Romanian Cyrillic alphabet

The Romanian Cyrillic alphabet is the Cyrillic alphabet that was used to write the Romanian language before the 1860s, when it was officially replaced by a Latin-based Romanian alphabet. The Romanian Cyrillic alphabet was based on the Bulgarian alphabet. Cyrillic remained in occasional use until the 1920s, mostly in Russian-ruled Bessarabia.[1]

Romanian Cyrillic
Type
LanguagesRomanian
Time period
16th–19th centuries
Parent systems
Sister systems
Early Cyrillic alphabet

From the 1830s until the full adoption of the Latin alphabet, the so-called Romanian transitional alphabet was in place, combining Cyrillic and Latin letters, and including some of the Latin letters with diacritics that remain in the modern Romanian alphabet.[2] The Romanian Orthodox Church continued using the alphabet in its publications until 1881.[3]

The Romanian Cyrillic alphabet is not the same as the Moldovan Cyrillic alphabet (which is based on the Russian alphabet) used in the Moldavian SSR for most of the Soviet era.

Table of correspondence

The Romanian Cyrillic alphabet was close to the contemporary version of the Early Cyrillic alphabet of the Old Church Slavonic liturgical language.

Letter Numerical
value		 Romanian
Latin
equivalent		 Transitional
alphabet		 Moldovan
Cyrillic
equivalent		 Phoneme Romanian
name[4]		 Slavonic
equiv.
name
А а1aA aа/a/azазъ (azŭ)
Б БbБ Бб/b/bucheбꙋкꙑ (buky)
В в2vВ вв/v/vedeвѣдѣ (vĕdĕ)
Г г3g, ghG gг/ɡ/glagolглаголи (glagoli)
Д д4dD dд/d/dobruдобро (dobro)
Є є, Е e[5]5eE eе/e/estєстъ (estŭ)
Ж жjЖ жж/ʒ/juveteживѣтє (živěte)
Ѕ ѕ6dzḐ ḑдз/d͡z/zaluꙃѣло (dzělo)
З з7zZ zз/z/zemleзємл҄ꙗ (zemlja)
И и8iI iи/i/ijeижє (iže)
Й й[6]iĬ ĭй/j/, /ʲ/
І і[7]10iI iи/i/iи (i)
К к20c, chК к
or
K k		к/k/kakuкако (kako)
Л л30lЛ лл/l/liudeлюдиѥ (ljudije)
М м40mM mм/m/misleteмꙑслитє (myslite)
Н н50nN nн/n/nașнашь (našĭ)
Ѻ ѻ, О o[5]70oO oо/o̯/onонъ (onŭ)
П п80pП пп/p/pocoiпокои (pokoi)
Р р100rР рр/r/râțăрьци (rĭci)
С с200sS sс/s/slovăслово (slovo)
Т т300tT tт/t/tferduтврьдо (tvrĭdo)
ОУ оу[5]400uꙊ ꙋ[8] (Ȣ, ȣ, ɣ)у/u/upsilonꙋкъ (ukŭ)
Оу Ȣ, У Ȣ[5]ucu
Ф ф500fF fф/f/fârtaфрьтъ (frĭtŭ)
Х х600hХ хх/h/heruхѣръ (xěrŭ)
Ѡ ѡ[9]800oO oо/o/omegaотъ (otŭ)
Щ щștЩ щшт/ʃt/șteaща (šta)
Ц ц900țЦ цц/t͡s/țiци
Ч ч90c (before e, i)Ч чч/t͡ʃ/cervuчрьвь (črĭvĭ)
Ш шșШ шш/ʃ/șaша (ša)
Ъ ъă, ŭ[10]Ъ ъэ/ə/ierѥръ (jerŭ)
Ы ы, Ꙑ ꙑâ, î, ĭ, ŭ[10]Î îы/ɨ/ieriѥрꙑ (jery)
Ь ьă, ŭ, ĭ[10]Ꙋ̆ ꙋ̆ь—ѥрь (jerĭ)
Ѣ ѣeaEa eaя/e̯a/eati(u)ѣть (ětĭ)
Ю юiuĬꙋ ĭꙋю/ju/Io / iuю (ju)
Ꙗ ꙗ, IA[5]iaĬa ĭaиа/ja/iaꙗ (ja)
Ѥ ѥ, IE[5]ieĬe ĭeие/je/ѥ (je)
Ѧ ѧĭa, ea[10]Ĭa ĭa, Ea eaя/ja/iaѧсъ (ęsŭ)
Ѫ ѫîÎ îы/ɨ/ѫсъ (ǫsŭ)
Ѯ ѯ[11]60xKs ksкс/ks/csiѯи (ksi)
Ѱ ѱ[11]700psПs пsпс/ps/psiѱи (psi)
Ѳ ѳ[11]9th, ftT t, Ft ftт, фт/t/ and approx. /θ/ or /f/thitaфита (fita)
Ѵ ѵ[11]400i, uI i; Ꙋ ꙋи, у/i/, /y/, /v/ижица (ižica)
Ꙟ ꙟ, ↑ ↑în îmÎn în Îm îmын, ым/ɨn/, /ɨm/în
Џ џg (before e, i)Џ џӂ/d͡ʒ/gea

Unregulated transitional alphabets

Starting with the 1830s and ending with the official adoption of the Latin alphabet, there were no regulations for writing Romanian, and various alphabets using Cyrillic and Latin letters, besides the mid-transitional version in the table above, were used, sometimes two or more of them in a single book. The following table shows some of the many alphabets used in print.

