100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
r s t w f χ ƕ o --]
NOTE 1. Of these signs one (=i=, _10_) is represented by two forms.
The =i= without dots occurs oftener, the =i= with dots stands at
the beginning of a word, and in the midl of a word after a vowel,
to show that it forms a syllabl for itself and does not form a
difthong with the preceding vowel; e. g., =fraïtiþ= (= =fra-itiþ=).
In transliteration =i= is employd thruout.
NOTE 2. Two characters, the Greek episema 'koppa' (_90_) and
'sampi' (_900_), hav no fonetic values, but serv only as numerals.
When the symbols denote numerals, they ar markt by a horizontal
stroke abuv them, or by dots before and after them: =i̅b̅= or
=·ib·= = 12.
NOTE 3. The transliteration of the Gothic symbols is not alike in
all cases. Most editors hav hitherto uzed =v= for =w= (§ 39, n. 1);
for the singl symbols =q= (§ 39, n. 1) and =ƕ= (§ 63) we find =kv=
or =qu= and =hv= or =w=, respectivly; for =þ=, which is borrowd
from the Norse-A.-S. alfabet, also =th= occurs (§ 70, n. 1).
NOTE 4. The Gothic monuments show but few abbreviations; the holy
names, =guþ=, =frauja=, =iêsus=, =Χristus=, ar always abbreviated.
Abbreviations ar denoted by a stroke abuv the word, but in our
texts the abbreviated words ar uzually printed in ful; as, =g̅þ̅= =
=guþ=, =f̅a̅=, =f̅i̅n̅s̅= = =frauja=, =fraujins=.--For more on this
point, s. Gabelentz-Loebe's grammar, p. 19 et seq.
NOTE 5. The Goths alredy had the Germanic runic letters before
Wulfila. The names of these letters wer uzed also for the new
characters. The names of the Gothic symbols, together with a
few Gothic words and alfabets, ar preservd in a Salzburg-Vienna
manuscript of the 9th century: W. Grimm, 'Wiener Jahrbücher der
Litteratur 43', p. 4 et seq. Massmann, zs. fda. 1, p. 296 et
seq.--The form of the names, however, is very corrupt. As to
this, cp. A. Kirchhoff, 'Das Gotische Runenalphabet', 2nd edit.,
Berlin 1854; J. Zacher, 'Das Gotische Alphabet Vulfilas und das
Runenalphabet', Leipzig 1855.--Of special importance is Wimmer's
treatis on Wulfila's alfabet, as 'Appendix I' to his book: 'Die
Runenschrift', Berlin 1887, pp. 259-274.
§ 2. Of the 27 characters two hav only numerical values, (§ 1, n. 2), a
third, the χ, is retaind only in Greek foren words, especially in the
name 'Christus', and denotes no Gothic sound. Hense there remain the
following 24 characters whose fonetic values ar to be determind:
(a) Consonants:
=p b f m w | t d þ s z n l r | k q g h ƕ j.=
(b) Vowels:
=a e i o u.=
(c) Difthongs:
=ei iu ai au.=
In determining the fonetic values of these characters we ar guided
by the following means: (1) The Gothic alfabet is based on the Greek
alfabet; hense, the pronunciation of the Greek letters to be determind
for the 4th century, must also be regarded as that of the Gothic
letters so long as there is no proof to the contrary. (2) The rendition
of the numerous Greek foren words and proper nouns by Wulfila. (3)
The transliteration of the Gothic proper nouns in Latin documents
and by Latin authors of the 4th-8th centuries. (4) The testimony of
the cognate Germanic languages. (5) Fonetic changes and grammatical
fenomena in the Gothic language itself permit us to draw conclusions
about the nature of the sounds.
NOTE 1. Concerning the pronunciation of the Gothic letters, cp.
Weingärtner, 'Die Aussprache des Gotischen zur Zeit des Ulfilas',
Leipzig 1858; Fr. Dietrich, 'Ueber die Aussprache des Gotischen
während der Zeit seines Bestehens', Marburg 1862; about the
consonants, Paul, 'Zur Lautverschiebung', Beitr. 1, p. 147 et seq.
NOTE 2. An old testimony for the Gothic pronunciation in the
Salzburg-Vienna MS.:
_uuortun otan auar euangeliū ther lucam_
=waurþun uþþan afar aiwaggeljo þairh Lokan=
_uuorthun auar thuo iachuedant iachᵘatun_
=waurþun afar þo jah qeþun.=
ubi dicit. genuit _.j._ ponitur ubi gabriel _.g._ ponunt et
alia his sim̅ ubi aspiratione . ut dicitur gah libeda _jah libaida_
diptongon _ai_ pro e longa p ch _q_ ponunt.--Cp. § 1, n. 5,
and, for explanation, especially Kirchhoff, p. 20 et seq.