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Making Latin alphabet letter articles more consistent
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{{Latin letter info|x}} |
{{Latin letter info|x}} |
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'''X''', or '''x''', is the twenty-fourth [[Letter (alphabet)|letter]] |
'''X''', or '''x''', is the twenty-fourth [[Letter (alphabet)|letter]] of the [[Latin alphabet]], used in the [[English alphabet|modern English alphabet]], the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is [[Wikt:ex#English|''ex'']] (pronounced {{IPAc-en|'|ɛ|k|s}}), plural ''exes''.<ref name=":1">"X", ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', 2nd edition (1989); ''Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged'' (1993); "ex", ''op. cit''.</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The letter 'Χ' ~ 'Ψ' for {{IPA|/kʰ/}} was a Greek addition to the alphabet, placed after the Semitic letters along with ''[[Phi (letter)|phi]]'' 'Φ' for {{IPA|/pʰ/}}. |
The letter 'Χ' ~ 'Ψ' for {{IPA|/kʰ/}} was a Greek addition to the alphabet, placed after the Semitic letters along with ''[[Phi (letter)|phi]]'' 'Φ' for {{IPA|/pʰ/}}. |
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== |
== Use in writing systems == |
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{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" |
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" |
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|+Pronunciations of Xx |
|+Pronunciations of Xx |
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==Other uses== |
==Other uses== |
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{{main article|X (disambiguation)}} |
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⚫ | In [[mathematics]], ''x'' is commonly used as the name for an [[independent variable]] or unknown value. The modern tradition of using ''x'', ''y'' and ''z'' to represent an [[Unknown (mathematics)|unknown (''incognita'')]] was introduced by [[René Descartes]] in ''[[La Géométrie]]'' (1637).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_byqAAAAQBAJ&q=unknown&pg=PA380 |title=A History of Mathematical Notations |first=Florian |last=Cajori |publisher=Open Court Publishing |year=1928 |place=Chicago |page=381 |isbn=9780486161167 |access-date=2020-11-22 |archive-date=2021-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413173747/https://books.google.com/books?id=_byqAAAAQBAJ&q=unknown&pg=PA380 |url-status=live }} See [[History of algebra#The symbol x|History of algebra]].</ref> As a result of its use in [[algebra]], X is often used to represent unknowns in other circumstances (e.g. [[X-rays]], [[Generation X]], ''[[The X-Files]]'', and ''[[The Man from Planet X]]''; see also [[Malcolm X]]). |
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⚫ | * The [[Roman numeral]] X represents the number [[10 (number)|10]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Gordon |first=Arthur E. | url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedintro0000gord |url-access=registration |quote=roman numerals. | title=Illustrated Introduction to Latin Epigraphy | publisher=University of California Press | date=1983 | access-date=3 October 2015 | page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedintro0000gord/page/44 44]|isbn=9780520038981 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=King | first=David A. | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PapljPXaSbwC&q=roman%20numerals%20letters&pg=PA282 | title=The Ciphers of the Monks | year=2001 | page=282 | publisher=Franz Steiner Verlag | isbn=9783515076401 | quote=In the course of time, '''I''', '''V''' and '''X''' became identical with three letters of the alphabet; originally, however, they bore no relation to these letters. | access-date=2020-11-22 | archive-date=2021-01-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104092429/https://books.google.com/books?id=PapljPXaSbwC&q=roman%20numerals%20letters&pg=PA282 | url-status=live }}</ref> |
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⚫ | * In [[mathematics]], ''x'' is commonly used as the name for an [[independent variable]] or unknown value. The modern tradition of using ''x'', ''y'' and ''z'' to represent an [[Unknown (mathematics)|unknown (''incognita'')]] was introduced by [[René Descartes]] in ''[[La Géométrie]]'' (1637).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_byqAAAAQBAJ&q=unknown&pg=PA380 |title=A History of Mathematical Notations |first=Florian |last=Cajori |publisher=Open Court Publishing |year=1928 |place=Chicago |page=381 |isbn=9780486161167 |access-date=2020-11-22 |archive-date=2021-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413173747/https://books.google.com/books?id=_byqAAAAQBAJ&q=unknown&pg=PA380 |url-status=live }} See [[History of algebra#The symbol x|History of algebra]].</ref> As a result of its use in [[algebra]], X is often used to represent unknowns in other circumstances (e.g. [[X-rays]], [[Generation X]], ''[[The X-Files]]'', and ''[[The Man from Planet X]]''; see also [[Malcolm X]]). |