Pre-1830 1833[12] 1838[13] 1846 (1)[14] 1846 (2)[15] 1848[16] 1858[17] 1860[18]
А аА аА аА аА аА аA aA a
Б Б Б Б Б Б Б Б Б Б Б Б B b Б Б
В вВ вВ вВ вВ вВ вV vВ в
Г гГ гГ гГ гГ гГ гG gГ г
Д дД дД дD dД дD dD dD d
Є є, Е eЄ єЄ єE eΕ εE eE eE e
Ж жЖ жЖ жЖ жЖ жЖ жJ jЖ ж
Ѕ ѕЅ ѕДз дзḐ ḑДз дзDz dzDz dzDz dz
З зЗ зЗ зZ zЗ зZ zZ zZ z
И иИ иI iI iІ іI iI iI i
І іЇ їI iI iІ іI iI iI i
К кК кК кK kК кК кK kK k
Л лЛ лЛ лЛ лЛ лЛ лL lL l
М мМ мМ мM mМ мM mM mM m
Н нН нН нN nN ɴN nN nN n
Ѻ ѻ, О oО оО оO oО оО оО оO о
П пП пП пП пП пП пП пП п
Р рР рР рР рР рР рR rР р
С сС сС сS sС сС сS sS s
Т тТ тТ тT tТ тТ тT tT t
Оу оу У у (initial)
Ꙋ ꙋ (mid and final)		 Ꙋ ꙋ Ꙋ ꙋ Ꙋ ꙋ Ꙋ ꙋ Ꙋ ꙋ Ꙋ ꙋ
Ꙋ, ȣ
Ф фФ фФ фФ фФ фФ фF fФ ф
Х хХ хХ хХ хХ хХ хХ хХ х
Ѡ ѡ Ѡ ѡ[19] О оO oО оO oО оО о
Щ щЩ щЩ щЩ щШт штЩ щШt шtШt шt
Ц цЦ цЦ цЦ цЦ цЦ цЦ цЦ ц
Ч чЧ чЧ чЧ чЧ чЧ чЧ чЧ ч
Ш шШ шШ шШ шШ шШ шШ шШ ш
Ъ ъЪ ъЪ ъЪ ъЪ ъЪ ъЪ ъЪ ъ
Ы ы Ꙟ ꙟ (initial)
Ѫ ѫ (mid and final)		 Ꙟ ꙟ (initial)
Ѫ ѫ (mid and final)		 Ꙟ ꙟꙞ ꙟ / Î î (transitional form) Ꙟ ꙟ (initial)
Ѫ ѫ (mid and final)		 Î îÎ î
Ѣ ѣ Ѣ ѣѢ ѣEa ea Εа εа (ligature, small letter only) Ea eaEa eaEa ea
Ю ю Ю ю IꙊ iꙋ (ligature) IꙊ Iꙋ iꙋ (ligature) IꙊ Iꙋ іꙋ (ligature, small letter only) Iꙋ iꙋ IꙊ iꙋ (ligature) Ĭꙋ ĭꙋ
Ꙗ ꙗ Ꙗ ꙗ (initial)
Ѧ ѧ (mid and final)		 Ꙗ ꙗ Ꙗ Iа (ligature) ꙗ IА Iа ꙗIa iaĬa ĭaĬa ĭa
Ѥ ѥЙє йєĬe ĭeĬe ĭeĬε ĭεIe ieĬe ĭeĬe ĭe
Ѧ ѧ Ꙗ ꙗ (initial)
Ѧ ѧ (mid and final)		 Ꙗ ꙗ Ꙗ Iа (ligature) ꙗ IА Iа ꙗIa iaĬa ĭaĬa ĭa
Ѫ ѫ Ꙟ ꙟ (initial)
Ѫ ѫ (mid and final)		 Ꙟ ꙟ (initial)
Ѫ ѫ (mid and final)		 Ꙟ ꙟꙞ ꙟ / Î î (transitional form) Ꙟ ꙟ (initial)
Ѫ ѫ (mid and final)		 Î îÎ î
Ѯ ѯКс ксКс ксKs ksКс ксКс ксKs ksKs ks
Ѱ ѱ[11]Пс псПс псПs пsПс псПс псПs пsПs пs
Ѳ ѳ[11]Т тТ тT tѲ ѳТ тT tT t
Ѵ ѵ[11]И, ꙊI, ꙊI, ꙊІ, ꙊІ, ꙊI, ꙊI, Ꙋ
Ꙟ ꙟꙞн ꙟн Ꙟм ꙟмꙞн ꙟн Ꙟм ꙟмꙞн ꙟн Ꙟм ꙟмꙞⲛ ꙟⲛ Ꙟм ꙟмꙞn ꙟn Ꙟm ꙟmÎn în Îm îmÎn în Îm îm
Џ џЏ џЏ џЏ џЏ џЏ џЏ џЏ џ

An example of Romanian Cyrillic text

According to a document from the 1850s,[20] this is how the Romanian Lord's Prayer looked in Cyrillic script. Transcriptional values correspond to the above table.

