Before there was English or Latin or even Greek, there was Proto-Sinaitic.
Considered to be the first alphabet ever used, the Proto-Sinaitic script originated in Canaan, near the biblical land of Israel. It was adapted from Egyptian hieroglyphics commonly found in the area (its name comes from Mount Sinai) and is used to describe sound rather than meaning.
Over time, the alphabet has been adopted and further developed in various languages. The first form of ancient Greek writing dates from around 750 BC. Many letters remain in Modern Greek, including alpha, beta, delta, and even omicron, although they first appeared more than 2,500 years ago.
Many letters that originally came from Egyptian hieroglyphs have made their way into modern English, but it has been a long and winding journey.
Comments