Editiones Arnamagnæanæ. Series A - 01.10.2003, Blaðsíða 71

Linguistic and textual features
53*
has parallel wave-shaped lines at top and bottom. (0) occurs only in
'hpfum’ 40.15 (and just possibly ‘Reru’ 38.71, which might be read
‘R0ru’).
Ligatures and modified letters Letters are occasionally ligatured,
especially (g) and (ð) ‘brogðum’ 45.69. Double (a) or (á) are sometimes
written so close that the possibility of ligature arises, e g ‘mááR’ 22.9,
‘máála’ 32.122, ‘sáár’ 36.33, but the spelling with clearly separate letters
(usually (áá» is much commoner, as ‘Laxáá’ 22.8, ‘sáár’ 25.22. It is,
however, so impracticable to distinguish between (aa) and (aa> that such
spellings are regularly transcribed ‘aa’ (or ‘áá’ as appropriate). The ligature
(at> occurs twice: ‘laist’ 37.17, ‘á/ga’ 49.5; (a/) occurs only in ‘þa/’ 42.54
(clearly not (ai) here). The letters in the combinations (ey>, (æy> are often
written very close, so that they might be considered ligatured. (æ> has a top
storey but no tail.
(ö) is frequent; (q) occurs in ‘hqfðu' 20.10, ‘npkkurar’ 40.8 (all).
Accents (i> very often carries a distinguishing oblique stroke, which is
not transcribed. (á> occurs finally ‘á’ 38.43 - Tá’ 38.70 - ‘frá’ 50.31 (x 16)
as well as in ‘uág’ 38.13 - Tát’ 45.18 (x 21), and is often doubled, see
Orthography. (æ) sometimes carries an acute accent, included in the
transcription ‘Græn~’ 24.55 - ‘norænu’ 49.25 (x 45). Other acute accents
occur sporadically and are indicated in the text where possible, though they
are often difficult to be certain of, e g ‘uági’ 23.5, ‘iáorð’ 24.47, ‘hága’
24.24, ‘sén’ 19.1, ‘góe’ 42.96, ‘þuenit’ 24.61, ‘wlfuð’ 24.60.
Capitals are often used to indicate where sentences begin. They are rarely
used for names, though fluctuation may occur, as with ‘bergþori’ 39.2,
‘Bergðorr’ 39.6; some capitals are hard to distinguish from their
corresponding small forms. Some instances of (E> are clearly majuscule,
while others are enlarged minuscules; both are transcribed ‘E’. In particular
when they begin sentences, it is sometimes impossible to decide which forms
of berserkr occur with capital, and which with minuscule initial, (B)/(b).
Small majuscules The following are used: (n) in ‘nu’ 30.45, where
clearly no gemination is entailed, and in ‘komÍN’ 45.22 (masc. sing.). (r>
usually, but not exclusively, renders a geminate ‘þoraR(in)’ 20.1 - ‘SnoRa’
21.1 - ‘AnnaR’ 50.23 (x 13). Occurrences where (r> probably or certainly
cxpresses a single r include ‘þoraR(in)-’ 20.1 - ‘þoraRÍn/t-’ 24.5 (x 7),
‘þRælar’ 25.3, ‘Ræddi’ 25.4, ‘megRÖ’ 28.7, ‘foRanna’ 32.77, ‘fioRða’ 34.82,
‘uindaR' 35.24, ‘harðfæRliga’ 41.30, ‘himinR/Td’ 41.8, ‘styRmdu’ 45.46,
eR’ 45.69. (r) is used without any apparent distinction from the undotted
(k) cases, but probably always for geminates: ‘fyit’ 22.2 - ‘knyk’ 48.77 (x
55). The scribe sometimes uses a small uncial for an initial m; clearly no
gcmination is implied. This has been transcribed ‘m’.