Zeta

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Zeta uc lc.svg
Greek alphabet
Αα Alpha Νν Nu
Ββ Beta Ξξ Xi
Γγ Gamma Οο Omicron
Δδ Delta Ππ Pi
Εε Epsilon Ρρ Rho
Ζζ Zeta Σσς Sigma
Ηη Eta Ττ Tau
Θθ Theta Υυ Upsilon
Ιι Iota Φφ Phi
Κκ Kappa Χχ Chi
Λλ Lambda Ψψ Psi
Μμ Mu Ωω Omega
History
Archaic local variants

ϜͰϺϘͲͶ

Diacritics Ligatures

Numerals

ϛ (6)ϟ (90)ϡ (900)

Use in other languages

Bactrian Coptic Albanian

Related topics

Use as scientific symbols

Category

vte

Zeta (UK: /ˈziːtə/,[1] US: /ˈzeɪtə/; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; Ancient Greek: ζῆτα,
Demotic Greek: ζήτα, classical [d͡zɛ̌:ta] or [zdɛ̌:ta] zē̂ta; Modern Greek: [ˈzita]
zíta) is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals,
it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician letter zayin Zayin. Letters
that arose from zeta include the Roman Z and Cyrillic З.
Contents

1 Name
2 Uses
2.1 Letter
 2.1.1 Arguments for [zd]
2.1.2 Arguments for [dz]
2.1.3 Summary
2.2 Numeral
2.3 Mathematics and science
3 Character encodings
3.1 Greek Zeta / Coptic Zata
3.2 Mathematical Zeta
4 See also
5 References
5.1 General references

Name

Unlike the other Greek letters, this letter did not take its name from the
Phoenician letter from which it was derived; it was given a new name on the pattern
of beta, eta and theta.

The word zeta is the ancestor of zed, the name of the Latin letter Z in
Commonwealth English. Swedish and many Romanic languages (such as Italian and
Spanish) do not distinguish between the Greek and Roman forms of the letter; "zeta"
is used to refer to the Roman letter Z as well as the Greek letter.
Uses
The Greek alphabet on a black figure vessel, with the Phoenician I shape of the
zeta
Letter

The letter ζ represents the voiced alveolar fricative IPA: [z] in Modern Greek.

The sound represented by zeta in Greek before 400 BC is disputed. See Ancient Greek
phonology and Pronunciation of Ancient Greek in teaching.

Most handbooks[who?] agree on attributing to it the pronunciation /zd/ (like

Mazda), but some scholars believe that it was an affricate /dz/ (like adze). The
modern pronunciation was, in all likelihood, established in the Hellenistic age and
may have already been a common practice in Classical Attic; for example, it could
count as one or two consonants metrically in Attic drama.[where?]
Arguments for [zd]

