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Vowels written above and below.
Also known as: Harakat, Arabic vowel points, Diacritics
The Arabic system writing the short vowels as marks around the consonants rather than as letters.
Writes the three short vowels of Arabic as marks attached to the consonants.
Contexts: Language and transcription
Omitted from almost all ordinary Arabic writing: newspapers, signage and correspondence are written unvowelled and read by a reader supplying the vowels from context, which makes the marks an aid for learners, for scripture and for poetry rather than part of normal spelling.
Contexts: Language and transcription
Introduced to fix the reading of the Qur'anic text, after an earlier system of coloured dots, so the notation exists because one text had to be read one way.
Contexts: Language and transcription
Short oblique strokes above and below the consonants and a small looped waw above them, one mark to a vowel, written in a lighter weight than the letters.