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yus

yus

9.9
A letter in old Slavic alphabets used for vowels with a nasal sound
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : yus
  • Scholars often debate how the sound of yus should be reconstructed in modern pronunciation.

Examples

  • The Cyrillic script originally included both little and big yus for different nasal vowels.

  • The letter yus is important in Slavic linguistics.

  • In Old Church Slavonic texts, the letter yus is represented in several different forms.

  • In early Slavic texts, the yus appears frequently.

  • The letter yus was used in ancient Slavic scripts to represent a nasal vowel sound.

  • In early manuscripts, the yus was a key component of the Cyrillic alphabet.

  • Scholars often study the origins of the yus in the development of Slavic languages.

Synonyms

big yus
vsyus
  • Specialized
9.9

A letter in old Slavic alphabets that shows a nasal vowel sound

is the general nasal vowel character not limited to back sounds
little yus
vsyus
  • Specialized
9.9

A letter used in old Slavic writing to show a vowel pronounced through the nose

is the general nasal vowel character not limited to front sounds

Compounds

big yus
  • Specialized
9.9

A letter in old Slavic alphabets that shows a nasal vowel sound

little yus
  • Specialized
9.9

A letter used in old Slavic writing to show a vowel pronounced through the nose

Surface Forms

yus singular
yuses plural

Etymology

The word yus was the old name for letters that marked a 'nasal' or 'through the nose' vowel sound in early Slavonic alphabets like Cyrillic and Glagolitic. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine a little 'nose' sound, and that's why yus refers to the special nasal vowel letter seen in Old Church Slavonic texts.