Wiktionary:Ancient Greek transliteration
These are the rules concerning transliteration in Ancient Greek entries.
This page is an extension of Wiktionary:About Ancient Greek. See also Category:Ancient Greek IPA templates. There is also a page Modern Greek romanization.
The prescribed Romanization is the scientific transliteration; note that digraphs only affect pronunciation, not Romanization.
The prescribed pronunciation systems here reflect the main prestige dialects during the three ancient Greek development periods.
- Classical Greek pronunciation reflects the conservative standard of the Attic-speaking regions of Attica, the northern Cyclades, Euboea and Chalcidice, and their colonies.
- Koine Greek pronunciation reflects the majority mixed dialect of Alexander's empire, especially that of Alexandria, the principal philosophical and literary center of the Hellenistic Greeks, and where Judeo-Christian scripture was translated into Greek.
- Byzantine Greek pronunciation reflects the habits of Constantinople and its close transitional dialects. Though it spanned almost all of Late Antiquity, it also spanned well into the Middle Ages until the 15th century (approximately 1200 years), as the Byzantine Roman world largely escaped the Dark Ages.
- Contemporary Greek pronunciation reflects how people in modern Greece and Cyprus pronounce classical words today. The standard is based on the polished speech register of Demotic Greek, including additional polished Cypriot articulations (in parentheses) where these do not exist in Athens.
Letters
editLetter | Rom. | Class. IPA | Koine IPA | Byzan. IPA | Cont. IPA | before |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A Ā a ā | [a], [aː] | [a], [aː] | [a] | [a] | In Classical polytonic, the length distinction of ᾰ ([a]) and ᾱ ([aː]) is not usually indicated in writing or transcription. However, if ᾱ needs to be transcribed, ā suffices. | ||
B b | [b] | [b] | [ |
[v] | |||
G g | [ɡ] | [ɡ] | [ɣ] | [ɣ] | [ʝ] | ||
D d | [d] | [d] | [ð] | [ð] | |||
E e | [e] | [ɛ] | [e] | [e] | |||
Ϝ ϝ | W w | [w] | N\A | Not native to Attic-Ionic (lost in pre-classical times). If pronounced [w], Classical Attic kept it silent and Koine adapted it as | |||
Z z | [zd] | [z], [zz] | [z], [zz] | [z], [(z)z] | Was metrically considered an interchangeably single or double consonant in Koine (typically double between vowels). | ||
Ē ē | [ɛː] | [eː] | [i] | [i] | Finishes merging with | ||
Th th | [tʰ] | [tʰ] | [ |
[ |
|||
I Ī i ī ï | [i], [iː] | [i], [iː] | [i] | [i] | In Classical polytonic, the length distinction of ῐ ([i]) and ῑ ([iː]) is not usually indicated in writing or transcription. However, if ῑ needs to be transcribed, ī suffices. | ||
K k | [k] | [k] | [k] | [k] | [c] | ||
L l | [l] | [l] | [l] | [l] | |||
M m | [m] | [m] | [m] | [m] | |||
N n | [n] | [n] | [n] | [n] | |||
Ks ks | [kʰs] | [kʰs] | [ks] | [ks] | See digraph exceptions further down. | ||
O o | [o] | [o] | [o] | [o] | |||
P p | [p] | [p] | [p] | [p] | |||
Rh rh r | [hr], [r] | [(h)r], [r] | [r] | [ɾ] | Normal | ||
S s | [s] | [s] | [s] | [s] | See digraph exceptions further down. | ||
T t | [t] | [t] | [t] | [t] | See diagraph exceptions further down. | ||
Hu Hū hu hū u ū ü | [ʉ], [ʉː] | [y], [yː] | [y] | [i] | In Classical polytonic, the length distinction of ῠ ([y]) and ῡ ([yː]) is not usually indicated in writing or transcription. However, if ᾱ needs to be transcribed, ā suffices.
