Editing Yodh

{{Short description|Tenth letter of many Semitic alphabets}}
{{Distinguish|youth}}
{{Redirect|Yudh}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox Semitic letter
 | letname = Yodh
 | previouslink = Teth
 | previousletter = Teth
 | nextlink = Kaph
 | nextletter = Kaph
 | archar = ي
 | sychar = ܝ
 | hechar = י
 | amchar = 𐡉
 | gechar = የ
 | phchar = 𐤉
 | grchar = [[Ι]]
 | lachar = [[I]], [[J]]
 | cychar = [[І]], [[Ј]]
 | ipa = {{IPA link|j}}, {{IPA link|i}}, {{IPA link|e}}
 | num = 10
 | gem = 10
}}

'''Yodh''' (also spelled '''jodh''', '''yod''', or '''jod''') is the tenth [[Letter (alphabet)|letter]] of the Semitic [[abjad]]s, including [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]] ''yōd'' 𐤉, [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew]] ''yod'' {{Script|Hebr|י}}, [[Aramaic alphabet|Aramaic]] ''yod'' 𐡉, [[Syriac alphabet|Syriac]] ''yōḏ'' ܝ, and [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]] ''yāʾ'' {{Script|Arabic|ي}}. It is also related to the [[Ancient North Arabian]] 𐪚‎‎‎, [[Ancient South Arabian script|South Arabian]] {{lang|sem-x-oldsoara|𐩺}}, and [[Geʽez script|Ge'ez]] {{lang|gez|የ}}. Its sound value is {{IPAslink|j}} in all languages for which it is used; in many languages, it also serves as a [[vowel length|long vowel]], representing {{IPAslink|i|iː}}.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The Phoenician letter gave rise to the [[Greek alphabet|Greek]] [[Iota]] (Ι),<ref>Victor Parker, ''A History of Greece, 1300 to 30 BC'', (John Wiley & Sons, 2014), 67.</ref> [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] [[I]] and [[J]], <!--but NOT Y; the Latin Y comes from Waw via Upsilon.--> [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]] [[Dotted I (Cyrillic)|І]], [[Coptic alphabet|Coptic]] {{Transliteration|cop|italic=no|Iauda}} (Ⲓ) and [[Gothic alphabet|Gothic]] [[isaz|eis]] [[File:Gothic_letter_eis.svg|4px]].

The term '''yod''' is often used to refer to the speech sound {{IPAblink|j}}, a [[palatal approximant]], even in discussions of languages not written in Semitic abjads, as in phonological phenomena such as English "[[yod-dropping]]".

==Origins==
{{Hatnote|See full article: [[Proto-Sinaitic script]]}}
Yod originated from a [[Egyptian hieroglyphs|hieroglyphic]] "hand", or [[Proto-Sinaitic script|*yad]].
<hiero>D36</hiero>
Before the late nineteenth century, the letter yāʼ was written without its two dots, especially those in the [[Levant]].

==Arabic yāʼ==
{{Infobox grapheme
| name = Yāʾ ياء
| letter = <span style="line-height:normal;">ي</span>
| variations = 
| image = 
| imagesize = 200
| imagealt = 
| script = [[Arabic script]]
| type = [[Abjad]]
| typedesc = 
| language = [[Arabic language]]
| phonemes = {{IPAblink|j}}, {{IPAblink|iː}}
| unicode = 
| alphanumber = 4
| number = 
| usageperiod = 
| children = 
| equivalents = 
| associates = 
| direction = Right-to-left
| fam1 = 𐤉
| fam2 = 𐡉
| fam3 = 
| fam4 = ى
}}

The letter {{lang|ar|ي}} is named ''{{Transliteration|ar|ALA|yāʼ}}'' ({{lang|ar|يَاء}}). It is written in several ways depending on its position in the word:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ي}}

