g_ - 0020.htm

ίο Phonology [§§i?-¹⁸

t § 17. g. The exact pronunciation of this letter cannot be determined with certainty for all the positions in which it is found.

Initial g probably had the same sound as the g in English go, as gōþs,good; giban, to give; the same may also have been the pronunciation of g in the combination vowel + g + consonant (other than a guttural), as bugjan, to buy; tagla, hairs; tagra (nom. pi.), (ears. Cp. §§ 167-8.

Medially between vowels it was a voiced spirant like the widely spread pronunciation of g in NHG. tage, days, as áugō, eye; steigan, to ascend. Cp. § 168.

Final postvocalic g and g in the final combination gs was probably a voiceless spirant like the ch in NHG. or in Scotch loch, as dag (ace. sing.), day; mag, he can; dags, day. Cp. § 169.

Before another guttural it was used to express a guttural nasal (rj) like the γ in Greek άγγελοϊ, angel; άγχι, near; and the ng in English thing, or the η in think, as aggilus, angel; briggan, to bring; figgrs, finger; drigkan, to drink; sigqan, to sink.

NOTE.—Occasionally, especially in St. Luke, the guttural nasal is expressed by η as in Latin and English, as bankeib ·— bagkeib, Luke xiv. 31 ; bringib ·= briggib, Luke xv. 22.

The combination ggw was in some words equal to rj + gw, and in others equal to gg (a long voiced explosive)

+ w. When it was the one, and when the other, can only be determined upon etymological grounds. Examples of the former are siggwan, to sing; aggwus, narrow; and of the latter bliggwan, to beat, strike; trlggws, true, faithful. Cp. § 151.

t§18. h, initially before vowels and probably also

medially between vowels, was a strong aspirate, as haban,

to have; haírtð, heart; faíhu, cattle; gateihan, to announce.

Cp. §164. In other positions it was a voiceless spirant



		ίο Phonology [§§i?-¹⁸ t § 17. g. The exact pronunciation of this letter cannot be determined with certainty for all the positions in which it is found. Initial g probably had the same sound as the g in English go, as gōþs,good; giban, to give; the same may also have been the pronunciation of g in the combination vowel + g + consonant (other than a guttural), as bugjan, to buy; tagla, hairs; tagra (nom. pi.), (ears. Cp. §§ 167-8. Medially between vowels it was a voiced spirant like the widely spread pronunciation of g in NHG. tage, days, as áugō, eye; steigan, to ascend. Cp. § 168. Final postvocalic g and g in the final combination gs was probably a voiceless spirant like the ch in NHG. or in Scotch loch, as dag (ace. sing.), day; mag, he can; dags, day. Cp. § 169. Before another guttural it was used to express a guttural nasal (rj) like the γ in Greek άγγελοϊ, angel; άγχι, near; and the ng in English thing, or the η in think, as aggilus, angel; briggan, to bring; figgrs, finger; drigkan, to drink; sigqan, to sink. NOTE.—Occasionally, especially in St. Luke, the guttural nasal is expressed by η as in Latin and English, as bankeib ·— bagkeib, Luke xiv. 31 ; bringib ·= briggib, Luke xv. 22. The combination ggw was in some words equal to rj + gw, and in others equal to gg (a long voiced explosive) + w. When it was the one, and when the other, can only be determined upon etymological grounds. Examples of the former are siggwan, to sing; aggwus, narrow; and of the latter bliggwan, to beat, strike; trlggws, true, faithful. Cp. § 151. t§18. h, initially before vowels and probably also medially between vowels, was a strong aspirate, as haban, to have; haírtð, heart; faíhu, cattle; gateihan, to announce. Cp. §164. In other positions it was a voiceless spirant