Short U
Encyclopedia
Short U is a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet
.
The only Slavic language using this letter is the Belarusian
Cyrillic alphabet
.
Among the non-Slavic languages using Cyrillic alphabets, ў is used in the Dungan language
and in the Siberian Yupik language
. It was also used in Uzbek
before the adoption of the Latin alphabet
in 1992.
⟨Ѵ ѵ⟩ with a breve
(Іереѵ̆ская власть, пучина Егеѵ̆ская, etc.) used in certain Ukrainian books during the end of the 16th–beginning of the 17th centuries. Later, this character was probably in use in the Romanian Cyrillic script
, from where it was borrowed in 1837 by the compilers of Ukrainian poetry book Rusalka Dnistrovaja (Русалка днѣстровая). The book's forward reads “we have accepted Serbian џ . . . and Wallachian [Romanian] ў . . .”. In this book, ⟨ў⟩ is used mostly for etymological [l] transformed to [w]—modern Ukrainian spelling uses letter ⟨в⟩ ([v]) in this position.
For the Belarusian language, the combination of the Cyrillic letter U
with a breve ⟨ў⟩ was proposed by P.A. Bessonov in 1870. Before that, various ad hoc adaptations of the Latin U
were used, for example, italicized in some publications of Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich, with acute accent ⟨ú⟩ in Jan Czeczot
's Da milykh mužyczkoú (To dear peasants, 1846 edition), W with breve ⟨w̆⟩ in Epimakh-Shypila, 1889, or just the letter ⟨u⟩ itself (e.g., in publications of Kalinowski
, 1862–1863). A U with haček ⟨ǔ⟩ was also used.
After 1870, both the distinction for the phoneme and the new shape of the letter still were not consistently used until the mid-1900s. Among the first publications using it were folklore collections published by Michał Federowski and the first edition of Francišak Bahuševič
's Dudka Biełaruskaja (Belarusian flute, published in Kraków
, 1891). Also, for quite a while other kinds of renderings (plain ⟨u⟩, or with added accent, haček, or caret) were still being used, sometimes within a single publication (Bahushevich, 1891, Pachobka, 1915).
s. Its equivalent in the Belarusian Latin alphabet
is ⟨ŭ
⟩.
In native Belarusian words, ⟨ў⟩ represents the sonorant
bilabial fricative
consonant, as in хлеў, pronounced xlʲeʊ (chleŭ, ‘shed’) or воўк [vɔʊk] (voŭk, ‘wolf’). This is similar to the ⟨w⟩ in English cow /kaʊ/. The letter ⟨ў⟩ cannot occur before a vowel; when grammar would require this, ⟨ў⟩ is replaced by ⟨в⟩ /v/. Compare хлеў (xlʲeʊ chleŭ) with за хлявом ([za xlʲaˈvom] za chlavóm, ‘behind the shed’). Also, when a word beginning with ⟨у⟩ /u/ follows a vowel, so that it forms a diphthong through liaison
, it is usually, but not necessary, written with ⟨ў⟩ instead. For example, у хляве ([u xlʲaˈvʲe] u chlavié, ‘in the shed’) but увайшлі яны ў хлеў ([uvajʃˈlʲi jaˈnɨ ʊ xlʲeʊ] uvajšlí janý ŭ chleŭ, ‘they went into the shed’).
The letter ⟨ў⟩ is also used to represent the labial-velar approximant /w/ in foreign loanwords.
, the oldest Belarusian city, made a monument to honor the unique Cyrillic Belarusian letter ⟨ў⟩. The original idea for the monument came from professor Paval Siemčanka, a scholar of Cyrillic calligraphy and type
.
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
.
The only Slavic language using this letter is the Belarusian
Belarusian language
The Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
Cyrillic alphabet
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
.
Among the non-Slavic languages using Cyrillic alphabets, ў is used in the Dungan language
Dungan language
The Dungan language is a Sinitic language spoken by the Dungan of Central Asia, an ethnic group related to the Hui people of China.-History:...
and in the Siberian Yupik language
Siberian Yupik language
Siberian Yupik is one of the four Yupik languages:* Central Siberian Yupik,...
. It was also used in Uzbek
Uzbek language
Uzbek is a Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 25.5 million native speakers, and it is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia...
before the adoption of the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
in 1992.
History
The letter originates from the letter izhitsaIzhitsa
Izhitsa is a letter of the early Cyrillic alphabet. It was used to represent ypsilon in words derived from Greek, such as . It represented the same sound /i/ as the normal letter и in Russian...