Originally a back vowel [u uː], the influential Attic dialect shifted it to front [y yː] early on. Merges with | ||
Ph ph | [pʰ] | [pʰ] | [ɸ] | [f] | |||
Kh kh | [kʰ] | [kʰ] | [x] | [x] | [ç] | ||
Ps ps | [pʰs] | [pʰs] | [ps] | [ps] | See digraph exceptions further down. | ||
Ō ō | [ɔː] | [oː] | [o] | [o] | Merges with |
Vowel digraphs
editSpelling | Rom. | Class. IPA | Koine IPA | Byzan. IPA | Cont. IPA | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ai ai | [ai̯] | [ɛː] | [e] | [e] | Merges with | |
ᾼ ᾳ | Āi āi | [aːi̯] | [aː] | [a] | [a] | Classically spelt |
Au Āu au āu | [au̯], [aːu̯] | [aw], [aːw] | [av] | [av] | See | |
Ei ei | [eː] | [iː] | [i] | [i] | The Archaic Greek diphthong [ei̯] was monophthongized to [eː] in Attic, and merged with original long [eː] (the "spurious diphthong") from compensatory lengthening or contraction, except before vowels.
In the learned Koine pronunciation of the foreign Romans, | |
Eu eu | [eu̯] | [ɛw] | [ev] | [ev] | See | |
ῌ ῃ | Ēi ēi | [ɛːi̯] | [eː] | [i] | [i] | Classically spelt |
Ēu ēu | [ɛːu̯] | [eːw] | [iv] | [iv] | See | |
Oi oi | [oi̯] | [yː] | [y] | [i] | Merges together with ῡ and | |
Ou ou | [oː] | [uː] | [u] | [u] | The Archaic Greek diphthong [ou̯] was monophthongized to [oː] in Attic, and merged with original long [oː] (the "spurious diphthong") from compensatory lengthening or contraction. [oː] was raised to [uː] early on in Athens, remaining an allophone of [oː] until | |
Hui hui ui uï | [yː] | [yː] | [y] | [i] | Merges with ῡ in Koine, and earlier on in Athens. | |
ῼ ῳ | Ōi ōi | [ɔːi̯] | [oː] | [o] | [o] | Classically spelt |
Ōu ōu | [ɔː.y] | [oː.y] | [oy] | [oi] | Ionic Greek diphthong (originally pronounced [ɔːu̯]), separated into two separate vowels, ωϋ, when loaned into Classical Attic onward. |
Consonant digraphs and exceptions
editSpelling | Rom. | Class. IPA | Koine IPA | Byzan. IPA | Cont. IPA | before |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
bb | [bb] | [bb] | [ |
[(v)v] | |||
ng | [ŋɡ] | [ŋɡ] | [ŋɡ] | [ŋɡ] | [ɲɟ] | In Contemporary pronunciation, in numerous irregular cases, is pronounced [ŋɣ] and [ɲʝ] respectively. Please consult (and preferably cite) a reputable Modern Greek pronunciation source for each word concerned. | |
nk | [ŋk] | [ŋk] | [ŋk] | [ŋɡ] | [ɲɟ] | ||
nkt | [ŋkt] | [ŋkt] | [ŋkt] | [ŋkt] | |||
gm | [ŋm] | [ŋm], [m], [ɡm] | [ɣm] | [ɣm] | |||
nks | [ŋkʰs] | [ŋkʰs] | [ŋks] | [ŋks] | |||
nkh | [ŋkʰ] | [ŋkʰ] | [◌̃x] | [ŋx] | [ɲç] | In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with | |
dd | [dd] | [dd] | [ðð] | [(ð)ð] | |||
kb | [ɡb] | [ɡb] | [ɡ |
[ɡv] | |||
kg | [ɡɡ] | [ɡɡ] | [ɡɣ] | [ɡɣ] | [ɟʝ] | ||
kd | [ɡd] | [ɡd] | [ɡð] | [ɡð] | |||
kz | [ɡʱzd] | [ɡʱz] | [ɡz] | [ɡz] | |||