Тáтъʌь нѡ́стрꙋ Tatăl nostru

Та́тъль но́стрꙋ ка́реле є҆́щй ꙟ҆ че́рюрй: сфн҃цѣ́скъсе нꙋ́меле тъ́ꙋ:
Ві́е ꙟ҆пъръці́ѧ та̀: Фі́е во́ѧ та̀, пре кꙋ́мь ꙟ҆ че́рю, шѝ пре пъмѫ́нть.
Пѫ́йнѣ ноа́стръ, чѣ̀ де то́ате зи́леле, дъ́неѡ но́аѡ а҆́стъзй.
Шѝ не ꙗ҆́ртъ но́аѡ даторі́йле ноа́стре,
пре кꙋ́мь шѝ но́й є҆ртъ́мь дато́рничилѡрь но́щрй.
Шѝ нꙋ́ не дꙋ́че пе но́й ꙟ҆ и҆спи́тъ. Чѝ не и҆збъвѣще де че́ль ръ́ꙋ.
Къ а҆та̀ ꙗ҆́сте ꙟ҆пъръці́ѧ, шѝ Пꙋтѣ́рѣ, шѝ мъри́рѣ ꙟ҆ вѣ́чй, а҆ми́нь.

Tatăl nostru, carele ești în ceriuri, sfințeascăse numele tău:
Vie împărăția ta: Fie voia ta, pre cumi în ceriu, și pre pământi.
Pâinea noastră, cea de toate zilele, dăneo noua astăzi.
Și ne iartă noua datoriile noastre,
pre cumi și noi iertămi datornicilori noștri.
Și nu ne duce pe noi în ispită. Ci ne izbăveaște de celi rău.
Că ata iaste împrăția, și Putearea, și mărirea în veaci, amini.

See also

References
  1. Ileana-Stanca Desa, Dulciu Morărescu, Ioana Patriche, Adriana Raliade, Iliana Sulică, Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. III: Catalog alfabetic 1919–1924, pp. 235–236, 264, 368, 374, 575, 708, 1024. Bucharest: Editura Academiei, 1987
  2. George Baiculescu, Georgeta Răduică, Neonila Onofrei, Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. II: Catalog alfabetic 1907–1918. Supliment 1790–1906, pp. 763, 801, 810, 813, 832, 867. Bucharest: Editura Academiei, 1969
  3. Grigore Chiriță, Societatea din Principatele Unite Române în perioada constituirii statului național (1856-1866), p. 134. Bucharest: Editura Academiei Române, 2004, ISBN 978-973-270-984-9
  4. According to Costache Negruzzi, "Cum am învățat românește", first published in Curier de Ambe Sexe, I, nr. 22, p.337–343
  5. Initial vs. non-initial shapes: Є/Е, Ѻ/О, Оу/У, IA/Ѧ.
  6. Й is hardly a separate letter of the alphabet; the letters Ю, Ȣ and Ѡ also accept a brevity sign.
  7. In loanwords of Greek origin (or ones adopted through the Greek language), letters И and І correspond to eta and iota, respectively. In the words of Romanian origin and in Slavic loanwords, their usage follows pre-1917 Russian rules, namely, І before vowels, otherwise И.
  8. Book written in the transitional alphabet showing various letter forms
  9. The distinction of Ѡ and О is present not only in loanwords, but in Romanian words as well.
  10. Letters ĭ and ŭ represent a barely spoken/heard i or u.
  11. Letters Ѯ, Ѱ, Ѳ and Ѵ are used for copying Greek spelling of loanwords (especially for names and toponyms).
  12. Grammatică practică romano-franțozeaseă compusă dupre autorii clasicii cei ... - George Vida. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  13. Filosofice și politice prin falule învățaturĭ morale - Dimitrie Țichindeal, Dositej Obradović. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  14. Magazinu istoriku pentru Dacia - Treboniu A. Laurian, Nicolae Bălcescu. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  15. Noul Testament al Domnuluī shī Mîntuītoruluī nostru Īīsus Khrīstos. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  16. Biografia lui Viliam G. Shecspri dupe Le Fourneur: Urmată de Romeo cu ... - William Shakespeare. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  17. Istoria Moldo-Romănieĭ: arătîndŭ neamurile de ċare s'aŭ loċuitŭ aceste ... - George Ioanid. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  18. Cîntece naționale: Tipărite cu fondul d-lor librarĭ Pusu i Petriu. A treia ... - O. Dumitrescu. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
  19. -лѡр only
  20. File:Romanian-kirilitza-tatal-nostru.jpg
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