An alphabet is a set of symbols used within a communication system.
Alphabet is a concept that derives from the Latin word alphabētum , which in turn has its origin in the first letters of the Greek language: alpha and beta . An alphabet is made up of symbols that are used within the framework of a system that allows communication.
The concept is used as a synonym for the alphabet : the ordered succession of letters in a language . The Latin alphabet , also known as the Roman alphabet , is the one used in Spanish , English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese and other languages.
The Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet is made up of 26 main letters, starting with A and ending with Z. Depending on the language , certain letters are added: in Spanish, for example, the letter Ñ must be added.
It should be noted that alphabets are modified over the course of history. Previously, the Latin alphabet used in Spanish-speaking countries included the letters CH and LL , which were later eliminated.
The Greek system
The Greek alphabet is made up of a total of 24 letters and is considered to date from the 9th century BC. c.
It is believed that the Greeks were inspired or departed, to a certain extent, from what the Phoenicians had created to shape their own, which begins with the letter alpha and ends with omega .
The Braille alphabet allows blind people to read and write.
Other alphabets
There are alphabets that transcend conventional writing. Braille can be considered as a method or an alphabet. This is the reading and writing system created by Louis Braille for individuals who suffer from blindness , which is developed with raised dots that people must touch to recognize the signs.
The alphabet or Morse code , on the other hand, is made up of signals that are emitted intermittently. Created from telegraphic signals that are recognized as dots or dashes depending on their duration, this alphabet makes it possible to find the equivalence between the signal and traditional letters.
radio communication
In the same way, we cannot forget what is known as the word alphabet . It is a system in which each word represents a letter and is used as a means of communication between two or more people through the radio or similar.
Specifically, given its accuracy, it is used, above all, in the field of navigation, both in the air and even at sea. Precisely an example of this is the alphabet of the O ACI (International Civil Aviation Organization) .
alphabet game
To all of the above we can add that there is a dangerous game among Primary school children known as the alphabet or alphabet game. It consists of a minor beginning to say out loud the alphabet of his or her language and with each letter of it expressing a word . All this must be done while another child uses his or her nails or a sharp object to wound the back of the child's hands.
This is an activity that greatly worries parents and school groups because it is considered that it can be used as a bullying tool.