(aka: Literal–Graphemic Module — Syriac Script)
0) Orientation
- Script type: Abjad (consonant-based with optional vowels)
- Direction: Right-to-left
- Styles: Estrangela (classical, rounded), Serto (Western cursive), Madnhaya (Eastern “Nestorian”)
- Unicameral — no upper/lower case distinction
- Shaping: Contextual joining; letters connect
- Numerals: Letters serve as numerals in traditional use (Gematria-like)
1) Base Letter Inventory (22 consonants)
| # | Name (Latin chain) | Estrangela | Madnhaya | IPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ʾAlap | ܐ | ܐ | /ʔ/ or mater for /a, e/ | |
| 02 | Beth | ܒ | ܒ | /b/ → /v/ without quššāyā (dot) | |
| 03 | Gamal | ܓ | ܓ | /ɡ/; /ɣ/ in some dialects | |
| 04 | Dalath | ܕ | ܕ | /d/ → /ð/ without dot | |
| 05 | He | ܗ | ܗ | /h/ or mater /a/ final | |
| 06 | Waw | ܘ | ܘ | /w/, /u/, /o/ (mater) | |
| 07 | Zain | ܙ | ܙ | /z/ | |
| 08 | Ḥeth | ܚ | ܚ | /ħ/ or /x/ | |
| 09 | Ṭeth | ܛ | ܛ | /tˤ/ (emphatic) | |
| 10 | Yodh | ܝ | ܝ | /j/, /i/, /e/ (mater) | |
| 11 | Kaph | ܟ | ܟ | /k/ → /x/ without dot | |
| 12 | Lamadh | ܠ | ܠ | /l/ | |
| 13 | Mim | ܡ | ܡ | /m/ | |
| 14 | Nun | ܢ | ܢ | /n/ | |
| 15 | Semkath | ܣ | ܣ | /s/ | |
| 16 | ʿE | ܥ | ܥ | /ʕ/ or silent in modern speech | |
| 17 | Pe | ܦ | ܦ | /p/ → /f/ without dot | |
| 18 | Sadhe | ܨ | ܨ | /sˤ/ | |
| 19 | Qoph | ܩ | ܩ | /q/ (modern often /k/) | |
| 20 | Rish | ܪ | ܪ | /r/ | |
| 21 | Shin | ܫ | ܫ | /ʃ/ | |
| 22 | Taw | ܬ | ܬ | /t/ → /θ/ without dot |
2) Vowel Signs (Madnhaya/Eastern system — example)
| Mark | Name | IPA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ܲ | Pthaha | /a/ | short a |
| ܵ | Zqapha | /ɑː/ | long a/o |
| ܸ | Ḥbasa | /e/ | short e/i |
| ܹ | Rwaha | /eː/ | long e |
| ܼ | Ḥbasa Esasa | /i/ | high front |
| ܽ | Rwaha Esasa | /iː/ | long high front |
| ܿ | Qushshaya Waw | /o, u/ | |
| ݇ | Zlama | /ə/ | schwa |
Western (Serto) and Estrangela have different diacritic forms but same functional inventory.
3) Diacritics & Signs
- Qushshaya (dot above) → hard plosive (b, g, d, k, p, t)
- Rukkakha (dot below) → fricative allophones (v, ɣ, ð, x, f, θ)
- Siyame (two dots above) → plural marker on nouns
- Line/point accents → for emphasis or cantillation in liturgical contexts
4) Matres Lectionis
- Waw (ܘ) → /u, o/
- Yodh (ܝ) → /i, e/
- Alap (ܐ) → /a, e/ or glottal stop
5) Latin-chain Mapping
glyph: "ܟ"
name: "Kaph"
latin_chain: ["k"]
features: {qushshaya: true} # plosive
phoneme: "k"
glyph: "ܟ"
name: "Kaph"
latin_chain: ["kh"]
features: {qushshaya: false} # fricative
phoneme: "x"
6) Lattice Features
{direction: RTL}{type: abjad}{mater_lectionis: true|false}{qushshaya: true|false}— hard/soft toggle for begadkefat-like behavior{style: estrangela|serto|madnhaya}for glyph shaping
✅ Mint Status: Syriac Graphemic Module is now fully minted at script level, with Eastern vowel point mapping and consonantal inventory.