⟨Ѵ ѵ⟩ with a breve
Breve
A breve is a diacritical mark ˘, shaped like the bottom half of a circle. It resembles the caron , but is rounded, while the caron has a sharp tip...
(Іереѵ̆ская власть, пучина Егеѵ̆ская, etc.) used in certain Ukrainian books during the end of the 16th–beginning of the 17th centuries. Later, this character was probably in use in the Romanian Cyrillic script
Romanian Cyrillic alphabet
The Romanian Cyrillic alphabet was used to write the Romanian language before 1860–1862, when it was officially replaced by a Latin-based Romanian alphabet. Cyrillic remained in occasional use until circa 1920...
, from where it was borrowed in 1837 by the compilers of Ukrainian poetry book Rusalka Dnistrovaja (Русалка днѣстровая). The book's forward reads “we have accepted Serbian џ . . . and Wallachian [Romanian] ў . . .”. In this book, ⟨ў⟩ is used mostly for etymological [l] transformed to [w]—modern Ukrainian spelling uses letter ⟨в⟩ ([v]) in this position.
For the Belarusian language, the combination of the Cyrillic letter U
U (Cyrillic)
U is a letter of the Cyrillic alphabet. It commonly represents the close back rounded vowel , somewhat like the pronunciation of ⟨oo⟩ in "boot"...
with a breve ⟨ў⟩ was proposed by P.A. Bessonov in 1870. Before that, various ad hoc adaptations of the Latin U
U
U is the twenty-first letter and a vowel in the basic modern Latin alphabet.-History:The letter U ultimately comes from the Semitic letter Waw by way of the letter Y. See the letter Y for details....
were used, for example, italicized in some publications of Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich, with acute accent ⟨ú⟩ in Jan Czeczot
Jan Czeczot
Jan Czeczot of Ostoja was a noble of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Belarusian origin, romantic poet and ethnographer. Fascinated by folk lore and traditional folk songs of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, confederal part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, he recollected hundreds of...
's Da milykh mužyczkoú (To dear peasants, 1846 edition), W with breve ⟨w̆⟩ in Epimakh-Shypila, 1889, or just the letter ⟨u⟩ itself (e.g., in publications of Kalinowski
Konstanty Kalinowski
Wincenty Konstanty Kalinowski , also known under his Polish and Lithuanian names of Konstanty Kalinowski or and Kostas Kalinauskas; 1838 – March 24, 1864) was a writer, journalist, lawyer and revolutionary...
, 1862–1863). A U with haček ⟨ǔ⟩ was also used.
After 1870, both the distinction for the phoneme and the new shape of the letter still were not consistently used until the mid-1900s. Among the first publications using it were folklore collections published by Michał Federowski and the first edition of Francišak Bahuševič
Francišak Bahuševic
Francišak Bahuševič -Biography:Was born in Ambary manor in Vilna uezd of Vilna Governorate. As known, this manor in the end life was got by Vasily Tyapinsky. The participant of January Uprising of 1863-1864. After January Uprising left Belarus. Lived in Ukraine. Studied in Nezhinsk legal liceum....
's Dudka Biełaruskaja (Belarusian flute, published in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, 1891). Also, for quite a while other kinds of renderings (plain ⟨u⟩, or with added accent, haček, or caret) were still being used, sometimes within a single publication (Bahushevich, 1891, Pachobka, 1915).
Belarusian
The letter is called non-syllabic u or short u (Belarusian: у нескладовае, u nieskladovaje or у кароткае, u karotkaje) in Belarusian, because while resembling the vowel у (u) it does not form syllableSyllable
A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building...
s. Its equivalent in the Belarusian Latin alphabet
Belarusian Latin alphabet
The Belarusian Latin alphabet or Łacinka is the common name of the several historical alphabets to render the Belarusian text in Latin script.-Use:...
is ⟨ŭ
U
U is the twenty-first letter and a vowel in the basic modern Latin alphabet.-History:The letter U ultimately comes from the Semitic letter Waw by way of the letter Y. See the letter Y for details....
⟩.
