英语翻译
英语翻译
人们都知道,英文有26个字母.
但这26个字母的来历,知道的人恐怕就不多了.原来,英文字母渊源于拉丁字母,拉丁字母渊源于希腊字母,而希腊字母则是由腓尼基字母演变而来的.
腓尼基是地中海东岸的文明古国,其地理位置大约相当于今天黎巴嫩和叙利亚的沿海一带.“腓尼基”是希腊人对这一地区的称谓,意思是“紫色之国”,因该地盛产紫色染料而得名.罗马人则称之为“布匿”.
公元前20世纪初,在腓尼基产生一些小的奴隶制城邦,但从未形成统一的国家.在古代,腓尼基以工商业和航海业闻名于世.至公元前10世纪前后,其活动范围已达今塞浦路斯、西西里岛、撒丁岛、法国、西班牙和北部非洲,并建立了许多殖民地.公元前8世纪以后,亚述、新巴比伦等国相继侵入腓尼基.公元前6世纪,腓尼基终于被波斯帝国兼并.
大约公元前13世纪,腓尼基人创造了人类历史上第一批字母文字,共22个字母（无元音）.这是腓尼基人对人类文化的伟大贡献.腓尼基字母是世界字母文字的开端.在西方,它派生出古希腊字母,后者又发展为拉丁字母和斯拉夫字母.而希腊字母和拉丁字母是所有西方国家字母的基础.在东方,它派生出阿拉美亚字母,由此又演化出印度、阿拉伯、希伯莱、波斯等民族字母.中国的*、蒙古、满文字母也是由此演化而来.
据考证,腓尼基字母主要是依据古埃及的图画文字制定的.在古埃及,“A”是表示“牛头”的图画；“B”是表示“家”或“院子”的图画；“C”和“G”是表示“曲尺”的图画；“D”是表示“门扇”的图画；“E”是表示一个“举起双手叫喊的人”的图画；“F”、“V”、“Y”是表示“棍棒”或“支棒”的图画；“H”是表示“一节麻丝卷”的图画；“I”是表示“展开的手”的图画；“K”是表示“手掌”的图画；“M”是表示“水”的图画；“N”是表示“蛇”的图画；“O”是表示“眼睛”的图画；“P”是表示“嘴巴”的图画；“Q”是表示“绳圈”的图画；“R”是表示“人头”的图画；“S”和“X”是表示“丘陵地”或“鱼”的图画；“T”是表示“竖十字型”的图画；“Z”是表示“撬”或“箭”的图画.公元前2世纪时,拉丁字母已包括了这23个字母.后来,为了雕刻和手写的方便,并为了使元音的“V”和辅音的“V”相区别,便把原来的“V”的下方改成圆形而定为元音“U”；又把两个“V”连起来变出了一个做辅音用的“W”,这个“W”的出现已是11世纪的事了.后来人们又把“I”稍稍变化而另创出一个辅音字母“J”.这样,原来的23个字母再加上“U”、“W”、“J”三个字母,就构成了26个字母的字母表了.中世纪时,拉丁字母基本定型,后世西方文字（当然也包括英文）都是由它演变而来.
You know,there are 26 letters in English.
But the 26 letters,know the origin of the people I'm afraid not much.Originally,English letters originates from the Latin alphabet,Latin letters originates from the Greek alphabet,and the Greek letter is by Phoenician alphabet evolved.
Phoenicia along the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea is ancient civilization and its geographical position equivalent to about today Lebanon and Syria along the coast."As far as Phoenicia" is Greek to the region to name means "the kingdom of purple",because the area is rich in purple dye the name.The Roman people call it "unseen" cloth.
At the beginning of 20 centuries BC,as far as Phoenicia produce a small in slavery in the city-state,but have never form a unified country.In ancient times,to industry and commerce as far as Phoenicia and navigation is well known in the world.10 century B.C.,before and after their activities has reached this Cyprus,Sicily,Sardinia,France,Spain and north Africa,and set up the many colonies.After 8 th century BC,Assyria and Babylon new countries such as intrusion into one as far as Phoenicia.The 6 th century BC,Phoenicia Persian empire was finally over.
About 13 th century BC,phoenicians created the first batch of letters in human history text,a total of 22 letter (no vowels).This is the Phoenician culture great contribution to human beings.Phoenician alphabet is the world of the alphabets of beginning.In the west,it derives ancient Greek alphabet,the latter and development for Latin letters and Slavic letters.And the Greek letter and Latin letters all western countries is the foundation of the letters.In the east,it derived aiu letters,this,we evolved in India,Arabia,the Hebrews,Persian,national letters.China's Uighur,*,manchu script alphabet evolved and so.
According to research,Phoenician alphabet are mainly on the basis of ancient Egypt for the picture of the text.In ancient Egypt,"A" is said "the minotaur" pictures; "B" is said "home" or "courtyard" pictures; "C" and "G" is "square" picture said; "D" is said "the doors" pictures; "E" is said a "raised his hands of the crying" pictures; "F","V","Y" is said "sticks" or "a great" pictures; "H" is a quarter said "linen roll" pictures; "I" is said "hand open" pictures; "K" is said "the picture of the palm"; "M" is said "water" pictures; "N" is "snakes" said pictures; "O" is said "eye" pictures; "P" is "mouth" said pictures; "Q" is the picture of the "ring said"; "R" means "nominal" pictures; "S" and "X" is said to "or" hills "fish" pictures; "T" is said "vertical" pictures; four-arm "Z" is "pry said" or "arrows" picture.The second century B.C.,Latin letters to have included this 23 letter.Later,in order to sculpture and handwritten convenience,and in order to make the vowels and consonants "V" of the "V" phase difference,gave the original to the bottom of the "V" to round and as a vowel "U"; And the two "V" linked up and turn out a do with "W" consonant,the "W" appear already is the 11 th century.The people later and the "I" a little change and the other makes a consonant letters "J".So,the original 23 letter plus "U","W","J" three letters,constitutes the 26 letters of the alphabet.In the middle ages,Latin letters basic finalize the design,the later western text (of course also include English) is evolved by it.