The barred lambda ( ƛ) (U+A7DCLATIN CAPITAL LETTER LAMBDA WITH STROKE, U+019BƛLATIN SMALL LETTER LAMBDA WITH STROKE), is a modified letter of the Greek alphabet, commonly encountered in North American linguistics. It is used by the Salishan and Wakashan languages in Canada.[1] It is also used in Americanist phonetic notation, where it is also known as running man,[2] to transcribe [t͡ɬ]. In physics, it is used to represent the angular wavelength, i.e. the wavelength (λ) divided by 2π (τ), which corresponds to the length taken up by one radian of the wave.
Cased forms of the barred lambda. The capital was assigned to Unicode in 2024.
λ for [dl] has been used in Eskimo by Jenness ... ƛ for [tł] is an innovation formed from λ as ł from l.[3]
It is also used for the affricate [t͡ɬ] in transcribing the Sahaptin language, e.g., iƛúpna ‘he jumped’, and it is commonly used for the same purpose in several languages of the Caucasus. In addition, its counterpart with a combining comma above right (U+0315), ƛ̓ [fr], is used for many of the Salish languages, such as Klallam, for an ejective lateral affricate.
