Template:Hamza

ʼ

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This template outputs the common character for the transliteration of hamza or glottal stop in Semitic languages, as well as orthographic glottal stop in many Latin-based alphabets, ʼ (U+02BC ʼ <reserved-02BC>), in place of the MOS-deprecated curly apostrophe. It is also used for ejective consonants in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Usage

This template does not accept any parameters.

For the reversed glottal stop letter in Hawaiian and Tongan orthography, use {{okina}}. For the straight glottal-stop letter used in some Mexican languages, use {{saltillo}}. For ʾ (ʾ) in technical transliteration, use {{rhr}} (right half ring). For the soft sign in Cyrillic, use either this or {{softsign}}, depending on the transliteration standard.

For a modifier letter double apostrophe (ˮ), enter manually ˮ.

Letters resembling apostrophes

The table below provides an overview of various apostrophes used in transliteration and romanization of languages into Latin script. While not exhaustive, it highlights common conventions particularly relating to Arabic on Wikipedia.

For Arabic transliteration, Wikipedia follows a modified version of the ALA-LC romanization method, ensuring readability and compliance with the Manual of Style.

Strict transliteration (used mainly for etymology) includes accents, underscores, and underdots, typically alongside the original Arabic script.
Other forms of romanization, such as basic transcription (used in most cases), follows the same system but excludes accents, underscores, and underdots, with some exceptions.

For more details, refer to:

MOS:ARABIC – Wikipedia’s guideline on Arabic romanization.
MOS:APOSTROPHE – Guidelines on apostrophe use in transliteration.
Historical discussions: See Wikipedia talk:Manual of Style/Arabic § The apostrophe (again) and Wikipedia talk:Manual of Style/Archive 171 § Confusion on differing Arabic apostrophe like symbols

Overview of various apostrophes used in transliteration and romanization of languages into Latin script
Template^{[lower-alpha 1]}	Output^{[lower-alpha 2]}		Usage	Unicode	Comment	IPA
Template^{[lower-alpha 1]}	sans-serif	serif	Usage	Unicode	Comment	IPA
Straight apostrophe: Press `'` key	'	'	Wikipedia basic transcription of both Arabic hamzah ﺀ (glottal stop) and ʿayn ع^{[lower-alpha 3]} based on ALA-LC romanization.	U+0027 ' <reserved-0027>	Omitted when hamza or ayn appears at the beginning of words.^{[lower-alpha 4]}	/ʔ/, /ʕ/
`{{left half ring}}` Redirect symbol`{{lhr}}`	ʿ	ʿ	Wikipedia strict transliteration of Arabic ʿayn ع^{[lower-alpha 3]} based on DIN 31635	U+02BF ʿ <reserved-02BF>	Omitted in basic transcription.^{[lower-alpha 5]}	/ʕ/
`{{ayin}}`	ʽ	ʽ	Wikipedia strict transliteration of Arabic ʿayn ع^{[lower-alpha 3]} based on ALA-LC romanization. Arabic Hans Wehr transliteration and Survey of Egypt System (SES) Arabic romanization of Arabic ʿayn ع (permitted per MOS:ARABIC, but very rarely used).	U+02BD ʽ <reserved-02BD>	Both {{left half ring}} and {{Ayin}} allowed for strict transcription, per MOS:ARABIC.	/ʕ/
`{{hamza}}`	ʼ	ʼ	Most commonly the Wikipedia strict transliteration of Arabic Hamzah ﺀ (glottal stop), marking a shift in vowel, as in the middle of the colloquial uh-oh. Transliteration of letter aleph in Semitic language alphabets Amongst various other glottal sounds in other languages.	U+02BC ʼ <reserved-02BC>		/ʔ/
`{{right half ring}}` Redirect symbol`{{rhr}}`	ʾ	ʾ	Wikipedia strict transliteration of Arabic hamzah ﺀ based on DIN 31635.	U+02BE ʾ <reserved-02BE>		/ʔ/
`{{okina}}` Redirect symbol`{{ayn}}`^{[lower-alpha 6]}	ʻ	ʻ	Ejective glottal stop letter, named ʻokina in Polynesian languages. Use {{okina}} for Hawaiian, Marquesan, Samoan, Cook Islands Māori, and other Polynesian languages by default. ALA-LC romanization and some other romanizations of Arabic ʿayn ع. UTC L2/00-220 transliteration of Arabic ʿayn.	U+02BB ʻ <reserved-02BB>		/ʔ/
`{{'eta}}`	ʼ	ʼ	Ejective glottal stop letter in Tahitian named ʼeta. (May be graphically distinct from ʻokina.)	U+02BC ʼ <reserved-02BC>		/ʔ/
`{{fakau'a}}`	ʻ	ʻ	Ejective glottal stop letter in Tongan named fakauʻa. (May be graphically distinct from ʻokina.)	U+02BB ʻ <reserved-02BB>		/ʔ/
`{{saltillo}}`	ꞌ	ꞌ	Mexican linguistics.	U+A78C ꞌ <reserved-A78C> U+A78B Ꞌ <reserved-A78B>		/ʔ/
`{{saltillo\|cap}}`	ꞌ	ꞌ	Mexican linguistics.	U+A78B Ꞌ <reserved-A78B>		/ʔ/
`{{softsign}}`	ʹ	ʹ	Marks palatalization in the romanization of Cyrillic, such as for the letter ь. In some conventions {{hamza}} is used instead.	U+02B9 ʹ <reserved-02B9>		/ʲ/
`{{hardsign}}`	ʺ	ʺ	Marks a lack of palatalization in the romanization of Cyrillic, such as for the letter ъ. In some conventions ˮ is used instead (no template: manually enter ˮ).	U+02BA ʺ <reserved-02BA>

Notes

Usage

Letters resembling apostrophes

See also