Latvian orthography

Latvian alphabet
Latviešu alfabēts
Latvian alphabet; Latviešu alfabēts
Script type	Alphabet
Time period	1908 – present
Languages	Latvian
Related scripts
Parent systems	Egyptian hieroglyphs Proto-Sinaitic alphabet Phoenician alphabet Greek alphabet Old Italic scripts Latin alphabet Czech alphabet Latvian alphabet; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Child systems	Latgalian alphabet
Unicode
Unicode range	Subset of Latin
	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.

The modern Latvian orthography is based on Latin script adapted to phonetic principles, following the pronunciation of the language. The standard alphabet consists of 33 letters – 22 unmodified Latin letters and 11 modified by diacritics. It was developed by the Knowledge Commission of the Riga Latvian Association in 1908, and was approved the same year by the orthography commission under the leadership of Kārlis Mīlenbahs and Jānis Endzelīns.^[1] It was introduced by law from 1920 to 1922 in the Republic of Latvia.

Latvian orthography historically used a system based upon German phonetic principles, while the Latgalian dialect was written using Polish orthographic principles.

^ "Vēsture" (in Latvian). Latvian Language Agency. Retrieved 18 March 2018.

[valoda.lv-1] "Vēsture" (in Latvian). Latvian Language Agency. Retrieved 18 March 2018.

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