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Old Common

A precursor language to the common tongue (or, Modern Common), which used a slighly modified alphabet and was in use from the Second Age and eventually transformed into Modern Common in the first few centuries of the Third Age.

While no longer in use today, it can still occasionally be found in old inscriptions, ancient scrolls, and certain names.

Many names of places and deities have multiple written forms. For example, Bhreia can also be written as ΒηρΡια.

The Old Common Alphabet uses the following letters:

Upper Case Lower Case Name Modern Equivalent
Ξ‘ Ξ± Alpha A, a
Ξ’ Ξ² Beta B, b
Ξ“ Ξ³ Gamma G, g
Ξ” Ξ΄ Delta D, d
Ξ• Ξ΅ Epsilon E, e
Ξ– ΞΆ Zeta Z, z
Ξ— Ξ· Eta H, h
Θ θ Theta th (as in this, that)
Ξ™ ΞΉ Iota I, i
Κ κ Kappa K, k
Ξ› Ξ» Lambda L, l
Μ μ Mu M, m
Ν ν Nu N, n
Ξ ξ Xi X, x
Ο ο Omicron O, o
Ξ  Ο€ Pi P, p
Α ρ Rho rolled R
Ξ£ Οƒ/Ο‚ Sigma S, s
Ξ€ Ο„ Tau T, t
Ξ₯ Ο… Upsilon U as in luna, lute
Ξ¦ Ο† Phi ph as in phenom
Ξ§ Ο‡ Chi ch as in loch or a Dutch guttural G
Ψ ψ Psi ps as in lapse
Ξ© Ο‰ Omega a long O as in omen

Also see this Wikipedia page for further pronunciation.

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