# What Language Has The Longest Alphabet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832 "2009-07-31T02:20:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/21 "2009-07-31T15:53:36Z")
To put a theoretical upper end on phonetic alphabets, the[International Phonetic Alphabet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet) which was created to encompass all known languages has: > [@](#): > > Among the symbols of the IPA, 107 represent consonants and vowels, 31 are diacritics that are used to further specify these sounds, and 19 are used to indicate such qualities as length, tone, stress, and intonation. There are also symbols for things such as clicks - not sure if they were counted in the above. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/22 "2009-07-31T16:25:24Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Some scripts (such as Hindi) have a default vowel for each consonant letter. If the letter is followed by a different vowel or no vowel at all, then a diacritical is added or two consonants are formed into a ligature. Another term for such a script is [abugida](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abugida). > > According to the Wiki article on [Alphabet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabet), > > A syllabary is different than an alphabet in that an alphabet’s symbols are used to represent one sound at a time whereas a syllabary’s symbols represent an entire syllable, not just “a sound.” An [abjad](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abjad) is similar to an alphabet but lacks vowels. > > If you’re so inclined, you might want to scour up a copy of [_Writing Systems of the World_, by Akira Nakanishi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abugida). > > Another useful resource (but not available at the moment) is [www.omniglot.com](http://www.omniglot.com). I’m not clear why Thai is not considered an alphabet. It has individual, discrete letters and is always referred to in everyday language as an alphabet. EDIT: Okay, on closer inspection of the “abugida” entry, it’s a little clearer. But it seems very nitpicky. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/23 "2009-07-31T17:26:13Z")
> [@](#): > > A syllabary is different than an alphabet in that an alphabet’s symbols are used to represent one sound at a time whereas a syllabary’s symbols represent an entire syllable, not just “a sound.” But a syllable is a sound, too, just a longer one. And for several letters, the sound represented can be a syllable itself. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/24 "2009-07-31T17:44:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But a syllable is a sound, too, just a longer one. And for several letters, the sound represented can be a syllable itself. It’s still a reasonable distinction to make. Just as it’s reasonable to distinguish writing systems where symbols are used for whole words. Particularly for purposes of this discussion, as syllabaries will tend to require more symbols than a phonetic alphabet, as I alluded to. Logographic systems will require even more, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/25 "2009-07-31T17:46:46Z")
Under the [dictionary definition](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alphabet), Thai easily qualifies as an alphabet. But so does Chinese for that matter. Linguists apparently put a little more rigor into their definitions than common folk, which is what the dictionary represents. Lumpers vs. splitters again. Notice that the dictionary definition says “especially,” which means that “in general, but not exclusively” in dictionary-speak. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/26 "2009-08-01T13:24:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But a syllable is a sound, too, just a longer one. And for several letters, the sound represented can be a syllable itself. No, some syllables are single sounds while other syllables are groups of sounds. [Here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syllable) is a good discussion of the syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/27 "2009-08-01T13:36:49Z")
**Monty** , from the perspective of “what’s a phoneme?”, how does phonology deal with affricates (e.g., English J and X) and diphthongs? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/28 "2009-08-01T13:40:18Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > There are also symbols for things such as clicks - not sure if they were counted in the above. Should be. Clicks are inlcuded in the “Consonants (Non-Pulmonic)” section of the IPA chart. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832/29 "2009-08-01T14:21:28Z")
**Polycarp** : That would depend on the language. A phoneme is a different concept than a phone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-language-has-the-longest-alphabet/504832.md?page=1)