Question

The Cyrillic alphabet is the alphabet used in Russian text. It is one of the most __WIDE__ used alphabets in the world. The alphabet is used in __VARY__ languages, including Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian and Ukrainian. It began in the __TEN__ century in the Bulgarian Empire. It was created by two Greek brothers, Cyril and Methodius. It was formed from the Greek alphabet, although there are many __DIFFER__ between the two. Some people would like the alphabet to be called the Russian alphabet, to refer to Russia, just as the Greek alphabet refers to Greece. They __AGREE__ with the name Cyrillic. The alphabet recently became the EU’s third __OFFICE__ script, after Latin and Greek, when Bulgaria joined the EU.

Answer 1

Widest
Various
Tenth
Different
didn't agree
Official

Answer 2

The Cyrillic Alphabet: A Brief Overview

The Cyrillic alphabet is indeed widely used and is the alphabet used in Russian text. It is one of the most widely used alphabets in the world. The alphabet is used in various languages, including Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Ukrainian. It originated in the 10th century in the Bulgarian Empire and was created by two Greek brothers, Cyril and Methodius. The Cyrillic alphabet was formed from the Greek alphabet, although there are many differences between the two [[1]].

Origins and Development of the Cyrillic Alphabet

The Cyrillic alphabet was developed by Cyril and Methodius, who were Byzantine Greek scholars and missionaries. They were sent to the Slavic lands to spread Christianity and translate religious texts into the local languages. In order to achieve this, they created a new alphabet, which later became known as the Cyrillic alphabet. The alphabet was based on the Greek alphabet, but they also incorporated elements from the Glagolitic script, an early Slavic writing system [[2]].

Cyrillic vs. Greek Alphabet

While the Cyrillic alphabet was derived from the Greek alphabet, there are notable differences between the two. The Cyrillic alphabet has additional letters that are not present in the Greek alphabet, such as Ж, Ц, Ч, Ш, Щ, Ъ, Ы, Ь, Э, Ю, and Я. These additional letters were added to represent specific sounds in the Slavic languages. Additionally, some letters in the Cyrillic alphabet have different pronunciations compared to their Greek counterparts. For example, the Cyrillic letter "Г" is pronounced as "G" in Russian, while the Greek letter "Γ" is pronounced as "Gamma" [[3]].

Naming of the Cyrillic Alphabet

While some people would like the alphabet to be called the "Russian alphabet" to refer specifically to Russia, the name "Cyrillic" is widely accepted and used. This is because the alphabet was created by Cyril and Methodius, who were Greek brothers. The name "Cyrillic" acknowledges their contribution to the development of the alphabet and its widespread use in various languages, not just Russian [[4]].

The Cyrillic Alphabet in the European Union

The Cyrillic alphabet recently became the European Union's third official script, after Latin and Greek, when Bulgaria joined the EU. This recognition highlights the importance and significance of the Cyrillic alphabet in the European context [[5]].

In conclusion, the Cyrillic alphabet is widely used in various languages, including Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Ukrainian. It originated in the 10th century in the Bulgarian Empire and was created by Cyril and Methodius. While it is based on the Greek alphabet, there are notable differences between the two. The name "Cyrillic" is widely accepted and used to refer to this alphabet, acknowledging its creators and its widespread use.