It is pronounced in four ways:
* As a consonant, it is pronounced as a [[palatal approximant]] '''{{IPA|/j/}}''', typically at the beginnings of words in front of short or long vowels.
*A [[vowel length|long]] <!--The value may change across North Africa and West Asia--> {{IPA|/iː/}} usually in the middle or end of words. In this case it has no diacritic, but could be marked with a [[Kasrah|kasra]] in the preceding letter in some traditions.
*A [[vowel length|long]] {{IPA|/eː/}} In many [[varieties of Arabic|dialects]], as a result of the [[monophthongization]] that the diphthong {{IPA|/aj/}} underwent in most words.
* A part of a [[diphthong]], {{IPA|/aj/}}. Then, it has no diacritic but could be marked with a sukun in some traditions. The preceding consonant could have no diacritic or have {{Transliteration|ar|DIN|[[fatḥa]]}} sign, hinting to the first vowel in the diphthong, i.e. {{IPA|/a/}}.

As a vowel, yāʾ can serve as the "seat" of the [[hamza]]: {{lang|ar|ئ}}

Yāʾ serves several functions in the Arabic language. Yāʾ as a prefix is the marker for a singular [[imperfective aspect|imperfective]] verb, as in {{lang|ar|يَكْتُب}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|yaktub}}'' "he writes" from the root {{lang|ar|ك-ت-ب}} K-T-B ("write, writing"). Yāʾ with a [[shadda]] is particularly used to turn a noun into an adjective, called a ''nisbah'' ({{lang|ar|نِسْبَة}}). For instance, {{lang|ar|مِصْر}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|Miṣr}}'' ([[Egypt]]) → {{lang|ar|مِصْرِيّ}} ''Miṣriyy'' (Egyptian). The transformation can be more abstract; for instance, {{lang|ar|مَوْضَوع}} ''mawḍūʿ'' (matter, object) → {{lang|ar|مَوْضُوعِيّ}} ''mawḍūʿiyy'' ([[wikt:objectivity|objective]]). Still other uses of this function can be a bit further from the root: {{lang|ar|اِشْتِرَاك}} ''ishtirāk'' (cooperation) → {{lang|ar|اِشْتِرَاكِيّ}} ''ishtirākiyy'' ([[socialism|socialist]]). The common pronunciation of the final {{IPA|/-ijj/}} is most often pronounced as {{IPA|ar|i|}} or {{IPA|ar|iː|}}.

A form similar to but distinguished from yāʾ is the ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|ʾalif maqṣūrah}}'' ({{lang|ar|أَلِف مَقْصُورَة}}) "limited/restricted [[aleph|alif]]", with the form {{lang|ar|ى}}. It indicates a final long <!--Across North Africa & West Asia it has different values [e, ɛ, æ, a, ä]--> {{IPA|/aː/}}.

=== Alif maqṣūrah ===
{{further|Aleph#alif_maqsura}}
In Arabic, ''alif maqṣūrah'' is the letter ''yāʼ'' without its two dots, and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ى}}
However, this letter cannot be used initially or medially in Arabic. The ''alif maqṣūrah'' with [[hamza]] is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ئ}}

===Perso-Arabic ye===
<!-- [[ی]] redirects here -->
{{Arabic script sidebar|Pashto|nav=no}}
{{Arabic script sidebar|Persian|nav=no}}

In the [[Persian alphabet]], the letter is generally called ''ye'' following [[Persian language|Persian-language]] custom. In its isolated and final forms, the letter does not have dots ({{lang|fa|ی}}), much like the Arabic ''[[Aleph#Alif maqṣūrah: ى|Alif maqṣūrah]]'' or, more to the point, much like the custom in Egypt, Sudan and sometimes Maghreb. On account of this difference, Perso-Arabic ''ye'' is located at a different [[Unicode]] [[code point]] than both of the standard Arabic letters. In computers, the Persian version of the letter automatically appears with two dots initially and medially: (<big>{{lang|fa|یـ ـیـ ـی}}</big>).
{{Arabic alphabet Naskh and Nastaliq shapes|ی}}

In [[Kashmiri language|Kashmiri]], it uses a ring instead of dots below (ؠ) (<big>{{script/Arabic|ؠ ؠـ ـؠـ ـؠ}}</big>).
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ؠ}}

