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From: crythene@aol.com (Crythene)
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Subject: LINE/FONT - revised Arabic Font
Date: 3 Jul 1994 17:47:33 -0500
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            THE ARABIC VOWELS, THE 'ALIF-LAM, AND HAMZA-ALEPH
            ~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~  ~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

Like several other Middle eastern languages, Arabic is generally only w
written with consonants and long vowels.  One is expected to recognize
words without needing the short vowels.  Students, foreigners, and some
well-edited books do use vowel markings which appear above and below
the consonants.  These are:

 8       .: .:
 7      :' :'   (for the 'an' ending to a word)

 8       .:
 7      :'      (for short a or long a if followed by an 'alif)

 8      o o
 7     .'.'     (for the 'un' ending to a word)

 8      o
 7     .'       (for short u or long u if followed by a Waw)

-4      .: .: 
-5     :' :'    (for the 'in' ending to a word)

-4      .:
-5     :'       (for short i or long i if followed by a Ya)

 8     .'.
 7      '       (if there is no vowel following the letter)

I've added vowel markings to my name, below.

=======================================================================

When an 'alif is followed by a Lam, the two letters are merged like so:
 
 6        ::               ::
 5   :.   ::          :.   ::
 4   `:.  ::          `:.  ::
 3    `:. ::           `:. ::
 2     `:.::            `:.::.
 1  `::::::'         `::::::'`::

=======================================================================

When a Hamza is written with an 'alif, they are written so:

 6     .:.              .:.                .:.                 .:.
 5     :..              :..                :..                 :..
 4     .:'              .:'                .:'                 .:'
 3      ..               ..                 ..                  ..
 2      ::               ::.                ::                  ::
 1      ::               ::`::           :::'`:::             :::'
 
                    .'.
                     '
::                  ::
::                  ::
::           *      ::
::    .     ...     ::
::.  :::   :''':   .::.  .:. . :.
`::::' `:::`:::':::''``:::::::::'
     * *
             .:            .:
            :'            :'

     (Sylvia)