G
The seventh letter in the Roman alphabet, G,
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
The letter G was created by the Romans because they felt that C was not an adequate letter to represent both /k/ AND /g/. Fascinatingly, the alleged inventor is a known historical figure, Spurius Carvilius Ruga (who flourished around 230 BC). G, which at this time took the place of the letter Z, came to represent the sound /g/. As the sound /k/ did, /g/ also developed palatal and velar allophones which is the reason why today, G has different sound values in all Romance languages and English (due to French influence).
In English, the letter can be pronounced as a "soft G" (SAMPA: [dZ]), as in: giant, ginger, geology, or it can be pronounced as a "hard G" (SAMPA: [g]), as in: goose, gargoyle, game.
Golf represents the letter G in the NATO phonetic alphabet.
G is also:
- A musical note
- As G, giga, an SI prefix meaning 109 = 1,000,000,000 (one billion) or a binary prefix used in computing to mean 230 = 1,073,741,824.
- As G, a symbol for the gravitational constant
- As g, a unit for acceleration, see gee force.
- As g, an SI unit for mass, see Gram (unit).
- The stock symbol for The Gillette Company
- A British film, G, made in 1974
- The variable G for conductance
- Short for the slang word "gangsta" or gangster
Words beginning with the letter G, suitable for teaching children the alphabet
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