kth | [kʰtʰ] | [kʰtʰ] | [k |
[k |
|||
kk | [kk] | [kk] | [kk] | [k(ʰ)] | [c(ʰ)] | ||
kks | [kkʰs] | [kkʰs] | [kks] | [k(ʰ)s] | |||
ks | [kʰs] | [kʰs] | [ks] | [ks] | |||
ksm | [ɡʱzm] | [ɡʱzm] | [ɡzm] | [ɡzm] | |||
kph | [kʰpʰ] | [kʰpʰ] | [kɸ] | [kf] | |||
kkh | [kkʰ] | [kkʰ] | [kx] | [kx] | [cç] | ||
kps | [kʰpʰs] | [kʰpʰs] | [kps] | [kps] | |||
ll | [ll] | [ll] | [ll] | [(l)l] | |||
mb | [mb] | [mb] | [mb] | [ɱv] | |||
mm | [mm] | [mm] | [mm] | [(m)m] | |||
mp | [mp] | [mp] | [mp] | [mb] | |||
mpt | [mpt] | [mpt] | [mpt] | [mpt] | |||
mph | [mpʰ] | [mpʰ] | [◌̃ɸ] | [ɱf] | In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with | ||
mps | [mpʰs] | [mpʰs] | [mps] | [mps] | |||
nd | [nd] | [nd] | [nd] | [nð] | |||
nz | [ːzd] | [nz] | [ndz] | [nz] | Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the | ||
nth | [ntʰ] | [ntʰ] | [◌̃ |
[n |
In Byzantine pronunciation, this consonant cluster becomes seriously endangered and merges with | ||
nn | [nn] | [nn] | [nn] | [(n)n] | |||
ns | [ːs] | [ns] | [◌̃s] | [ns] | Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the | ||
nt | [nt] | [nt] | [nt] | [nd] | |||
ntz | [ːzd] | [ndz] | [ndz] | [ndz] | Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the | ||
nts | [ːs] | [nts] | [nts] | [nts] | Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and the | ||
ksb | [ɡʱzb] | [ɡʱzb] | [ɡz |
[ɡzv] | |||
ksg | [ɡʱzɡ] | [ɡʱzɡ] | [ɡzɣ] | [ɡzɣ] | [ɡzʝ] | ||
ksd | [ɡʱzd] | [ɡʱzd] | [ɡzð] | [ɡzð] | |||
ksz | [ɡʱzzd] | [ɡʱzz] | [ɡzz] | [ɡ(z)z] | |||
ksm | [ɡʱzm] | [ɡʱzm] | [ɡzm] | [ɡzm] | |||
pp | [pp] | [pp] | [pp] | [p(ʰ)] | |||
pph | [ppʰ] | [ppʰ] | [pɸ] | [pf] | |||
rrh | [rhr] | [r(h)r] | [rr] | [(r)ɾ] | |||
sb | [zb] | [zb] | [z |
[zv] | |||
sg | [zɡ] | [zɡ] | [zɣ] | [zɣ] | [zʝ] | ||
sd | [zd] | [zd] | [zð] | [zð] | |||
sz | [zzd] | [zz] | [zz] | [(z)z] | |||
sm | [zm] | [zm] | [zm] | [zm] | |||
ss | [ss] | [ss] | [ss] | [(s)s] | |||
tz | [zd] | [dz] | [dz] | [dz] | Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and is pronounced as | ||
tth | [ttʰ] | [ttʰ] | [t |
[t |
|||
ts | [s] | [ts] | [ts] | [ts] | Not viable in Classical Attic, where the spelling is rare, and is pronounced as | ||
tt | [tt] | [tt] | [tt] | [t(ʰ)] | |||
psb | [bʱzb] | [bʱzb] | [bz |
[bzv] | |||
psg | [bʱzɡ] | [bʱzɡ] | [bzɣ] | [bzɣ] | [bzʝ] | ||
psd | [bʱzd] | [bʱzd] | [bzð] | [bzð] | |||
psz | [bʱzzd] | [bʱzz] | [bzz] | [b(z)z] | |||
psm | [bʱzm] | [bʱzm] | [bzm] | [bzm] |
α υ /ε υ /η υ exceptions
edit
This table uses
Spelling | Rom. | Class. IPA | Koine IPA | Byzan. IPA | Cont. IPA | before |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
eub | [eʊb] | [ɛwb] | [e |
[e(v)v] | |||
euth | [eʊtʰ] | [ɛʍtʰ] | [eɸ |
[ef |
|||
euk | [eʊk] | [ɛʍk] | [eɸk] | [efk] | [efc] | ||
