Digamma
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| [[Image:Greek alphabet {{{letter|alpha-omega}}}.png| 200px|center]] | |
| Greek alphabet | |
|---|---|
| Α α Alpha | Β β Beta |
| Γ γ Gamma | Δ δ Delta |
| Ε ε Epsilon | Ζ ζ Zeta |
| Η η Eta | Θ θ Theta |
| Ι ι Iota | Κ κ Kappa |
| Λ λ Lambda | Μ μ Mu |
| Ν ν Nu | Ξ ξ Xi |
| Ο ο Omicron | Π π Pi |
| Ρ ρ Rho | Σ σ ς Sigma |
| Τ τ Tau | Υ υ Upsilon |
| Φ φ Phi | Χ χ Chi |
| Ψ ψ Psi | Ω ω Omega |
| obsolete letters | |
| Image:Greek alphabet digamma2.png Digamma | Image:Greek alphabet san.png San |
| Image:Greek alphabet qoppa.png Qoppa | Image:Greek alphabet sampi.png Sampi |
| Image:Greek alphabet stigma.png Stigma | Image:Greek alphabet sho.png Sho |
Digamma (upper case Template:Polytonic, lower case Template:Polytonic) is an archaic letter of the Greek alphabet, used primarily as a Greek numeral.
The letter had the phonetic value of a Voiced labial-velar approximant Template:IPA. Its original name is unknown, but was probably Template:Polytonic (wau). It was later called 'digamma' (double gamma) because of its shape. It is attested in archaic and dialectal ancient Greek inscriptions, and is occasionally used as a symbol in later Greek mathematical texts.
It is also used as the Greek numeral 6. In ancient usage, the numeral had the same form as the letter digamma. However, in medieval and modern usage, the numeral has normally been written in the graphic form of a stigma (Template:Polytonic, Template:Polytonic), which historically is completely distinct from digamma; it is a medieval ligature of sigma and tau. To complete the confusion, in modern times, the sequence στ or ΣΤ is sometimes used instead of the stigma symbol.
Digamma, like Y, derives from the Phoenician letter Waw, and in its turn gave rise to the Roman letter F.
The sound Template:IPA in Greek
The sound Template:IPA existed in Mycenean Greek, as attested in Linear B and archaic Greek inscriptions using digamma. It is also confirmed by the Hittite name of Troy, Wilusa, corresponding to the Greek name *Wilion. The sound was lost at various times in various dialects, mostly before the classical period.
In Ionic, Template:IPA had probably disappeared before Homer's epics were written down (7th century BC), but its former presence can be detected in many cases because its omission left the meter defective. An example is the word Template:Polytonic (king) found in the Iliad, which would originally have been [wanaks]. Also Template:Polytonic (wine) was used in the meter where a word starting with a consonant would be expected. Further evidence coupled with cognate-analysis shows that Template:Polytonic was earlier [woinos] (cf. Latin vinum and English "wine").
Digamma Club was the original name of the Fox Club, a Harvard University final club.Template:Link FA
als:Ϝ bg:Дигама ca:Digamma de:Digamma es:Ϝ fr:Digamma it:Digamma (lettera) he:דיגאמא la:Digamma ja:Ϝ pt:Ϝ sv:Digamma zh:Digamma