where did the romans get their alphabet from
History of the Latin script
The use of the letters I and V for both consonants and vowels proved inconvenient as the Latin alphabet was adapted to Germanic and Romance languages . W originated as a doubled V ( VV ) used to represent the sound ( w ) found in Old English as early as the 7th century . It came into common use in the later 11th century , replacing the runic Wynn letter which had been used for the same sound . In the Romance languages , the minuscule form of V was a rounded u ; from this was derived a rounded capital U for the vowel in the 16th century , while a new , pointed minuscule v was derived from V for the consonant . In the case of I , a word - final swash form , j , came to be used for the consonant , with the un-swashed form restricted to vowel use . Such conventions were erratic for centuries . J was introduced into English for the consonant in the 17th century ( it had been rare as a vowel ) , but it was not universally considered a distinct letter in the alphabetic order until the 19th century .
The use of the letters I and V for both consonants and vowels proved inconvenient as the Latin alphabet was adapted to Germanic and Romance languages . W originated as a doubled V ( VV ) used to represent the sound ( w ) found in Old English as early as the 7th century . It came into common use in the later 11th century , replacing the runic Wynn letter which had been used for the same sound . In the Romance languages , the minuscule form of V was a rounded u ; from this was derived a rounded capital U for the vowel in the 16th century , while a new , pointed minuscule v was derived from V for the consonant . In the case of I , a word - final swash form , j , came to be used for the consonant , with the un-swashed form restricted to vowel use . Such conventions were erratic for centuries . J was introduced into English for the consonant in the 17th century ( it had been rare as a vowel ) , but it was not universally considered a distinct letter in the alphabetic order until the 19th century .