euks | [eʊkʰs] | [ɛʍkʰs] | [eɸks] | [efks] | |||
eup | [eʊp] | [ɛʍp] | [eɸp] | [efp] | |||
eus | [eʊs] | [ɛʍs] | [eɸs] | [efs] | |||
eusb | [eʊzb] | [ɛwzb] | [e |
[evzv] | |||
eusg | [eʊzɡ] | [ɛwzɡ] | [e |
[evzɣ] | [evzʝ] | ||
eusd | [eʊzd] | [ɛwzd] | [e |
[evzð] | |||
eusm | [eʊzm] | [ɛwzm] | [e |
[evzm] | |||
eut | [eʊt] | [ɛʍt] | [eɸt] | [eft] | |||
eutz | [eʊzd] | [ɛwdz] | [e |
[evdz] | |||
euph | [eʊpʰ] | [ɛʍpʰ] | [eɸɸ] | [e(f)f] | |||
eukh | [eʊkʰ] | [ɛʍkʰ] | [eɸx] | [efx] | [efç] | ||
eups | [eʊpʰs] | [ɛʍpʰs] | [eɸps] | [efps] | |||
eu | [eʊ] | [ɛʍ] | [eɸ] | [ef] | Specifically in the word-final position. |
Consonant-ι exceptions
edit
Even today, most words of learned Ancient Greek origin have
Spelling | Rom. | Byzan. IPA | Cont. IPA | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
i | [j] | [ʝ] | ||
gi | [ɣj] | [ʝ] | ||
ngi | [ŋɡj] | [ɲɟ] | ||
nki | [ŋkj] | [ɲɟ] | ||
nkhi | [ ̃xj] | [ɲç] | ||
thi | [ |
[ |
||
ki | [kj] | [c] | ||
kgi | [ɡɣj] | [ɟʝ] | ||
kki | [kkj] | [(c)c] | ||
kkhi | [kxj] | [cç] | ||
li | [lj] | [ʎ] | ||
lli | [llj] | [(ʎ)ʎ] | ||
ni | [nj] | [ɲ] | ||
nni | [nnj] | [(ɲ)ɲ] | ||
ksi | [ksj] | [ksç] | ||
pi | [pj] | [pç] | ||
si | [sj] | [sç] | ||
ti | [tj] | [tç] | ||
phi | [ɸj] | [fç] | ||
khi | [xj] | [ç] | ||
psi | [psj] | [psç] |
Additional notes
edit- A rough breathing mark (dasy pneuma) is designated by an h at the front of the word (both in IPA and Romanization). A smooth breathing mark (psilon pneuma) requires no notation. In Koine IPA, the rough breathing mark is marked as [(h)] because it's already a mostly dead phoneme. In Byzantine IPA onward, it is totally gone. When the rough breathing mark is on vowels or diphthongs, they should be preceded with h in romanization. Over
ρ , the consonant is romanized rh. The mark is always on (or implied to be on) word-initialΡ ρ Υ υ Υ ι υ ι , which are always romanized Rh rh Hu hu Hui hui.ρ ρ /ῤῥ is always romanized rrh. - Iota subscripts are romanized, but not pronounced for Koine. In Classical pronunciation an iota subscript is designated by a /j/ following the vowel.
- A diaeresis should be noted in a Romanization with the umlaut set found in the Latin/Roman script set (at the bottom of the editing window).
- In Classical IPA, acute accent is noted by ́ on vowel, circumflex with ̂ . In Koine, both are represented with ˈ at the beginning of corresponding syllable.
- Macrons should be designated in IPA by the long vowel symbol ː. Long vowels (ᾱ, ῑ, ῡ) are denoted in the displayed forms of words, as well as romanizations, with a macron. The macron is omitted in combination with a circumflex accent, as a circumflex accent is already implicitly long.
See also
edit- Romanization of Greek on Wikipedia.Wikipedia