=== Returned yāʾ ===
In different calligraphic styles like the [[Hijazi script]], [[Kufic]], and [[Nastaʿlīq script]], a final ''yāʾ'' might have a particular shape with the descender turned to the right (<span style="margin-right:1em;">{{Nastaliq|ـے}}</span>), called {{Transliteration|ar|al-yāʾ al-mardūdah/al-rājiʿah}} ("returned, recurred ''yāʾ''"),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gacek |first1=Adam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfZYCcOL8dYC&pg=PA29 |title=The Arabic manuscript tradition: a glossary of technical terms and bibliography: supplement |date=2008 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-9004165403 |location=Leiden |page=29}}</ref> either with two dots or without them.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Yūsofī |first1=Ḡolām-Ḥosayn |title=Encyclopædia Iranica |date=1990 |volume=IV |pages=680–704 |chapter=Calligraphy |chapter-url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/calligraphy |access-date=2015-10-03 |archive-date=2021-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025231747/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/calligraphy |url-status=live }}</ref>

In [[Urdu alphabet|Urdu]] this is called ''[[baṛī ye]]'' ("big ye"), but is an independent letter used for /ɛː, eː/ and differs from the basic ye (''choṭī ye'', "little ye"). For this reason the letter has its own [[code point]] in Unicode. Nevertheless, its initial and medial forms are not different from the other ''ye'' (practically ''baṛī ye'' is not used in these positions).
{{Arabic alphabet Naskh and Nastaliq shapes|ے}}

== Hebrew yod ==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=5|[[Orthography|Orthographic]] variants
|-
!colspan=3|<small>Various print fonts</small>
!rowspan=2|<small>[[Cursive Hebrew|Cursive<br />Hebrew]]</small>
!rowspan=2|<small>[[Rashi script|Rashi<br />script]]</small>
|-
!|<small>Serif</small> !! <small>[[Sans-serif]]</small> !! <small>[[Monospaced]]</small>
|-
|width=20%|<span style="font:31pt 'Times New Roman', 'SBL Hebrew', David, Narkisim, 'New Peninim MT', 'Taamey Frank CLM', serif;">י</span>
|width=20%|<span style="font:29pt Arial, 'DejaVu Sans Condensed', 'DejaVu Sans', Tahoma, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', Alef, sans-serif;">י</span>
|width=20%|<span style="font:31pt 'Courier New', 'Miriam Fixed', 'Miriam Mono CLM', FreeMono, 'Fixed Miriam Transparent', monospace;">י</span>
|width=20%|[[File:Hebrew letter Yud handwriting.svg|38px]]
|width=20%|[[File:Yud (Rashi-script - Hebrew letter).svg|45px]]
|}

Hebrew spelling: <big>{{lang|he|יוֹד}}</big> <span style="unicode-bidi:bidi-override">;<ref>[http://morfix.mako.co.il/default.aspx?q=%u05D9%u05D5%u05D3 Morfix.mako.co.il]{{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/05d9/index.htm |title=Fileformat.info |access-date=2018-03-21 |archive-date=2018-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403023927/http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/05d9/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref></span> colloquial <big>{{lang|he|יוּד}}</big>

;The letter appears with or without a hook on different sans-serif fonts, for example:
* Arial, DejaVu Sans, Arimo, Open Sans: <span style="font:29pt Arial, 'DejaVu Sans Condensed', 'DejaVu Sans', Arimo, 'Open Sans', sans-serif;">י</span>
* Tahoma, Alef, Heebo: <span style="font:29pt Tahoma, Alef, Heebo, sans-serif;">י</span>

===Pronunciation===
In both [[Biblical Hebrew|Biblical]] and [[Modern Hebrew]], Yod represents a [[palatal approximant]] ({{IPAblink|j}}). As a [[mater lectionis]], it represents the vowel {{IPAblink|i}}.

===Significance===
In [[gematria]], Yod represents the number ten.

