Ben (Armenian letter)

{{Infobox grapheme

|name=Armenian letter Ben

|letter=Բ բ

|variations=

|image=Armenian letter Ben.svg

|imagesize=200px

|imagealt=Typeface upper and lower case of letter ben

|image2=Բ_handwritten.svg

|imagesize2=133

|imagealt2=Handwritten upper and lower case of letter ben

|script=Armenian alphabet

|type=Alphabet

|language=Armenian

|phonemes={{IPAlink|b}} (Eastern Armenian)
{{IPAlink|pʰ}} (Western Armenian, in some places in the Eastern)

|unicode=U+0532, U+0562

|alphanumber=2nd

|number=2

|fam1= Possibly, Β β or Ϝ ϝ

|usageperiod=Since 405 to present

|children=

|sisters=

|equivalents=

|associates=

|typedesc=ic}}

Ben (majuscule: Բ, minuscule: բ; {{langx|hy|բեն}}) is a letter of the Armenian alphabet, used in the Armenian language.

It was one of the original letters in the Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 AD.Aleksandra Krawczuka (editor): Wielka Historia Świata, vol. 3. Świat okresu cywilizacji klasycznych.' Oficyna Wydawnicza FOGRA, 2005, p. 586. ISBN 83-85719-84-9.

It is speculated to be derived from the Greek letter Beta with the rightmost curves cut off somewhat. Along with the letter Ayb, it forms the word "այբուբեն" (alphabet).

Usage

It is the 2nd letter of the Armenian alphabet, used in the Armenian language. In Eastern Armenian dialect, it is usually pronounced as the voiced bilabial plosive [b], though in some sub-dialects, it can be pronounced as the voiceless bilabial plosive [p], or as the aspirated voiceless bilabial plosive [pʰ]. In the Western Armenian dialect, it is pronounced as the aspirated voiceless bilabial plosive [pʰ].Takayuki Yoshimura. [http://repository.tufs.ac.jp/bitstream/10108/95079/1/2013arumenian1.pdf Modern Eastern Armenian Grammar I]. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, 2021. p. 1, 12. In English, it is transliterated as the letter B.[http://transliteration.eki.ee/pdf/Armenian.pdf Transliteration of Armenian] by Thomas T. Pedersen, in KNAB (Kohanimeandmebaas, Place Names Database) of Eesti Keele Instituut (Institute of the Estonian Language) In the Armenian numeral system, the letter corresponds to the number 2.{{Cite web|title=Numbers in Armenian|url=https://omniglot.com/language/numbers/armenian.htm|access-date=2020-10-12|website=omniglot.com}}