PIE *zd becomes ζ in Greek (e.g. *sísdō > ἵζω). Contra: these words are rare
and it is therefore more probable that *zd was absorbed by *dz (< *dj, *gj, *j);
further, a change from the cluster /zd/ to the affricate /dz/ is typologically more
likely[citation needed] than the other way around (which would violate the sonority
hierarchy).
Without [sd] there would be an empty space between [sb] and [sɡ] in the Greek
sound system (πρέσβυς, σβέννυμι, φάσγανον), and a voiced affricate [dz] would not
have a voiceless correspondent. Contra: a) words with [sb] and [sɡ] are rare, and
exceptions in phonological and (even more so) phonotactic patterns are in no way
uncommon; b) there was [sd] in ὅσδε, εἰσδέχται etc.; and c) there was in fact a
voiceless correspondent in Archaic Greek ([ts] > Attic, Boeotian ττ, Ionic, Doric
σσ).
Persian names with zd and z are transcribed with ζ and σ respectively in
Classical Greek (e.g. Artavazda = Ἀρτάβαζος/Ἀρτάοζος ~ Zara(n)ka- = Σαράγγαι.
Similarly, the Philistine city Ashdod was transcribed as Ἄζωτος.
Some inscriptions have -ζ- written for a combination -ς + δ- resulting from
separate words, e.g. θεοζοτος for θεος δοτος "god-given".
Some Attic inscriptions have -σζ- for -σδ- or -ζ-, which is thought to parallel
-σστ- for -στ- and therefore to imply a [zd] pronunciation.
ν disappears before ζ like before σ(σ), στ: e.g. *πλάνζω > πλᾰ́ζω, *σύνζυγος >
σύζυγος, *συνστέλλω > σῠστέλλω. Contra: ν may have disappeared before /dz/ if one
accepts that it had the allophone [z] in that position like /ts/ had the allophone
[s]: cf. Cretan ἴαττα ~ ἀποδίδονσα (Hinge).
Verbs beginning with ζ have ἐ- in the perfect reduplication like the verbs
beginning with στ (e.g. ἔζηκα = ἔσταλται). Contra: a) The most prominent example of
a verb beginning with στ has in fact ἑ- < *se- in the perfect reduplication
(ἕστηκα); b) the words with /ts/ > σ(σ) also have ἐ-: Homer ἔσσυμαι, -ται, Ion.
ἐσσημένῳ.
Alcman, Sappho, Alcaeus and Theocritus have σδ for Attic-Ionic ζ. Contra: The
tradition would not have invented this special digraph for these poets if [zd] was
the normal pronunciation in all Greek. Furthermore, this convention is not found in
contemporary inscriptions, and the orthography of the manuscripts and papyri is
Alexandrine rather than historical. Thus, σδ indicates only a different
pronunciation from Hellenistic Greek [z(ː)], i.e. either [zd] or [dz].
The grammarians Dionysius Thrax[2] and Dionysius of Halicarnassus class ζ with
the "double" (διπλᾶ) letters ψ, ξ and analyse it as σ + δ. Contra: The Roman
grammarian Verrius Flaccus believed in the opposite sequence, δ + σ (in Velius
Longus, De orthogr. 51), and Aristotle says that it was a matter of dispute
(Metaph. 993a) (though Aristotle might as well be referring to a [zː]
pronunciation). It is even possible that the letter sometimes and for some speakers
varied in pronunciation depending upon word position, i.e., like the letter X in
English, which is (usually) pronounced [z] initially but [gz] or [ks] elsewhere
(cf. Xerxes).
Some Attic transcriptions of Asia Minor toponyms (βυζζαντειον, αζζειον, etc.)
show a -ζζ- for ζ; assuming that Attic value was [zd], it may be an attempt to
transcribe a dialectal [dz] pronunciation; the reverse cannot be ruled completely,
but a -σδ- transcription would have been more likely in this case. This suggests
that different dialects had different pronunciations. (For a similar example in the
Slavic languages, cf. Serbo-Croatian (iz)među, Russian между, Polish między, and
Czech mezi, "between".)

Arguments for [dz]

The Greek inscriptions almost never write ζ in words like ὅσδε, τούσδε or
εἰσδέχται, so there must have been a difference between this sound and the sound of
ἵζω, Ἀθήναζε. Contra: a few inscriptions do seem to suggest that ζ was pronounced
like σδ; furthermore, all words with written σδ are morphologically transparent,
and written σδ may simply be echoing the morphology. (Note, for example, that we
write "ads" where the morphology is transparent, and "adze" where it is not, even
though the pronunciation is the same.)
It seems improbable that Greek would invent a special symbol for the
bisegmental combination [zd], which could be represented by σδ without any
problems. /ds/, on the other hand, would have the same sequence of plosive and
sibilant as the double letters of the Ionic alphabet ψ /ps/ and ξ /ks/, thereby
avoiding a written plosive at the end of a syllable. Contra: the use of a special
symbol for [zd] is no more or no less improbable than the use of ψ for [ps] and ξ
for [ks], or, for that matter, the later invention ϛ (stigma) for [st], which
happens to be the voiceless counterpart of [zd]. Furthermore, it is not clear that
ζ was pronounced [zd] when it was originally invented. Mycenean Greek had a special
symbol to denote some sort of affricate or palatal consonant; ζ may have been
invented for this sound, which later developed into [zd]. (For a parallel
development, note that original palatal Proto-Slavic /tʲ/ developed into /ʃt/ in
Old Church Slavonic, with similar developments having led to combinations such as
зд and жд being quite common in Russian.)
Boeotian, Elean, Laconian and Cretan δδ are more easily explained as a direct
development from *dz than through an intermediary *zd. Contra: a) the sound
development dz > dd is improbable (Mendez Dosuna); b) ν has disappeared before ζ >
δδ in Laconian πλαδδιῆν (Aristoph., Lys. 171, 990) and Boeotian σαλπίδδω (Sch.
Lond. in Dion. Thrax 493), which suggests that these dialects have had a phase of
metathesis (Teodorsson).
Greek in South Italy has preserved [dz] until modern times. Contra: a) this may
be a later development from [zd] or [z] under the influence of Italian; b) even if
it is derived from an ancient [dz], it may be a dialectal pronunciation.
Vulgar Latin inscriptions use the Greek letter Z for indigenous affricates
(e.g. zeta = diaeta), and the Greek ζ is continued by a Romance affricate in the
ending -ίζω > Italian. -eggiare, French -oyer. Italian, similarly, has consistently
used Z for [dz] and [ts] (Lat. prandium > It. pranzo, "lunch"). Contra: whether the
pronunciation of ζ was [dz], [zd] or [zː], di would probably still have been the
closest native Latin sound; furthermore, the inscriptions are centuries later than
the time for which [zd] is assumed.

