numeral system, eight and ten, respectively. They are, therefore, sometimes referred to as octal I and decimal I. Usage Rules for usage in Russian (pre-1918) ⟨і⟩ was used before all vowels and before the semivowel ⟨й⟩ except at the end of a morpheme in a compound word, where ⟨и⟩ was used. So англійскій (English) used ⟨і⟩, but пяти + акровый = пятиакровый (five-acre) used ⟨и⟩. ⟨и⟩ was used as the last letter of a word and before consonants except in міръ for "world, universe, local community, commons, society, laity" (and words derived from it) to differentiate from миръ "peace"). After 1918, both are spelled мир. In a few words derived from Greek, use was derived etymologically based upon whether iota or eta was in the original Greek: Іисусъ "Jesus", from Greek Ιησούς, now written Иисус; also Іванъ from Ἰωάννης, now written Иван. However, since the middle of the 18th century loanwords came to be spelled according to the general rule: Іоаннъ but Иванъ, Никита (instead of Нiкита), Филиппъ (instead of Фiлiппъ). According to critics of the Bolshevik reform, the choice of Ии as the only letter to represent that side and the removal of Іі defeated the purpose of 'simplifying’ the language, as Ии occupies more space and, furthermore, is sometimes indistinguishable from Шш. The reform also created many homographs and homonyms, which used to be spelled differently. Examples: есть/ѣсть (to be/eat) and миръ/міръ (peace/the Universe) became есть and мир in both instances. Computing codes Related letters and other similar characters 1 : Digit One Ι ι : Greek letter Iota I i : Latin letter I İ i : Latin letter dotted I I ı : Latin letter dotless I И и : Cyrillic letter I another letter that is romanized as I Ї ї : Cyrillic letter Yi Й й : Cyrillic letter Short I Ј ј : Cyrillic letter Je Ӏ ӏ : Cyrillic letter Palochka Ꙇ ꙇ : Cyrillic letter Iota External links References