Other Characters
The following are not actual letters but different orthographical shapes for letters, and in the case of the lām alef, a ligature. As to ﺀ hamze, it has only a single graphic, since it is never tied to a preceding or following letter. However, it is sometimes 'seated' on a vāv, ye or alef, and in that case the seat behaves like an ordinary vāv, ye or alef respectively. Technically, hamze is not a letter but a diacritic.
| Name | Transliteration | IPA | Final | Medial | Initial | Stand-alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alef madde | ā | ﺂ | — | — | ﺁ | |
| he ye | -eye or -eyeh | ﮥ | — | — | ۀ | |
| lām alef | lā | ﻼ | — | — | ﻻ | |
| tanvin nasb | -an | ـاً | — | — | اً |
Although at first glance they may seem similar, there are many differences in the way the different languages use the alphabets. For example, similar words are written differently in Persian and Arabic, as they are used differently.
The Persian alphabet adds four letters to the Arabic alphabet, (ch in chair), (s in measure):
| Sound | Shape | Unicode name |
|---|---|---|
| پ | pe | |
| (ch) | چ | che |
| (zh) | ژ | zhe |
| گ | gaf |
Read more about this topic: Persian Alphabet
Famous quotes containing the word characters:
“There are as many characters in men
As there are shapes in nature.”
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)
“Waxed-fleshed out-patients
Still vague from accidents,
And characters in long coats
Deep in the litter-baskets
All dodging the toad work
By being stupid or weak.”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)