Greek Alphabet Surprise: What Happens to Sigma?
The Greek alphabet has 24 letters but one of them is extra special. Meet Sigma (Σ, σ, ς) the letter that changes shape depending on where it shows up in a word!
What Is Sigma?
Sigma is the Greek letter for the sound “s.” It looks like this:
- Σ – uppercase
- σ – lowercase, used at the start or middle of a word
- ς – lowercase, but used only at the end of a word!
That’s right Greek has a special ending version of a letter, and Sigma is the only one that does this.
Why Does It Matter?
It helps readers quickly spot where a word ends and keeps Greek writing nice and neat. It’s a cool visual cue and a great example of how Greek has stayed fun and functional over centuries.
Examples in Action
- σοφία (sofía) – wisdom (σ in the middle)
- λόγος (lógos) – word (ς at the end)
Activities: Sigma Switch-Up
“Sigma Sort”
Give kids flashcards with words and ask them to pick the correct version of Sigma based on word position.
“Write It Right!”
Let kids write simple Greek words and practice using both versions of lowercase Sigma.
Writing Can Be Fun
Dinolingo introduces kids to the Greek alphabet through stories, songs, and visuals making details like Sigma easy to remember.
Final Thoughts
Little surprises like Sigma’s shape-shift make Greek extra fun to explore. Once kids know the trick, they’ll spot it everywhere!
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