Ben (Armenian letter)

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

Armenian letter Ben
Բ բ
Usage
Writing system	Armenian alphabet
Type	Alphabetic
Language of origin	Armenian
Sound values	b (Eastern Armenian) pʰ (Western Armenian, in some places in the Eastern)
In Unicode	U+0532, U+0562
Alphabetical position	2nd
History
Development	Possibly, Β β or Ϝ ϝ Բ բ
Time period	Since 405 to present
Other
Associated numbers	2
This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

It was one of the original letters in the Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405 AD.^[1]

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].^[2] In English, it is transliterated as the letter B.^[3] In the Armenian numeral system, the letter corresponds to the number 2.^[4]

Encodings

Character information

Preview	Բ		բ
Unicode name	ARMENIAN CAPITAL LETTER BEN		ARMENIAN SMALL LETTER BEN
Encodings	decimal	hex	dec	hex
Unicode	1330	U+0532	1378	U+0562
UTF-8	212 178	D4 B2	213 162	D5 A2
Numeric character reference	Բ	Բ	բ	բ

Gallery

Various historic forms

• 
  Rounded Erkat'agir
• 
  Angular Erkat'agir
• 
  Bolorgir
• 
  Notrgir
• 
  Shghagir
• 
  Typographic form
• 
  Handwritten form
• 
  Eastern Armenian Braille form Dots-12
• 
  Western Armenian Braille form Dots-1234