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On some identification documents, the letter X represents a [[non-binary gender]], where F means female and M means male.<ref name="Science as Culture">{{cite journal | first = Ingrid | last = Holme | title = Hearing People's Own Stories | journal = Science as Culture | volume = 17 | issue = 3 |pages = 341–344| doi = 10.1080/09505430802280784 | date = 2008 | s2cid = 143528047 }}</ref><ref name="nzpass">{{cite web|url=http://www.passports.govt.nz/Transgender-applicants|title=New Zealand Passports - Information about Changing Sex / Gender Identity|access-date=6 October 2014|url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923055123/http://www.passports.govt.nz/Transgender-applicants|archive-date=23 September 2014}}</ref> |
* On some identification documents, the letter X represents a [[non-binary gender]], where F means female and M means male.<ref name="Science as Culture">{{cite journal | first = Ingrid | last = Holme | title = Hearing People's Own Stories | journal = Science as Culture | volume = 17 | issue = 3 |pages = 341–344| doi = 10.1080/09505430802280784 | date = 2008 | s2cid = 143528047 }}</ref><ref name="nzpass">{{cite web|url=http://www.passports.govt.nz/Transgender-applicants|title=New Zealand Passports - Information about Changing Sex / Gender Identity|access-date=6 October 2014|url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923055123/http://www.passports.govt.nz/Transgender-applicants|archive-date=23 September 2014}}</ref> |
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In the [[Cartesian coordinate system]], ''x'' is used to refer to the horizontal axis. |
* In the [[Cartesian coordinate system]], ''x'' is used to refer to the horizontal axis. |
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⚫ | * It is also sometimes used as a [[typographic approximation]] for the [[multiplication sign]], {{char|×}}. In mathematical typesetting, ''x'' meaning an algebraic variable is normally in [[italic type]] (<math>x\!</math>), partly to avoid confusion with the multiplication symbol. In fonts containing both ''x'' (the letter) and × (the multiplication sign), the two glyphs are dissimilar. |
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⚫ | * It can be used as an abbreviation for 'between' in the context of historical dating; e.g., '1483 x 1485'. |
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⚫ | It is also sometimes used as a [[typographic approximation]] for the [[multiplication sign]], {{char|×}}. In mathematical typesetting, ''x'' meaning an algebraic variable is normally in [[italic type]] (<math>x\!</math>), partly to avoid confusion with the multiplication symbol. In fonts containing both ''x'' (the letter) and × (the multiplication sign), the two glyphs are dissimilar. |
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⚫ | * Maps and other images sometimes use an X to label a specific location, leading to the expression "X marks the spot".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/x-marks-the-spot | title=X marks the spot | access-date=21 June 2016 | archive-date=4 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604015834/http://www.dictionary.com/browse/x-marks-the-spot | url-status=live }}</ref> |
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⚫ | * In art or fashion, the use of X indicates a collaboration by two or more artists, e.g. Aaron Koblin x Takashi Kawashima. This application, which originated in Japan, now extends to other kinds of collaboration outside the art world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkitip.com/product/x-mark-of-collaboration-issue-no-0053x/|title=X: Mark of Collaboration - Issue No. 0053X - Arkitip, Inc.|website=arkitip.com|access-date=2016-03-22|archive-date=2016-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517184918/http://arkitip.com/product/x-mark-of-collaboration-issue-no-0053x/|url-status=live}}</ref> This usage mimics the use of a similar mark in [[Hybrid name (botany)|denoting botanical hybrids]], for which scientifically the [[Multiplication sign#Uses|multiplication ×]] is used, but informally a lowercase "x" is also used. |
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⚫ | It can be used as an abbreviation for 'between' in the context of historical dating; e.g., '1483 x 1485'. |
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⚫ | * {{Anchor|Kiss}}At the end of a letter or other correspondence, '[[Hugs and kisses|x]]' can mean a kiss;<ref>{{Cite news|last=Epstein|first=Nadine|date=2020-10-07|title=A whole lot of history behind 'x' and 'o', kiss and hug|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-whole-lot-of-history-behind-x-and-o-kiss-and-hug/2014/02/13/0c3e218a-9341-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-12|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-date=2018-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401143406/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-whole-lot-of-history-behind-x-and-o-kiss-and-hug/2014/02/13/0c3e218a-9341-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html}}</ref> the earliest example of this usage cited by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' is from 1878.<ref>"[https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/230945 X, n.]" ''OED Online'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2022), §6. Accessed 11 November 2022.</ref> |