In native Belarusian words, ⟨ў⟩ represents the sonorant
Sonorant
In phonetics and phonology, a sonorant is a speech sound that is produced without turbulent airflow in the vocal tract; fricatives and plosives are not sonorants. Vowels are sonorants, as are consonants like and . Other consonants, like or , restrict the airflow enough to cause turbulence, and...
bilabial fricative
Bilabial fricative
A bilabial fricative is a phone whose place of articulation is bilabial and whose manner of articulation is fricative.There are two bilabial fricatives, neither of which appears in standard English. The voiced bilabial fricative is a sound similar to English v, but with the air going between the...
consonant, as in хлеў, pronounced xlʲeʊ (chleŭ, ‘shed’) or воўк [vɔʊk] (voŭk, ‘wolf’). This is similar to the ⟨w⟩ in English cow /kaʊ/. The letter ⟨ў⟩ cannot occur before a vowel; when grammar would require this, ⟨ў⟩ is replaced by ⟨в⟩ /v/. Compare хлеў (xlʲeʊ chleŭ) with за хлявом ([za xlʲaˈvom] za chlavóm, ‘behind the shed’). Also, when a word beginning with ⟨у⟩ /u/ follows a vowel, so that it forms a diphthong through liaison
Sandhi
Sandhi is a cover term for a wide variety of phonological processes that occur at morpheme or word boundaries . Examples include the fusion of sounds across word boundaries and the alteration of sounds due to neighboring sounds or due to the grammatical function of adjacent words...
, it is usually, but not necessary, written with ⟨ў⟩ instead. For example, у хляве ([u xlʲaˈvʲe] u chlavié, ‘in the shed’) but увайшлі яны ў хлеў ([uvajʃˈlʲi jaˈnɨ ʊ xlʲeʊ] uvajšlí janý ŭ chleŭ, ‘they went into the shed’).
The letter ⟨ў⟩ is also used to represent the labial-velar approximant /w/ in foreign loanwords.
Monument
In September 2003, during the tenth Days of Belarusian Literacy celebrations, the authorities in PolatskPolatsk
Polotsk , is a historical city in Belarus, situated on the Dvina river. It is the center of Polotsk district in Vitsebsk Voblast. Its population is more than 80,000 people...
, the oldest Belarusian city, made a monument to honor the unique Cyrillic Belarusian letter ⟨ў⟩. The original idea for the monument came from professor Paval Siemčanka, a scholar of Cyrillic calligraphy and type
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
.
Related letters and other similar characters
: Cyrillic letter Izhitsa- У у : Cyrillic letter U
- Ŭ ŭ : Latin letter U with breveUU is the twenty-first letter and a vowel in the basic modern Latin alphabet.-History:The letter U ultimately comes from the Semitic letter Waw by way of the letter Y. See the letter Y for details....
- Ł ł : Latin letter L with stroke
- W w : Latin letter WWW is the 23rd letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet.In other Germanic languages, including German, its pronunciation is similar or identical to that of English V...
: Cyrillic letter U with macron : Cyrillic letter We - Й й : Cyrillic letter Short I
Computing codes
| character | Ў | ў | ||
| Unicode name | CYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER SHORT U |
CYRILLIC SMALL LETTER SHORT U |
||
| character encoding | decimal | hex | decimal | hex |
| Unicode Unicode Unicode is a computing industry standard for the consistent encoding, representation and handling of text expressed in most of the world's writing systems... |
1038 | 040E | 1118 | 045E |
| UTF-8 UTF-8 UTF-8 is a multibyte character encoding for Unicode. Like UTF-16 and UTF-32, UTF-8 can represent every character in the Unicode character set. Unlike them, it is backward-compatible with ASCII and avoids the complications of endianness and byte order marks... |
208 142 | D0 8E | 209 158 | D1 9E |
| Numeric character reference Numeric character reference A numeric character reference is a common markup construct used in SGML and other SGML-related markup languages such as HTML and XML. It consists of a short sequence of characters that, in turn, represent a single character from the Universal Character Set of Unicode... |
Ў | Ў | ў | ў |
| Code page 855 Code page 855 Code page 855 is a code page used under MS-DOS to write Cyrillic script. This code page is not used much.-Code page layout:... |
153 | 99 | 152 | 98 |
| Code page 866 Code page 866 Code page 866 is a code page used under MS-DOS to write Cyrillic script. It is based on the "alternative character set" of GOST 19768-87... |
246 | F6 | 247 | F7 |
| Windows-1251 Windows-1251 Windows-1251 is a popular 8-bit character encoding, designed to cover languages that use the Cyrillic alphabet such as Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian Cyrillic and other languages... |
161 | A1 | 162 | A2 |
| ISO-8859-5 | 174 | AE | FE | |
| Macintosh Cyrillic | 216 | D8 | 217 | D9 |