SHAPE: Consistent shape in all ancient
cities of the
Western-Eastern greek alphabet groups.
The northsemitic shape looked like
W. In the greek alphabet it rotated to
Σ. In very few cities sigma was represented by a letter called
σαν (san) which looked exactly like
M. By c.400
a.e.v. sigma took its final shape Σ at all greek city-states.
ABOUT FINAL SIGMA: The
final < ς > was a later calligraphic version, when an S was the last letter of a word. At a first phase, they used it here and there, and gradually, at all s-ending words (as we do today in modern greek). In old, mediaeval manuscripts it may be marked also within composed words (as the final letter of the first word) as in: ειςβάλλω = εισβάλλω < εις+βάλλω
(= I go in, attack, invade).
The final s, also stands for number 6. (see
digamma, stigma).
LUNATE SIGMA: Also, the
'lunate sigma' (it looks like the third letter of the latin alphabet)
C was used instead of Σ,σ,ς (in the byzantine manuscripts, and today as a calligraphic variety, especially by the church).
SOUND: Pronounced [z] before voiced consonants [v,γ,δ,m]: ]=<B,Γ,Δ,M> and pronounced [s] in all other cases. Note, that the
sh postalveolar sound: [
ʃ ] as in
shop, does not exist in greek.
NAME: ETYMOLOGY: From northsemitic (phoenician): šin or šyin = tooth (was pronounced as in
shop).
NAME: SPELLING: σίγμα
ABOUT SAMPI: In few cities, the double
ΣΣ was represented as a
T. This gradually took the form of a
rotated Pi Π:
that was used to represent number 900. In the
byzantine times it took the name
σαμπεί from: «ως αν πει» → «σαν πι» (=as though -it was- Pi) [san
`pi
] → [san`pi] → [sam`pi] → [sam`bi]
.
STIGMA: gre: (στίγμα [`stiγma]
is a combination of letters sigma and tau <
στ' > that stands for number 6, exactly as final <
ς' > does too. (see
digamma, stigma).
COMBINATIONS: TΣ [ts]
DOUBLED: sometimes double occurrence within a word. <σσ> was pronounced [ss] till middle times. Not pronounced as double in modern greek.
MORE GREEK WORDS STARTING WITH SIGMA
•συν=plus-syn(thesis)-sy(stem) συν+λαβή= συλλαβή = syllable
•σάτιρα = satire
•στίγμα= stigma
•σχίσμα = schism
•στρατηγικό= strategic
•στoμάχι= stomach
•σκελετός= skeleton
•σκεπτικό= sceptic
•σπασμός= spasm
LINKS
- about sampi
]