ܥܐ

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic

Etymology 1

Ultimately derived from Phoenician 𐤏𐤉𐤍 (ʿyn, literally “eye”); compare Hebrew עַיִן ('áyin) and Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Alternative forms

• ܥܹܝܢ (ˁēn)

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [ʕeː]
• (Urmia) IPA^(key): [ʔeː]

Noun

ܥܹܐ • (ˁē) f

1. ayin (the sixteenth letter of the Assyrian alphabet and Syriac script)

Coordinate terms

• (symbol) ܥ
• (Assyrian letter names) ܐܵܠܲܦ (ālap), ܒܹܝܬ݂ (bēṯ), ܓܵܡܲܠ (gāmal), ܕܵܠܲܬ݂ (dālaṯ), ܗܹܐ (hē), ܘܲܘ (waw), ܙܹܝܢ (zēn), ܚܹܝܬ݂ (ḥēṯ), ܛܹܝܬ݂ (ṭēṯ), ܝܘܿܕ݂ (yōḏ), ܟܲܦ (kap), ܠܵܡܲܕ݂ (lāmaḏ), ܡܝܼܡ (mīm), ܢܘܼܢ (nūn), ܣܸܡܟܲܬ݂ (simkaṯ), ܥܹܐ (ˁē), ܦܹܐ (pē), ܨܵܕ݂ܹܐ (ṣāḏē), ܩܘܿܦ (qōp), ܪܹܝܫ (rēš), ܫܝܼܢ (šīn), ܬܲܘ (taw), ^{(Category: aii:Syriac letter names)}

Etymology 2

Intensified from ܐܹܝܢ (ēn, “yes”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard) IPA^(key): [ʕeː]

Interjection

ܥܹܐ • (ˁē)

1. yeah?! what?! an abrupt, usually unfriendly enquiry as to what a person desires

   ܥܹܐ؟! ܡܵܐ ܟܹܐ ܒܵܥܹܝܬ؟ ܒܠܝܼܓܵܐ ܝܘܸܢ. ― ˁē?! mā kē bāˁēt? blīgā ìwen. ― Yeah?! What do you want? I'm busy.