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⚫ | * An [[X rating]] denotes media such as movies that are intended for adults only. |
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⚫ | Maps and other images sometimes use an X to label a specific location, leading to the expression "X marks the spot".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dictionary.com/browse/x-marks-the-spot | title=X marks the spot | access-date=21 June 2016 | archive-date=4 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604015834/http://www.dictionary.com/browse/x-marks-the-spot | url-status=live }}</ref> |
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⚫ | * In the [[Korean language]], a series of Xs is used as a visual [[bleep censor]] for subtitles and captions, serving the same role as an [[asterisk]] (*).<ref>{{Cite web |title='찐따', 'X랄하다'...욕도 전통을 가진다? |url=https://www.goeonair.com/news/article.html?no=13845 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=www.goeonair.com |language=ko}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=참바다 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XX4WEAAAQBAJ&dq=%EC%9A%95+X&pg=PA6-IA1 |title=시사칼럼 우리 시대의 상징과 은유 |date=2021-01-15 |publisher=e퍼플 |isbn=979-11-6569-712-9 |language=ko}}</ref> |
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⚫ | * In the [[C programming language]], "x" preceded by zero (as in 0x or 0X) is used to denote hexadecimal literal values. |
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⚫ | The [[Roman numeral]] X represents the number [[10 (number)|10]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Gordon |first=Arthur E. | url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedintro0000gord |url-access=registration |quote=roman numerals. | title=Illustrated Introduction to Latin Epigraphy | publisher=University of California Press | date=1983 | access-date=3 October 2015 | page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedintro0000gord/page/44 44]|isbn=9780520038981 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=King | first=David A. | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PapljPXaSbwC&q=roman%20numerals%20letters&pg=PA282 | title=The Ciphers of the Monks | year=2001 | page=282 | publisher=Franz Steiner Verlag | isbn=9783515076401 | quote=In the course of time, '''I''', '''V''' and '''X''' became identical with three letters of the alphabet; originally, however, they bore no relation to these letters. | access-date=2020-11-22 | archive-date=2021-01-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104092429/https://books.google.com/books?id=PapljPXaSbwC&q=roman%20numerals%20letters&pg=PA282 | url-status=live }}</ref> |
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⚫ | * X is commonly used as a prefix term in nouns related to the X Window System and Unix.<ref name=":1" /> |
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The [[Suzhou numerals|Suzhou numeral]] 〤 represents the number [[4 (number)|4]]. |
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⚫ | In art or fashion, the use of X indicates a collaboration by two or more artists, e.g. Aaron Koblin x Takashi Kawashima. This application, which originated in Japan, now extends to other kinds of collaboration outside the art world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkitip.com/product/x-mark-of-collaboration-issue-no-0053x/|title=X: Mark of Collaboration - Issue No. 0053X - Arkitip, Inc.|website=arkitip.com|access-date=2016-03-22|archive-date=2016-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517184918/http://arkitip.com/product/x-mark-of-collaboration-issue-no-0053x/|url-status=live}}</ref> This usage mimics the use of a similar mark in [[Hybrid name (botany)|denoting botanical hybrids]], for which scientifically the [[Multiplication sign#Uses|multiplication ×]] is used, but informally a lowercase "x" is also used. |
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⚫ | {{Anchor|Kiss}}At the end of a letter or other correspondence, '[[Hugs and kisses|x]]' can mean a kiss;<ref>{{Cite news|last=Epstein|first=Nadine|date=2020-10-07|title=A whole lot of history behind 'x' and 'o', kiss and hug|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-whole-lot-of-history-behind-x-and-o-kiss-and-hug/2014/02/13/0c3e218a-9341-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-12|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|archive-date=2018-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401143406/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-whole-lot-of-history-behind-x-and-o-kiss-and-hug/2014/02/13/0c3e218a-9341-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html}}</ref> the earliest example of this usage cited by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' is from 1878.<ref>"[https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/230945 X, n.]" ''OED Online'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2022), §6. Accessed 11 November 2022.</ref> |
