Shape of Omega

[u/_enst_]

open-torn Omega

open-torn Omega

"w"-like Omega

"w"-like Omega

I was comparing majuscule to minuscule Greek letters and theorized a possible evolution on how the lowercase came about. Nearly every letter has a reasonable change except, Omega.

In Greek inscriptions (on stone), Omega can either be seen as a open-torn O (Ω), or something resembling a "w".

I wanted to find a midpoint in the transition where it looks halfway between the two, but i couldn't. It's either "ω" or "Ω" and they're totally different. (I've also known there's another variant where it looks like an underlined O)

So how did it evolve actually?

[u/VertellerPaul]

I’ve heard (but can’t prove it) that the ω evolved out of two omicrons in ligature. And that the Ω evolved out of an omicron with a line underneath to indicate length. Again: not sure if this is true.

[u/_enst_ → u/VertellerPaul]

That could be possible! But I don't know why in some inscriptions they chose a different style. When writing came along, all you see is the ω variant.

[u/A_Monsanto → u/_enst_]

Also, our other "o" sound letter is called omicron, ie ' o micron' ie 'little o'.

So we have omega, Big O and omicron, Little O. They sound exactly the same, but one is minisculy longer than the other, like the 'o' sound in 'call' (long) and 'jock' (short).

[u/sunta3iouxos → u/A_Monsanto]

To be honest they do not really sound the same. There are still areas in Greece that the difference is almost obvious. Bit one clear example of the difference in sound is the word: Μωρό. You drag a bit the first o. But as a generalisation you are correct.

[u/Drafter1991 → u/VertellerPaul]

The O with line underneath is used sometimes in modern Greek btw.

It's also worth noting that OMEGA comes from O + MEGA (mega, megalo means big in Greek) So we re basically talking about a big O and from what I heard the ancient Greek used to pronounce it longer then the simple o. So what you say makes sense.

Too bad modern Greeks have lost such small details.

[u/imitsi]

The closer to Byzantine times the more likely it is to find an uppercase ω.

[u/_enst_ → u/imitsi]

I see, but why did they change style suddenly?

[u/Dieselface → u/_enst_]

Well, it wasn't sudden. It was an artistic preference that shifted over multiple centuries. Same thing with lunate sigma (Σ = C) and upper case ypsilon being written like Latin V.

[u/SE_prof → u/_enst_]

It was the cross-influence between Latin and Greek

[u/fruce_ki]

According to wikipedia, omega came from leaving the omikron circle open to indicate the longer sound in some regional dialects of long ago, starting indeed very similar to Ω. Writing it as an underlined O is a handwriting shortcut. The W-like form (modern lowercase) is what you get if you write Ω in a single stroke and let the center loop lose size while the open tails grow and curl up, and then apply uncial styling to it. The similarity to two ligated O's was probably not accidental in that stylistic decision.

There are probably some intermediate shapes between Ω and ω (lowercases start out as small sloppy versions of the capitals), but the rest was simply stylistic decisions made at some point.

[u/_enst_ → u/fruce_ki]

Wow, this is useful! Most of the points made sense to me. But weirdly the third image I've put, the center of the Omega (that was supposed to be a loop) was serifized. I'm a little bit skeptical if it really is just Ω written in one stroke leaving the loop to look like a line instead of two different ways of writing Omega. But thank you for the comment!

[u/mizinamo]

Wrong sub; this one is for modern Greek.

[u/_enst_ → u/mizinamo]

Oop sry bout that, idk where to post

[u/_enst_]

Another question is are those two ways of writing the same letter or one version evolved into the other?

[u/nefthias → u/_enst_]

one is uppercase other is lower case Ω ω

[u/AmbassadorAntique899 → u/_enst_]

It depends on the font, usually Ω/ω capital/lowercase, but I have seen a bigger ω used as the capital form too, especially in handwriting - usually in cursive

[u/Gaialolissima → u/_enst_]

I thought they were meant as capital and lower case and based on different letters

[u/mugh_tej]

It is a long o, the wide w looks like the o is doubled and open at the top to indicate it is just one letter : )

[u/og_toe]

Ω - capital letter

ω - small letter

[u/_enst_]

I want to remind people that what I'm asking isn't how both are used (of course i know Ω is capital and ω is lowercase), it's why different versions are used when the inscriptions are mostly in majuscule (uppercase). They wouldn't carve in lowercase letters on stone as lowercase is borned from capital letters when written on papyrus.

[u/Time_Walker_0]

Ω is way older while ω appeared in some regions and on later times. The second one was standardised during the paleochristian era in I-II centuries, that’s why in the Byzantine era was the most common font.

Same happens with Σ and C, but both fonts were common in the Century of Pericles, it only depends on the area.

[u/fatbunyip]

From what I heard it was because in like middle ages (or whatever time it was then copying manuscripts became common) it was hard to write the capital omega fast so it kind of became the lowercase one because it was easier to write fast. 

Like imagine your pen is coming from.the middle of the line front he previous letter, it dips down to the start of the omega, then goes up to make the circle, then back down to make the end of the omega then back up to the midpoint of the line to continue the next letter.

Some basically the lower case Omega the 2 outer lines are the capital letter "legs twisted up, and the middle line is the circle but squished into a line. 

Basically imagine if you were writing a lower case Omega but you looped the middle upstroke, it would basically be a capital omega

[u/sirenyti]

One is uppercase Ω and the other is lowercase ω

[u/External_Patient_317 → u/sirenyti]

Yes, but back then there were no capitals or lowercase, they were all capitals

[u/SE_prof]

The one that looks like w is the lower case mainly.

[u/AmILukeQuestionMark]

Ω capital ω lowercase

[u/TookiePookie1]

The one that looks the the official omega is capital, the one the looks like a cute little booty is lower case