Summary

σδ is attested only in the lyric poetry of the Greek isle of Lesbos and the
city-state of Sparta during the Archaic Age and in Bucolic poetry from the
Hellenistic Age. Most scholars would take this as an indication that the [zd]-
pronunciation existed in the dialects of these authors.
The transcriptions from Persian by Xenophon and testimony by grammarians
support the pronunciation [zd] in Classical Attic.
[z(ː)] is attested from c. 350 BC in Attic inscriptions, and was the probable
value in Koine.
[dʒ] or [dz] may have existed in some other dialects in parallel.

Numeral

Zeta has the numerical value 7 rather than 6 because the letter digamma (also
called 'stigma' as a Greek numeral) was originally in the sixth position in the
alphabet.
Mathematics and science

The uppercase zeta is not used, because it is normally identical to Latin Z. The
lower case letter can be used to represent:

The Riemann zeta function in mathematics

The damping ratio of an oscillating system in engineering and physics
The rotational quantity of angular jerk in physics
The effective nuclear charge on an electron in quantum chemistry
The electrokinetic potential in colloidal systems
The lag angle in helicopter blade dynamics
Relative vorticity in the atmosphere and ocean
A number whose discrete values (eigenvalues) are the positive roots of
transcendental equations, used in the series solutions for transient one-
dimensional conduction equations
The heat flux across or through a plane (industrial materials technology)
The Weierstrass zeta-function
In physical chemistry equilibrium computations (using lower case Zeta (ζ)), the
extent of reaction
The height of the surface of a fluid layer

Character encodings
Greek Zeta / Coptic Zata
Character information Preview Ζ ζ Ⲋ ⲋ
Unicode name GREEK CAPITAL LETTER ZETA GREEK SMALL LETTER ZETA COPTIC
CAPITAL LETTER ZATA COPTIC SMALL LETTER ZATA
Encodings decimal hex dec hex dec hex dec hex
Unicode 918 U+0396 950 U+03B6 11402 U+2C8A 11403
U+2C8B
UTF-8 206 150 CE 96 206 182 CE B6 226 178 138 E2 B2
8A 226 178 139 E2 B2 8B
Numeric character reference &#918; &#x396; &#950; &#x3B6;
&#11402; &#x2C8A; &#11403; &#x2C8B;
Named character reference &Zeta; &zeta;
DOS Greek 133 85 157 9D
DOS Greek-2 169 A9 223 DF
Windows 1253 198 C6 230 E6
TeX \zeta
Mathematical Zeta
Character information Preview 𝚭 𝛇 𝛧 𝜁 𝜡 𝜻
Unicode name MATHEMATICAL BOLD
CAPITAL ZETA MATHEMATICAL BOLD
SMALL ZETA MATHEMATICAL ITALIC
CAPITAL ZETA MATHEMATICAL ITALIC
SMALL ZETA MATHEMATICAL BOLD ITALIC
CAPITAL ZETA MATHEMATICAL BOLD ITALIC
SMALL ZETA
Encodings decimal hex dec hex dec hex dec hex dec hex dec
hex
Unicode 120493 U+1D6AD 120519 U+1D6C7 120551 U+1D6E7
120577 U+1D701 120609 U+1D721 120635 U+1D73B
UTF-8 240 157 154 173 F0 9D 9A AD 240 157 155 135 F0 9D 9B 87
240 157 155 167 F0 9D 9B A7 240 157 156 129 F0 9D 9C 81 240
157 156 161 F0 9D 9C A1 240 157 156 187 F0 9D 9C BB
UTF-16 55349 57005 D835 DEAD 55349 57031 D835 DEC7 55349 57063
D835 DEE7 55349 57089 D835 DF01 55349 57121 D835 DF21 55349
57147 D835 DF3B
Numeric character reference &#120493; &#x1D6AD; &#120519; &#x1D6C7;
&#120551; &#x1D6E7; &#120577; &#x1D701; &#120609; &#x1D721;
&#120635; &#x1D73B;

