The Relevance of the Origin of the Letter “A” to the Ox

The first letter of the Latin alphabet, “A”, is the most frequently used letter in all of the world’s languages. If you notice, our language important to us “A” is the initial letter of many words that can be counted, such as “mother, hello, family, love, older sister, getting hungry, moment, meaning”.

How did a letter that is so ingrained in our language first come into being? in almost every word we use Has it become a symbol?

Although we are not aware of it, the letter “A” appears in many places.

Throughout history, the letter “A” has appeared on the coat of arms of many states. Also for religions to a privileged place We can understand that this letter in Christianity refers to God as “Alpha and Omega”, that is, “the beginning and the end of everything”.

If we look at mythology, one of the most important gods The first letter of Apollo’s name is “A”. The most commonly used names in Turkey, such as “Ali, Ahmet, Ayşe”, always start with “A”.

It has significance that extends to music, math, and education.

Surface calculations are denoted by an “A”, not only in words, but even in mathematics. It has an important place even in musical notes. The note corresponding to the letter “A” on instruments such as piano or guitar sounds at a frequency of 440 Hz and timbre of other notes tuned to this frequency.

The symbol of justice is depicted as the letter “A”, while the grade “A+” denotes success. In short, the letter A both personal and social plays an important role in life.

How did “A”, which has such an important place in our lives, come about?

As we know, BC. In the times corresponding to the 2000s, Egyptian hieroglyphics were used, with a shape for each word. This article, which consisted of complex and difficult shapes, was not very useful. It was very difficult to learn and only learners of the writing system could communicate.

B.C. By the 1750s, instead of this complex writing system, each letter corresponds to a shapeThe foundations of the “proto-sinaitic” alphabet were laid.

The origin of the letter “A” comes from oxen!

In times when money was not yet invented, most valuable assets for humanity; oxen, cows, and bulls. People used their meat, milk and muscle power to carry loads.

That’s why the first letter of the alphabet, in their lives has a very important place for them. they associated it with the oxen. Turn the letter “A” upside down and you’ll see an ox head! In fact, the first letter of the alphabet was “aleph”, meaning “horn”.

With the newly developed alphabet, pictures were transformed into symbols.

B.C. In 1000, the Phoenicians simplified the “proto-sinaitic” alphabet. Each letter corresponds to a picture they turned the pictures in the alphabet into symbols that could be written more easily.

B.C. Around 750 BC, this time the Greeks had an intervention in the alphabet. Besides adding vowel sounds, the Phoenician alphabet The direction of the “A” symbol they changed.

The word “alphabet” is derived from a combination of “alpha” and “beta”.

When we come to the 1st century AD, the Latin alphabet the changes it has undergone It reached its present form and continued to be used as such. Besides; Even the word we call “alphabet” is derived from “alpha-beta”, that is, “a” and the letter “b” in addition to it.

Sources: Dictionary, Britannica, Language Travels