Sigma

Greek alphabet
Αα Alpha Νν Nu
Ββ Beta Ξξ Xi
Γγ Gamma Οο Omicron
Δδ Delta Ππ Pi
Εε Epsilon Ρρ Rho
Ζζ Zeta Σσς Sigma
Ηη Eta Ττ Tau
Θθ Theta Υυ Upsilon
Ιι Iota Φφ Phi
Κκ Kappa Χχ Chi
Λλ Lambda Ψψ Psi
Μμ Mu Ωω Omega
History
Archaic local variants
 ·  ·  ·  ·  ·
Ligatures (ϛ, ȣ, ϗ) · Diacritics
Numerals: (6) · (90) · (900)
In other languages
Bactrian  · Coptic  · Albanian
Scientific symbols

Book  · Category · Commons

Sigma (upper case Σ, lower case σ, lower case in word-final position ς; Greek σίγμα) is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, and carries the 'S' sound. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 200. When used at the end of a word, and the word is not all upper case, the final form (ς) is used, e.g. Ὀδυσσεύς (Odysseus) – note the two sigmas in the center of the name, and the word-final sigma at the end.

Contents

History

The shape and alphabetic position of Sigma is derived from Phoenician shin 𐤔, but the sound is derived from Phoenician samekh, which appear as inconsistency in transcribing sibilants.[1]

Etymology

The name of sigma, according to one theory,[2] may continue that of Phoenician Samekh. According to a different theory,[3] its original name may have been "San" (the name today associated with another, obsolete letter), while "Sigma" was a Greek innovation that simply meant "hissing", based on a nominalization of a verb σίζω (sízō, from earlier *sig-jō, meaning 'I hiss').

Uppercase of esh

The uppercase form of sigma was re-borrowed into the Latin alphabet to serve as the uppercase of modern esh (lowercase: ʃ).

Lunate sigma

In handwritten Greek during the Hellenistic period (4th and 3rd centuries BC), the epigraphic form of Σ was simplified into a C-like shape.[4] It is also found on coins from the fourth century BC onwards.[5] This became the universal standard form of Sigma during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. It is today known as lunate sigma (upper case Ϲ, lower case ϲ), because of its crescent-like shape.

It is still widely used in decorative typefaces in Greece, especially in religious and church contexts, as well as in some modern print editions of classical Greek texts. The forms of the Cyrillic letter С (representing /s/) and Coptic letter sima are derived from lunate sigma.

A dotted lunate sigma (sigma periestigmenon, encoded at U+03FE Ͼ) was used by Aristarchus of Samothrace as an editorial sign indicating that the line so marked is at an incorrect position. Similarly, an antisigma or reversed sigma (Ͻ) may mark a line that is out of place. A dotted antisigma or dotted reversed sigma (antisigma periestigmenon: Ͽ) may indicate a line after which rearrangements should be made, or to variant readings of uncertain priority.

Uses

Greek

In both Ancient and Modern Greek, the sigma represents the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/. Both in Ancient and Modern Greek, this sound is voiced to /z/ before /m/ or /n/.

Berber

Upper case Σ may be used in the Berber Latin alphabet for [ʕ], though the INALCO standard uses Ɛ instead.

Science and mathematics

Upper case

Upper case Σ is used as a symbol for:

Lower case

Lower case σ is used for:

Politics

During the 1930s, an upper case Σ was in use as the symbol of the Ação Integralista Brasileira, a radical right-wing party in Brazil.

Technical notes

Unicode

description character Unicode HTML
Greek
SIGMA Σ
σ
U+03A3
U+03C3
Σ
σ
SMALL LETTER
FINAL SIGMA
ς U+03C2 ς
LUNATE SIGMA
SYMBOL
Ϲ
ϲ
U+03F9
U+03F2
Ϲ
ϲ
REVERSED
LUNATE SIGMA
SYMBOL
Ͻ
ͻ
U+03FD
U+037B
Ͻ
ͻ
DOTTED
LUNATE SIGMA
SYMBOL
Ͼ
ͼ
U+03FE
U+037C
Ͼ
ͼ
REVERSED DOTTED
LUNATE SIGMA
SYMBOL
Ͽ
ͽ
U+03FF
U+037D
Ͽ
ͽ

There are several Unicode codepoints representing the Greek letter sigma.

The use of multiple codepoints for final / non-final sigma is somewhat unusual in Unicode. However, the two cannot always be distinguished by a simple algorithm (there are exceptions for abbreviations), and there is a significant history of them being separate characters in other specifications.[6]

Additionally, there are at least 23 codepoints for sigma as a symbol (bold, italic, sans-serif, lunate, reversed, or dotted, in various combinations).

See also

References

  1. ^ David Sacks (3 August 2004). Letter perfect: the marvelous history of our alphabet from A to Z. Random House Digital, Inc.. p. 61. ISBN 9780767911733. http://books.google.com/books?id=G8bKgl-BTTkC&pg=PT61. Retrieved 7 July 2011. 
  2. ^ Jeffery, Lilian H. (1961). The local scripts of archaic Greece. Oxford: Clarendon. pp. 25–27. 
  3. ^ Woodard, Roger D. (2006). "Alphabet". In Wilson, Nigel Guy. Encyclopedia of ancient Greece. London: Routldedge. p. 38. 
  4. ^ Edward M. Thompson (1912), Introduction to Greek and Latin paleography, Oxford: Clarendon. p.108, 144
  5. ^ Parthia.com: Numismatica Font Projects.
  6. ^ Unicode.org