Pronunciation: [ˈalfəbˌɛt] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "alphabet" follows the typical English phonetic system. The word consists of two syllables: al-pha-bet. The initial syllable "al" is pronounced with a short "æ" sound, as in "cat". The second syllable "pha" is pronounced with a long "f" sound, as in "phone". The final syllable "bet" is pronounced with a short "ɛ" sound, as in "let". Together, the word is pronounced as "ælfəbet" in IPA phonetic transcription.
The term "alphabet" refers to a set of symbols or characters that are used to represent the sounds of a specific language in a written form. It is a standardized and organized system of letters that typically represent consonants and vowels, enabling communication through written language. The alphabet serves as the foundation of written communication and is an important tool in literacy and education.
Most alphabets are comprised of individual letters that have distinct shapes or symbols. These symbols are arranged in a specific order and can be combined to create words, sentences, and texts. Each letter in an alphabet represents a specific sound or phoneme, which may differ based on the language and its phonetic structure.
The development of alphabets is essential in preserving and transmitting language and knowledge across generations. Alphabets have evolved over time, with various scripts and writing systems developed across different cultures and civilizations. The most widely used alphabet today is the Latin alphabet, which is used by numerous languages around the world, including English.
Learning the alphabet is often one of the first steps in acquiring literacy skills. It enables individuals to recognize, pronounce, and combine letters to form words, thereby facilitating reading and writing. Alphabets are also used in the organization of dictionaries and encyclopedias, as well as in indexing and categorizing systems.
The letters of any language arranged in a fixed order.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "alphabet" is derived from the first two letters of the Greek alphabet, "alpha" and "beta". The Greek alphabet itself was adapted from the Phoenician alphabet, which consisted of pictographic symbols representing consonant sounds. Through trading and cultural interactions, the Phoenician alphabet was modified by the Greeks, who introduced vowel sounds and additional symbols. Thus, the word "alphabet" came to represent the entire system of written characters in a language.
