| Y with hook | |
|---|---|
| Ƴ ƴ | |
 | |
| Usage | |
| Writing system | Latin script |
| Type | alphabet |
| Sound values | [j̰] [ˀj] [ʄ] |
| History | |
| Development | |
| This article containsphonetic transcriptions in theInternational Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, seeHelp:IPA. For the distinction between[ ],/ / and ⟨ ⟩, seeIPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters. | |
Ƴ (minuscule:ƴ) is a letter of theLatin alphabet, formed fromY with the addition of ahook. It is used in someAfrican languages, such asFula andHausa, to represent aglottalicpalatal approximant,[ˀj] or[j̰]. InNoon, a language spoken inSenegal, ƴ represents avoiced palatal implosive[ʄ].[1]
TheUnicode names and code points are as follows:
The original Unicode charts showed the hook on the left, while most use in Africa had it on the right, as reflected in the 1978African reference alphabet and 1979General Alphabet of Cameroon Languages. The Unicode usage apparently followed that shown inISO 6438, but it is not clear where the latter got it. The form used in the code charts was later changed to show the hook on the right side.[2][3]
An alternative representation of the sound isʼy. This is used in the orthographies ofHausa andFula inNigeria, whileƴ is used inNiger for Hausa, and in most ofWest Africa for Fula. See also:Pan-Nigerian alphabet
In theorthography for languages of Guinea (pre-1985),yh was used instead ofƴ.
