Old Nubian script
The Old Nubian script was used for Old Nubian from the 8th to the 15th centuries . It essentially corresponds to the Coptic alphabet extended by the characters Ⳟ - probably a ligature of two Coptic gamma ⲅ -, Ⳡ ń - derived from ny from the Meroitic script - and Ⳣ - derived from Meroitic w , as well as the spelling Ⳝ instead of Coptic Ϭ .
| Nubian | transcription | Nubian | transcription | Nubian | transcription |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ⲁⲁ | a | Ⲗⲗ | l | Ⲫⲫ * | (ph) |
| Ⲃⲃ | b | Ⲙⲙ | m | Ⲭⲭ * | (ch) |
| Ⲅⲅ | G | Ⲛⲛ | n | Ⲯⲯ * | (ps) |
| Ⲇⲇ | d | Ⲟⲟ | O | Ⲱⲱ | O |
| Ⲉⲉ | e | ⲞⲨ ⲟⲩ | u | Ϣϣ | š |
| Ⳍⳍ | (x) | Ⲡⲡ | p | Ϩϩ | H |
| Ⲏⲏ | i | Ⲣⲣ | r | Ⳝⳝ ( Ϭϭ ) | ǵ |
| Ⲑⲑ * | (th) | Ⲥⲥ | s | Ⳟⳟ | ṅ |
| Ⲓⲓ | i, y | Ⲧⲧ | t | Ⳡⳡ | ń |
| Ⲕⲕ | k | Ⲩⲩ | i | Ⳣⳣ | w |
* ⲐⲬⲮ can only be found in Greek names and loan words, Ⲫ also only in loan words.
The punctuation was inconsistent , with an overwritten dot or dash indicating a short i : ⲥ̇ is , ⲗ̅ il . Sentence tone groups were marked with a dot and a colon was used to conclude. In addition, a ⳹ was used at the end of the sentence , as well as a ⳺ for infinite and ⳻ for finite questions as a question mark . At sending came ⳼ used.
Old Nubian in Unicode
Unicode encodes the old Nubian script in the Unicode block Coptic and in the Unicode block Greek and Coptic .
literature
- Ernst Zyhlarz: Basic features of Nubian grammar in the Christian early Middle Ages. (Old Nubian). Grammar, texts, commentary and glossary. Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft, Leipzig 1928 ( Treatises for the customer of the Orient. 18, 1, ISSN 0567-4980 ); to the script: §§ 1–5.