𐰀

𐰀 U+10C00, 𐰀 OLD TURKIC LETTER ORKHON A [unassigned: U+10BB0–U+10BFF] ← 𐮯 [U+10BAF] Old Turkic 𐰁 → [U+10C01]

See also: 𐰁 and 𐰂

Old Turkic

Etymology 1

Derived from Sogdian 𐼁 (ʾ, “aleph”), ultimately from Classical Syriac ܐ (“aleph”).

Letter

𐰀 (a)

1. A letter of the Old Turkic runic script, representing /ɑ/ or /æ/. The backness or frontness depends on the type of the consonant.

References

• Tekin, Talât (1968) A Grammar of Orkhon Turkic (Uralic and Altaic Series; 69), Bloomington: Indiana University, →ISBN, page 27
• Clauson, Gerard (1972) “a:/e:”, in The Origin of Turkic Runic Alphabet, London, pages 68 and 74

Etymology 2

Cognate with Turkish ey (“vocative particle”).

Particle

𐰀 (a)

1. a vocative particle, used for direct address; O, oh, hey
   • 8th century CE, Ongin Inscription, F7:

     𐰋𐰏𐰠𐰼𐰢:𐰀

     beglerim:a

     O, my lords!

References

• Tekin, Talât (1968) “ä”, in A Grammar of Orkhon Turkic (Uralic and Altaic Series; 69), Bloomington: Indiana University, →ISBN, page 324
• Clauson, Gerard (1972) “a:”, in An Etymological Dictionary of pre-thirteenth-century Turkish, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 1