How did the Greeks modify Phoenician language?

The Greeks did not directly "modify" the Phoenician language in the sense of making changes to its existing grammar or vocabulary. Instead, they adapted the Phoenician alphabet to create their own writing system, a process that fundamentally shaped the Greek language.

Here's how the adaptation happened:

* Borrowing the Alphabet: The Greeks borrowed the Phoenician alphabet, which was a consonantal script, meaning it only had symbols for consonants.

* Adding Vowel Sounds: The Greeks added vowel sounds to the Phoenician alphabet, creating the first known alphabet to include both consonants and vowels. This significantly improved the ability to record the spoken language accurately.

* Adapting Symbols: The Greeks repurposed some Phoenician symbols to represent Greek sounds, and they invented new symbols for sounds that didn't exist in Phoenician.

* Developing a Left-to-Right Writing System: The Greeks adopted a left-to-right writing direction, whereas the Phoenicians wrote from right to left.

The impact of this adaptation was profound:

* Literacy: The Greek alphabet made writing accessible to a wider population, leading to a flourishing of literature, philosophy, and scientific thought.

* Standardization: The Greek alphabet helped standardize the spoken language, making it easier for people from different regions to communicate.

* Spread of the Alphabet: The Greek alphabet spread throughout the Mediterranean world, eventually influencing the development of other alphabets, including the Latin alphabet used in English.

While the Greek adaptation of the Phoenician alphabet was a major turning point in Greek history, it's important to remember that the Greeks did not modify the Phoenician language itself. They borrowed the writing system and then transformed it to meet the needs of their own language.