Editing Latin alphabet (section)

== Evolution ==
{{broader| History of the alphabet}}
The Latin alphabet evolved from the visually similar [[Etruscan alphabet]], which evolved from the [[Cumae alphabet|Cumaean Greek version]] of the [[Greek alphabet]], which was itself descended from the [[Phoenician alphabet]], which in turn derived from [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]].<ref>{{cite book |author-first1=Michael C. |author-last1=Howard |date=2012 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=6QPWXrCCzBIC&pg=PA23 23] |title=Transnationalism in Ancient and Medieval Societies |isbn=978-0-7864-6803-4 |publisher=McFarland & Company}}</ref> The [[History of Rome#Etruscan dominance|Etruscans ruled early Rome]]; their alphabet evolved in Rome over successive centuries to produce the Latin alphabet.
During the [[Middle Ages]], the Latin alphabet was used (sometimes with modifications) for writing [[Romance languages]], which are direct descendants of [[Latin]], as well as [[Celtic languages|Celtic]], [[Germanic languages|Germanic]], [[Baltic languages|Baltic]] and some [[Slavic languages]]. With the [[First wave of European colonization|age of colonialism]] and [[Christian evangelism]], the [[Latin script]] spread beyond [[Europe]], coming into use for writing indigenous [[Indigenous languages of the Americas|American]], [[Australian Aboriginal languages|Australian]], [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian]], [[Austroasiatic languages|Austroasiatic]] and [[Languages of Africa|African languages]]. More recently, [[linguistics|linguists]] have also tended to prefer the Latin script or the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] (itself largely based on the Latin script) when transcribing or creating written standards for non-European languages, such as the [[African reference alphabet]].

===Signs and abbreviations===
Although Latin did not use diacritical marks, signs of truncation of words (often placed above or at the end of the truncated word) were very common. Furthermore, abbreviations or smaller overlapping letters were often used. This was due to the fact that if the text was engraved on stone, the number of letters to be written was reduced, while if it was written on paper or parchment, it saved precious space. This habit continued even in the Middle Ages. Hundreds of symbols and abbreviations exist, varying from century to century.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cappelli|first1=Adriano|title=Dizionario di Abbreviature Latine ed Italiane|date=1990|publisher=Editore Ulrico Hoepli|location=Milano|isbn=88-203-1100-3}}</ref>