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⚫ | An [[X rating]] denotes media such as movies that are intended for adults only. |
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⚫ | In the [[Korean language]], a series of Xs is used as a visual [[bleep censor]] for subtitles and captions, serving the same role as an [[asterisk]] (*).<ref>{{Cite web |title='찐따', 'X랄하다'...욕도 전통을 가진다? |url=https://www.goeonair.com/news/article.html?no=13845 |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=www.goeonair.com |language=ko}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=참바다 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XX4WEAAAQBAJ&dq=%EC%9A%95+X&pg=PA6-IA1 |title=시사칼럼 우리 시대의 상징과 은유 |date=2021-01-15 |publisher=e퍼플 |isbn=979-11-6569-712-9 |language=ko}}</ref> |
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==Related characters== |
==Related characters== |
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*Ξ ξ : Greek letter [[Xi (letter)|Xi]], which was used in place of Chi in the Eastern (and the modern) Greek alphabets |
*Ξ ξ : Greek letter [[Xi (letter)|Xi]], which was used in place of Chi in the Eastern (and the modern) Greek alphabets |
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⚫ | |||
==Computing== |
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===Computing codes=== |
===Computing <span class="anchor" id="Computing codes"></span>=== |
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{{charmap |
{{charmap |
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| 0058 | 0078 | name1 = Latin Capital Letter X | name2 = Latin Small Letter X |
| 0058 | 0078 | name1 = Latin Capital Letter X | name2 = Latin Small Letter X |
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: <sup>1</sup> {{midsize|Also for encodings based on ASCII, including the DOS, Windows, ISO-8859 and Macintosh families of encodings.}} |
: <sup>1</sup> {{midsize|Also for encodings based on ASCII, including the DOS, Windows, ISO-8859 and Macintosh families of encodings.}} |
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===Other=== |
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⚫ | In the [[C programming language]], "x" preceded by zero (as in 0x or 0X) is used to denote hexadecimal literal values. |
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⚫ | X is commonly used as a prefix term in nouns related to the X Window System and Unix.<ref name=":1" /> |
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⚫ | |||
{{Letter other reps |
{{Letter other reps |
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|NATO=Xray<!--not hyphenated "X-ray" -- that's ICAO--> |
|NATO=Xray<!--not hyphenated "X-ray" -- that's ICAO--> |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this articlebyadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "X" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
X | |
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X x | |
Usage | |
Writing system | Latin script |
Type | Alphabetic and Logographic |
Language of origin | Latin language Greek language |
Sound values | [x] [χ] [ħ] [kʰ] [ks] [ʃ] [ɕ] [tʼ] [ʒ] [ɖ] [ʔ] [ǁ] [gʒ][1] [kʃ] [d͡z] [d͡ʒ] [t͡s] [t͡ʃ] [sʲ] [z] [gz] silent /ɛks/ |
In Unicode | U+0058, U+0078 |
Alphabetical position | 24 |
History | |
Development |
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Time period | ~-700 to present |
Descendants | • × • ⨘ • ⨉ • ⨯ • ✗ • ☒ • ꭓ • X̧ |
Sisters | Х 𐍇 Ⴕ ქ Ⴟ ჯ |
Other | |
Associated graphs | x(x) |
Writing direction | Left-to-Right |
This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters. |
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ISO basic Latin alphabet |
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AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMmNnOoPpQqRrSsTtUuVvWwXxYyZz |
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X, or x, is the twenty-fourth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ex (pronounced /ˈɛks/), plural exes.[2]
The factual accuracy of part of this article is disputed. The dispute is about Ξ/ξ (Xsi) stands phonetically for X in classical and modern Greek. Etruscan and Latin borrowing of X from Χ/χ (Khi/Chi) could have occurred from pre Hellenic localized dialects. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. See the relevant discussion on the talk page. (August 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
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Greek Chi | Etruscan X |
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InAncient Greek, 'Χ' and 'Ψ' were among several variants of the same letter, used originally for /kʰ/ and later, in western areas such as Arcadia, as a simplification of the digraph 'ΧΣ' for /ks/. In the end, more conservative eastern forms became the standard of Classical Greek, and thus 'Χ' (Chi) stood for /kʰ/ (later /x/; palatalized to [ç] in Modern Greek before front vowels). However, the Etruscans had taken over 'Χ' from western Greek, and it therefore stands for /ks/ in Etruscan and Latin.
