Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1979, Side 135

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The diphthong ei, which is written in this way, or very exceptionally as
e in A, appears here as æi (hæi5na 1. 22) and æ (væ6ar 1. 23, which
Unger corrects to æi), besides ei (Jteim 1. 21, heit/r 1. 21).
The diphthong ey is written w in its one occurrence: la/sti 1. 19.
The diphthong au is written only as the ligature in C: ^a1 1. 22 (bis).
The graph sequence au is common in A.
Among the features which most clearly distinguish this hånd from A is
the use of v for both consonantal and vocalic u. In hånd A, consonantal u
is written v in less than 1/4 of its occurrences, and, apart from the ligature
w, v stands for vocalic u only three times as against some 170 examples of
u. In hånd C, consonantal u is invariably written v, and vocalic u is
written r in twelve of its thirteen occurrences: i.e. with the single possible
exception of [wrfa/ndum 1. 20 where the u may, in faet, be a v.
The sample is too small to demonstrate the working of the palatal rule,
but k appears only before æ: kænn 1. 23, and c appears before a front
vowel only in the Latin word placidvs 1. 23. Hånd A ignores this rule.
/> is the rule initially, c) is consistently used medially and finally: e8a 1.
19, dvgée 1. 20, go5vm 1. 22 etc. 11 examples. In A, /> is predominant in
these positions, with d occurring in a ratio of about 1:4. The geminate
form is once spelt dd: clædåe 1. 20.
3. None of the morphemes cited in the other hånds is to be found in
the lines attributed to hånd C.
Hånd D:
Whereas hånd C has been identified with hånd A. hånd D has been
included in the part of the MS. ascribed to hånd B. This treatment of
hånd D will, therefore, be directed to distinguishing it from hånd B.
Because the sample is so short, only two lines, the hånd cannot, however,
be contrasted with hånd B with the completeness of the previous
comparisons.
1. The length and form of the ascenders of round d and d are unlike
those in B, as is the distinguishing mark of the i): compare goS lv24 with,
for example, hie5aw? 2vl5.
The two hånds employ a similarly shaped / of insular origin.
While the tail of the g is alike in the two hånds, the bowl consistently