The LLL system is the culmination of several years of research, modification, testing and implementation. As many researchers have worked in this direction before,  we developed the LLL system aiming for the most comprehensive approach towards representing and expressing the Lebanese Language in the simplest and most compatible way possible. It also has the capability of adapting and transforming if technology and necessity arises, with minimal or no effects upon material that has been produced using this script.

1- Compatibility: The LLL system is FULLY integrated within the current technology. It is Unicode 5.0 Compatible and will be compatible with any new releases of Unicode. The Lebanese language Institute recognizes that there are many difficulties in actually introducing a script and have it implemented. There are many challenges that interfere with this process, and we have addressed each of them individually. Unicode 5.0 provides the platform for the development of the LLL. Unicode 5.0 has been implemented on all electronic products produced in 2008. Some of the older products, such as the font sets for Windows XP, are out of date, and need to be updated to the latest Unicode font sets that have been released with Windows Vista for example. The Lebanese Language Institute provides all these resources for you so that you can update your system accordingly.

2- Integration: The LLL currently has seven additional letters that are extracted from the Unicode system as an addition to the full Latin Alphabet:

The Ḋ
The Ġ
The Ḣ
The Ḱ
The Ṡ
The Ṫ
The Ż

The 3 modified spellings of letters are the X, the C, and the Hamze `.

3- Quick learning curve: The LLL is designed with a quick learning curve in mind. Using similar sounds with slight modifications helps the student to easily make correlations of similar sounds to newly learned sounds. It also becomes extremely easy for the native speaker to make these correlations, and learn the new script in no time. We estimate that the native speaker would require less than an hour to be able to fully read and write using this script, and about 3-4 hours for the new student, if the student is familiar with the additional sounds, to be able to read and write using the LLL. This estimate was based on studies performed on various individuals to assess the level of comprehension of the new system.

4- Implementation: The LLL could be implemented using any type of keyboard. At an advanced level, we will be using a dead key strategy to change these letters to the advanced form on your keyboard. There is a Lebanese keyboard layout, and soon a word dictionary, and many additional elements to fully integrate the system with modern technology.

5- Reading and Writing Lebanese: Reading and Writing Lebanese is a very simple process. Actually, Lebanese reads very well in Latin Letters. These same letters were originally a Lebanese (Phoenician) invention. The original Phoenician Alphabet did not contain any vowels, because the pronunciation of that language in a certain respect, lacked vowels. It was a toughly pronounced language, close to the language of the highlanders in Lebanon today. For example, to pronounce “Bet” in Phoenician, it would be written BT, simply because that was how they pronounced it. As the Lebanese language developed, it became more nuanced and therefore it requires a variety of vowels to express how we read and write it.

Yet, we realize that there is always a learning curve for any language. We are not only trying to make things easier, but also, we are trying to create a comprehensive system that will cover our language, and this requires it to have certain elements of uniqueness. On the other hand, we have tried to make things as simple as possible. By following some basic rules, you should be able to master the system within hours at most.

LLL Script: Click Here to Download if you don’t have it already

LLL Script: Alphabet, Lebanese Latin Letters

LLL Script: History of Developing LLL

LLL Script: Reading Samples

LLL Script: FAQ