The letter 'Χ' ~ 'Ψ' for /kʰ/ was a Greek addition to the alphabet, placed after the Semitic letters along with phi 'Φ' for /pʰ/.
Language | Dialect(s) | Pronunciation (IPA) | Environment | Notes |
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Asturian | Some central dialects | /ʃ/ | Before i and usually u | |
/sj/ ~ /ʃj/ | ||||
Standard and other dialects | /ʃ/ | |||
Afar | /ɖ/ | |||
Albanian | /dz/ | xh=/dʒ/ | ||
Azeri | /x/ | |||
Basque | /ʃ/ | tx=/tʃ/ | ||
Catalan | /gz/ | |||
/ks/ | ||||
/ʃ/ | Usually (word-initially, after consonants, i, au, eu, in some surnames such as Rexach) | |||
Mandarin Chinese | Standard Mandarin | /ɕ/ | InPinyin latinization | |
Cou | /ɨ/ ~ /ʉ/ | Possibly the only case in the world of <x> used as a vowel. | ||
Dutch | /ks/ | Usually | Letter mainly used in loanwords | |
/s/ | InTexel | |||
English | /gz/ | Before a stressed vowel | ||
/gʒ/ | Only in luxury and derivatives | |||
/h/ | Don Quixote, Oaxaca, words derived from Classical Nahuatl/Nahuatl | |||
/ks/ | Usually; before an unstressed vowel | |||
/kʃ/ | Groups -xion(-), -xious(-), -xua-; in the word flexure | |||
/z/ | Word-initially | |||
Esperanto | in digraphs only as a substitute for a diacritic | cx, gx, hx, jx, sx, ux are used as substitutes for ĉ, ĝ, ĥ, ĵ, ŝ, ŭ where these characters are not available. | See X-convention | |
French | /gz/ | Mainly in the prefix ex- followed by a vowel; sometimes word-initially | ||
/ks/ | Usually; in Aix- (prefix or name of several places) | |||
/s/ | Insix (6), dix (10), Auxerre, and Bruxelles (Brussels) | |||
silent | Word-finally with no liaison | |||
/z/ | Word-finally with liaison; in sixième (6th) and dixième (10th) | |||
Galician | /(k)s/ | Some words | In learned loanwords | |
/ʃ/ | Usually | |||
German | /ks/ | Letter mainly used in loanwords | ||
Indonesian | /s/ | In the beginning of a word | Mainly used in loanwords for science | |
/ks/ | In the middle or the end of a word, although words borrowed with the letter x in the middle or the end of a word are always replaced by the letters 'ks'. For example, the word 'maximum' and 'climax' in Indonesian would be 'maksimal' and 'klimaks'. Letter x on the middle or the end of a word only occurs in names. | |||
Italian | /ks/ | Letter mainly used in learned loanwords | ||
Kurdish | /x/ | |||
Lao | /ɕ/ | Latinization | ||
Leonese | /ʃ/ | |||
Ligurian | /ʒ/ | |||
Maltese | /ʃ/ | |||
Mayan | /ʃ/ | Modern Romanization | ||
Nahuatl | /ʃ/ | |||
Nguni | /ǁ/ | |||
Norwegian | /ks/ | Archaic | ||
Occitan | /t͡s/ | Usually | ||
/s/ | Before consonants | |||
/ɡz/ | In the prefix ex- before vowels | In the Provençal, Limousin, Auvergnat, Vivaro-Alpine, and Niçard dialects | ||
/ɡʒ/ | Before the vowels “i” & “u” | In the Auvergnat dialect | ||
Oromo | /tʼ/ | |||
Pirahã | /ʔ/ | |||
Polish | /ks~gz/ | |||
Portuguese | /gz/ | In the prefix hexa- ("hexa-") | ||
/ks/ | Some words | Mainly in learned loanwords | ||
/s/ | When preceded by <e> and a consonant; some words | |||
/ʃ/ | Word-initially; in words derived from Tupi; usually | |||
/z/ | In the prefix ex- ("ex-") before a vowel | |||
Sardinian | /ʒ/ | |||
Sicilian | /ʃ/ | Pronunciation for Old Sicilian words | See e.g. Craxi, Joppolo Giancaxio | |
/k(ə)s(ə)/ | Pronunciations for loanwords | |||
Somali | /ħ/, /ʜ/ | |||
Spanish | /(k)s/ | Usually | ||
/s/ | Word-initially | |||
