Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1979, Blaðsíða 134

120
of the sample of hånd C is sufficient to establish its identity to a reason-
able, although limited, degree and thus to distinguish it from A.
It will, perhaps, be objected that the change in the orthographic system
which argues for the postulation on a third hånd is to be accounted for by a
change in the original, for the Plåcitus saga begins just before scribe C
takes up his task. But there are a couple of lines of the Plåcitus saga by
hånd A before hånd C commences and hånd A continues in its
characteristic way after hånd D. The precise point at which hånd C does
begin is difficult to specify exactly. Possibly, the last four words of 1. 18
should be included. The g of Barg 1 vi 8 has the tail which is distinet i ve of C,
i.e. curved along its horizontal extension rather than flattened. Also it has
the tongue which is to be remarked in hånd D but which is infrequent in A.
1. The descenders of J (insular j is the rule) and curve to the left at the
bottom as they do in A: but the tail of the y in its one occurrence curves to
the right: fyr 1. 19 (cf. leyndr lv3).
Round r appears after o in cornelio 1. 20 (but voro 1. 19 with minuscule
r) and after d (hvndraås 1. 21) and d (ma6r 1. 23).
Long s is the rule.
The er abbreviation sign occurs once: heitir 1. 21.
Instead ofa superscript minuscule a for ar (as in var 1 vi 2), the scribe uses
a ligature of a and r (1. 22). The one occurrence of the co-sign, if indeed it is
to be taken as such, denotes oro: voro 1. 19.
The nasal stroke is used for both n and m when placed over a preceding
vowel, and for n over a preceding n: amgvm 1. 20, kænn 1. 23.
Crossed h is used as an abbreviation for hann (1. 22 etc.).
m with what appears to be a superscript e occurs once for the dative
manne (1. 20).
2. Original short o from u-umlaut of a is written w in all but one of its
occurrences in C: ha/ftom 1. 19, a/llvm 1. 20, ha/f6ingia 1. 21 etc. 8 ex. but
algor 1. 23. Note frvrfa/ndum 1. 20. In A, the spelling <r occurs in only 7 of
32 occurrences. Original short ø is written æ also in its appearance in C,
a spelling which does not occur in A. Apparently this scribe did dot
distinguish between these two sounds.
Original long ae is invariably written ce: clæd5e 1. 20, lærbv 1. 22,
sigr sæl 1. 23. Hånd A normally writes e, and only once ce. Similarly,
original long æ is written ce in both its occurrences: fyr dæmOir 1. 19,
kænn 1. 23. In A it is so written only once, but usually e or eo.