As a [[prefix (linguistics)|prefix]], it designates the third person singular (or plural, with a [[waw (letter)|Vav]] as a [[suffix]]) in the future tense.

As a [[suffix]], it indicates first person singular possessive; ''av'' (father) becomes ''avi'' (my father).

====In religion====
{{redirect|Double Yod|the use in Yiddish|#Yiddish}}
Two Yods in a row ({{large|{{lang|he|יי}}}}) designate the [[names of God in Judaism|name of God]] and in pointed texts are written with the vowels of [[Adonai]], which is done as well with the [[Tetragrammaton]].

As Yod is the smallest letter, much [[Kabbalah|kabbalistic]] and mystical significance is attached. According to the [[Gospel of Matthew]], [[Jesus]] mentioned it during the [[Matthew 5#Antitheses|Antithesis of the Law]], when he says: "One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Jot, or iota, refers to the letter Yod; scribes often overlooked it because of its size and position as a [[mater lectionis]]. In Modern Hebrew, "tip of the yod" refers to a small and insignificant thing, and someone who "worries about the tip of a yod" is picky and meticulous about minor details.

Much kabbalistic and mystical significance is also attached to it because of its [[gematria]] value as ten, which is an important number in Judaism, and its place in the name of God.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.inner.org/hebleter/yud.htm |title=Inner.org |access-date=2004-11-06 |archive-date=2023-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522232256/https://www.inner.org/hebleter/yud.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Yiddish===

In [[Yiddish]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Weinreich|first=Uriel|date=1992|title=College Yiddish|location=New York|publisher=[[YIVO]] Institute for Jewish Research|pages=27–8|author-link = Uriel Weinreich}}</ref> the letter yod is used for several orthographic purposes in native words:
* Alone, a single yod {{lang|yi|rtl=yes|י}} may represent the vowel {{IPAblink|i}} or the consonant {{IPAblink|j}}. When adjacent to another vowel, or another yod, {{IPAblink|i}} may be distinguished from {{IPAblink|j}} by the addition of a dot below. Thus the word ''Yidish'' 'Yiddish' is spelled {{lang|yi|rtl=yes|ייִדיש}}. The first yod represents [{{IPA|j}}]; the second yod represents [{{IPA|i}}] and is distinguished from the adjacent [{{IPA|j}}] by a dot; the third yod represents [{{IPA|i}}] as well, but no dot is necessary.
* The [[digraph (orthography)|digraph]] {{lang|yi|rtl=yes|יי}}, consisting of two yods, represents the diphthong [{{IPA|ej}}].
* A pair of yods with a horizontal line (''[[patach|pasekh]]'') under them, {{lang|yi|rtl=yes|ײַ}}, represents the diphthong [{{IPA|aj}}] in standard Yiddish.
* The digraph consisting of a [[Waw (letter)|vov]] followed by a yod, {{lang|yi|rtl=yes|וי}}, represents the diphthong [{{IPA|oj}}].

In traditional and [[YIVO]] [[Yiddish orthography]], [[loanword]]s from Hebrew or Aramaic ("[[Lashon Hakodesh|loshn koydesh]]") are spelled as they are in their language of origin. In the [[Soviet]] orthography, they are written phonetically like other Yiddish words.

==Syriac yod==
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ܝ‎}}

==Character encodings==
{{charmap
|05D9|name1=Hebrew Letter Yod
|064A|name2=Arabic Letter Yeh
|06CC|name3=Arabic Letter Farsi Yeh
|071D|name4=Syriac Letter Yudh
|0809|name5=Samaritan Letter Yut
}}

{{charmap
|1038A|name1=Ugaritic Letter Yod
|10849|name2=Imperial Aramaic Letter Yodh
|10909|name3=Phoenician Letter Yod
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Yodh (letter)}}{{Arabic language}}{{Hebrew language}}
{{Northwest Semitic abjad}}

[[Category:Phoenician alphabet]]
[[Category:Arabic letters]]
[[Category:Hebrew letters]]
[[Category:Urdu letters]]
[[Category:Vowel letters]]