Ben (Armenian letter)

Ben
Ben
Բ բ
Usage
Writing system	Armenian alphabet
Type	Alphabetic
Language of origin	Armenian
Phonetic usage	b (Eastern Armenian) ; pʰ (Western Armenian, in some places in the Eastern)
Unicode codepoint	U+0532, U+0562
Alphabetical position	2nd; Numerical value: 2
History
Development	Բ բ;
Time period	Since 405 to present
Other
Associated numbers	2
	This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

Ben (majuscule: Բ, minuscule: բ; Armenian: բեն) is a letter of the Armenian alphabet, used in the Armenian language.

It was one of the original letters in the Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 AD.^[1]

It is speculated to be derived from the Greek letter Beta with the rightmost curves cut off somewhat. Along with the letter Ayb, it forms the word "այբուբեն" (alphabet).

Usage edit

It is the 2nd letter of the Armenian alphabet, used in the Armenian language. In Eastern Armenian dialect, it is usually pronounced as the voiced bilabial plosive [b], though in some sub-dialects, it can be pronounced as the voiceless bilabial plosive [p], or as the aspirated voiceless bilabial plosive [pʰ]. In the Western Armenian dialect, it is pronounced as the aspirate voiceless bilabial plosive [pʰ].^[2] In English, it is transliterated as the letter B.^[3] In Armenian numeral system, the letter corresponds to the number 2.^[4]

Encodings edit

Character information
Preview	Բ		բ
Unicode name	ARMENIAN CAPITAL LETTER BEN		ARMENIAN SMALL LETTER BEN
Encodings	decimal	hex	dec	hex
Unicode	1330	U+0532	1378	U+0562
UTF-8	212 178	D4 B2	213 162	D5 A2
Numeric character reference	Բ	Բ	բ	բ

Gallery edit

Various historic fonts

Rounded erkat'agir
Angular erkat'agir
Bolorgir
Notrgir
Shghagir
Handwritten form

External links edit

Բ on Wiktionary
բ on Wiktionary

References edit

^ Aleksandra Krawczuka (editor): Wielka Historia Świata, vol. 3. Świat okresu cywilizacji klasycznych.' Oficyna Wydawnicza FOGRA, 2005, p. 586. ISBN 83-85719-84-9.
^ Takayuki Yoshimura. Modern Eastern Armenian Grammar I. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, 2021. p. 1, 12.
^ Transliteration of Armenian by Thomas T. Pedersen, in KNAB (Kohanimeandmebaas, Place Names Database) of Eesti Keele Instituut (Institute of the Estonian Language)
^ "Numbers in Armenian". omniglot.com. Retrieved 2020-10-12.

[1] Aleksandra Krawczuka (editor): Wielka Historia Świata, vol. 3. Świat okresu cywilizacji klasycznych.' Oficyna Wydawnicza FOGRA, 2005, p. 586. ISBN 83-85719-84-9.

[one-2] Takayuki Yoshimura. Modern Eastern Armenian Grammar I. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, 2021. p. 1, 12.

[3] Transliteration of Armenian by Thomas T. Pedersen, in KNAB (Kohanimeandmebaas, Place Names Database) of Eesti Keele Instituut (Institute of the Estonian Language)

[:0-4] "Numbers in Armenian". omniglot.com. Retrieved 2020-10-12.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]