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[Pavel] It seems slightly strange to me that the voiceless fricative is used to mark [a:]. (/j/ and /w/ are voiced, aren't they?) Would not be `ajin more appropriate? ----- [Davius] The election for some matres lectiones seems purely conventional. For example in Punic ´alef usually is used for transcribe currently greek and latin /o, u/ and `ayin is used for /a/ (with some inconsistencies), you can see this transcriptions in the following link: http://www.geocities.com/linguaeimperii/Semitic/greeklatin-names_01.gif http://www.geocities.com/linguaeimperii/Semitic/punic_es.html (to see the image properly!) In arabic /a/ is transcribed usually with ´alef a voiceless sound.