/ʃ/ | In some names and words | |||
/t͡ʃ/ | ||||
/x/ | ||||
Swedish | /ks/ | |||
Uzbek | /χ/ | |||
Venetian | /s/ | InVenexia "Venice" | ||
/z/ | Usually | |||
Vietnamese | /s/ |
InEnglish orthography, ⟨x⟩ is typically pronounced as the voiceless consonant cluster /ks/ when it follows the stressed vowel (e.g. ox), and the voiced consonant /ɡz/ when it precedes the stressed vowel (e.g. exam). It is also pronounced /ɡz/ when it precedes a silent ⟨h⟩ and a stressed vowel (e.g. exhaust).[3] Before ⟨a⟩, ⟨i⟩or⟨u⟩, it can be pronounced /kʃ/or/ɡʒ/ (e.g. sexual and luxury); these result from earlier /ksj/ and /ɡzj/. It also makes the sound /kʃ/ in words ending in -xion (except for axion). When ⟨x⟩ ends a word, it is always /ks/ (e.g. fax), except in loan words such as faux (see French, below).
There are very few English words that start with ⟨x⟩ (the fewest of any letter). When ⟨x⟩ does start a word, it is usually pronounced 'z' (e.g. xylophone, xanthan). When starting in some names or as its own representation it is pronounced 'eks', in rare recent loanwords or foreign proper names, it can also be pronounced /s/ (e.g. the obsolete Vietnamese monetary unit xu) or /ʃ/ (e.g. Chinese names starting with Xi like XiaomiorXinjiang). Many of the words that start with ⟨x⟩ are of Greek origin, or standardized trademarks (Xerox) or acronyms (XC). In abbreviations, it can represent "trans-" (e.g. XMIT for transmit, XFER for transfer), "cross-" (e.g. X-ing for crossing, XREF for cross-reference), "Christ-" (e.g. Xmas for Christmas, Xian for Christian), the "crys-" in crystal (XTAL), "by" (SXSW for South by Southwest) or various words starting with "ex-" (e.g. XL for extra large, XOR for exclusive-or, or the extinction symbol).
X is the third least frequently used letter in English (after ⟨q⟩ and ⟨z⟩), with a frequency of about 0.15% in words.[4]
In Latin, ⟨x⟩ stood for [ks]. In some languages, as a result of assorted phonetic changes, handwriting adaptations or simply spelling convention, ⟨x⟩ has other pronunciations:
Additionally, in languages for which the Latin alphabet has been adapted only recently, ⟨x⟩ has been used for various sounds, in some cases inspired by European usage, but in others, for consonants uncommon in Europe. For these no Latin letter stands out as an obvious choice, and since most of the various European pronunciations of ⟨x⟩ can be written by other means, the letter becomes available for more unusual sounds.
In the International Phonetic Alphabet, ⟨x⟩ represents a voiceless velar fricative.
Preview | X | x | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Unicode name | LATIN CAPITAL LETTER X | LATIN SMALL LETTER X | ||
Encodings | decimal | hex | dec | hex |
Unicode | 88 | U+0058 | 120 | U+0078 |
UTF-8 | 88 | 58 | 120 | 78 |
Numeric character reference | X |
X |
x |
x |
EBCDIC family | 231 | E7 | 167 | A7 |
ASCII 1 | 88 | 58 | 120 | 78 |
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Signal flag | Flag semaphore | American manual alphabet (ASL fingerspelling) | British manual alphabet (BSL fingerspelling) | Braille dots-1346 Unified English Braille |
roman numerals.
In the course of time, I, V and X became identical with three letters of the alphabet; originally, however, they bore no relation to these letters.
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