Editing Hittite language (section)

==Script==
{{Main|Hittite cuneiform}}
Hittite was written in an adapted form of Peripheral Akkadian [[cuneiform]] orthography from Northern Syria. The predominantly syllabic nature of the script makes it difficult to ascertain the precise phonetic qualities of some of the [[Hittite phonology|Hittite sound inventory]].

The syllabary distinguishes the following consonants (notably, the Akkadian ''s'' series is dropped),
:''b, d, g, ḫ, k, l, m, n, p, r, š, t, z'', combined with the vowels ''a, e, i, u''. Additionally, ''ya'' (= I.A : {{cuneiform|ana|𒄿𒀀}}), ''wa'' (= PI : {{cuneiform|ana|𒉿}}) and ''wi'' (= ''wi<sub>5</sub>'' = GEŠTIN : {{cuneiform|ana|𒃾}}) signs are introduced.

The Akkadian unvoiced/voiced series (k/g, p/b, t/d) do not express the voiced/unvoiced contrast in writing, but double spellings in intervocalic positions represent voiceless consonants in Indo-European ([[Sturtevant's law]]).