac cursive scripts]
* [http://www.syriac.talktalk.net/syriac_writing.html Aramaic and Syriac handwriting] {{transl|sem|ʾEsṭrangēlā}} (classical)
* [http://www.learnassyrian.com/aramaic/ Learn Assyrian (Syriac-Aramaic) OnLine] {{transl|sem|Maḏnḥāyā}} (eastern)
* [https://www.gnu.org/software/freefont/ GNU FreeFont] Unicode font family with Syriac range in its sans-serif face.
* [https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Assyrian/Latin_Alphabet Learn Syriac Latin Alphabet] on [[Wikiversity]]

{{Northwest Semitic abjad}}
{{list of writing systems}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Syriac Alphabet}}
[[Category:Syriac languages]]
[[Category:Syriac alphabet]]
[[Category:Tur Abdin]]
[[Category:Scripts encoded in Unicode 3.0]]