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In Middle Egyptian hieroglyphs, the repetition of a sound within a single word is known as a phonetic complement. Because a single biliteral or triliteral sign already carries a multi-sound value, scribes frequently added a monoliteral sign that spelled out one or more of those exact same sounds a second time.
DETERMINATIVES
A determinative is a completely silent hieroglyph placed at the end of an Egyptian word that carries no sound value but provides semantic context to clarify the word's meaning or category.
While a sign is functioning as a determinative, it is completely silent. However, that exact same visual sign can have a sound value when it switches roles to function as a phonogram (like a biliteral or triliteral) or a logogram in a different word.
A logogram (or ideogram) is a picture sign that represents a complete word or concept rather than a phonetic sound. Instead of spelling out the word with letters, the hieroglyphic sign is the actual object it depicts or an idea directly related to it.
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