Character information Preview 𝝛 𝝵 𝞕 𝞯

Unicode name MATHEMATICAL SANS-SERIF
BOLD CAPITAL ZETA MATHEMATICAL SANS-SERIF
BOLD SMALL ZETA MATHEMATICAL SANS-SERIF
BOLD ITALIC CAPITAL ZETA MATHEMATICAL SANS-SERIF
BOLD ITALIC SMALL ZETA
Encodings decimal hex dec hex dec hex dec hex
Unicode 120667 U+1D75B 120693 U+1D775 120725 U+1D795
120751 U+1D7AF
UTF-8 240 157 157 155 F0 9D 9D 9B 240 157 157 181 F0 9D 9D B5
240 157 158 149 F0 9D 9E 95 240 157 158 175 F0 9D 9E AF
UTF-16 55349 57179 D835 DF5B 55349 57205 D835 DF75 55349 57237
D835 DF95 55349 57263 D835 DFAF
Numeric character reference &#120667; &#x1D75B; &#120693; &#x1D775;
&#120725; &#x1D795; &#120751; &#x1D7AF;

These characters are used only as mathematical symbols. Stylized Greek text should
be encoded using the normal Greek letters, with markup and formatting to indicate
text style.
See also
Look up zeta or ζ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Z, z - Latin
З, з - Ze (Cyrillic)

References
"zeta". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University
Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

Ἔτι δὲ τῶν συμφώνων διπλᾶ μέν ἐστι τρία· ζ ξ ψ. διπλᾶ δὲ εἴρηται, ὅτι ἓν
ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐκ δύο συμφώνων σύγκειται, τὸ μὲν ζ ἐκ τοῦ σ καὶ δ, τὸ δὲ ξ ἐκ τοῦ κ
καὶ σ, τὸ δὲ ψ ἐκ τοῦ π καὶ σ.

Of the consonants, three are double: ζ ξ ψ. They are called double because
each one of them is composed of two consonants, ζ of σ and δ; ξ of κ and σ, ψ of π
and σ.
— Dionysius Thrax, Περὶ στοιχείου, Τέχνη Γραμματική (~100 BCE).

General references

Allen, W. Sidney (1987). Vox Graeca: The Pronunciation of Classical Greek.

Cambridge University Press. pp. 56–59. ISBN 978-0-521-33555-3.
Hinge, George. “Die Aussprache des griechischen Zeta”, in Die Sprache Alkmans:
Textgeschichte und Sprachgeschichte. PhD dissertation. Aarhus: Aarhus University
Press, 2001, pp. 212–234 = [1]
Méndez Dosuna, Julián. “On <Ζ> for <Δ> in Greek dialectal inscriptions”, Die
Sprache 35 (1993): 82–114.
Rohlfs, Gerhard. 1962. “Die Aussprache des z (ζ) im Altgriechischen”, Das
Altertum 8 (1962): 3–8.
Teodorsson, Sven-Tage. “On the pronunciation of ancient greek zeta”, Lingua 47,
no. 4 (April 1979): 323–32.
Teodorsson, Sven-Tage. “The pronunciation of zeta in different Greek dialects”,
in Dialectologia Graeca: Actas del II Coloquio internacional de dialectología
griega, eds. E. Crespo et al. Madrid: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 1993,
pp. 305–321.

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