Editiones Arnamagnæanæ. Series A - 01.10.2003, Blaðsíða 72

54*
W (Wolfenbiittel 9.10. Aug. 4to)
Some paragraph-initial letters are decorated with red or green. The scribe
usually, but not always, begins a sentence with a monochrome capital letter.
These are of greatly varying formation and elaborateness. In particular,
capital <U) is usually effected by a convex curved stroke on the left hand or
a prolongation of a horizontal line at the top of the left vertical. Twice only
is the capital of this letter given a pronounced acute angle at its foot, and
has, consequently, been transcribed ‘V’ in ‘Vndir’ 34.14, ‘Var’ 44.63.
Abbreviations
General The hand is not as heavily abbreviated as is, for example, G. The
superscript bar, acting as a general abbreviation sign, is common and in
particular may indicate contraction as with ‘Islandz’ 24.54, ‘þ<?/r’ 25.26,
‘grmga’ 25.13, ‘þessa’ 25.75. Usually these are common words, but ‘þcrri’
is so abbreviated 40.21. The bar is also used to replace a single <m> or <n)
- the so-called ‘nasal stroke’. Less frequently, a bar over or through the last
letter indicates suspension e g ‘tekit’ 24.62, ‘lok/r’ 24.64. Suspension is
usually indicated by a following point, e g ‘d.’: ‘d(ottur)’ 26.44, ‘S.’:
‘S(norri)’ 26.95, also by a following curl e g ‘Umn?’: ‘Uérm(undr)’ 25.67,
‘su?’: ‘su(araði)’ 26.7. The superscript dot indicating consonantal gemina-
tion is not common but it occasionally occurs with <g> ‘hauggs’ 45.68, and
with <k> ‘gekk' 26.52. As mentioned above <r) for rr frequently has a
superscript dot. This form is printed ‘r’.
Particular (one example of each) Superscript letters: <a>: ‘ia’ ‘seg/a’
26.9, ‘ua’ ‘sua' 26.76, <‘>: ‘ui’ ‘þui’ 26.6, <°>: ‘uo’ ‘suo' 35.98, <r>: ‘ar’
‘Sumar’ 24.55, <‘>: ‘it’ ‘kom/í’ 41.74.
Traditional superscript abbreviation symbols: for er/ir and ær <^> ‘fcrr’
24.53, ‘suiu/rþ/ng’ 26.6, ‘uæri’ 24.48; for ‘ur’ <~> ‘nokknrt’ 26.3; for ‘ra’
<“> ‘f/'nm’ 26.14 (the symbol resembling Greek pi does not occur).
Abbreviations of common words (one example of each): ‘e1-’: ‘er’ 26.2
(similarly ‘eru’ 45.71); ‘fd’: ‘fara’ 26.75; ‘f’: ‘fyr/r’ 25.54; ‘h’: ‘hann’
24.51; ‘h°’: ‘hon’ 25.59; ‘mr’: ‘maðr’ 45.63; ‘nf*’: ‘manna’ 26.13; ‘m’
usually expresses ‘menn’ 49.13 and has been so transcribed throughout,
except for 47.31 ‘mann' (see textual note); ‘m;’ (nether point of the
semicolon-like symbol may have upward tail): ‘með’ 24.50; ‘m°’: ‘mesín’
42.124; ‘þ’: ‘p(restr)’ 42.123; ‘qz’: ‘quez’ 41.70; ‘ss’ (‘ff'); ‘s(ynir)’ 23.2,
‘s(ona)’ 23.3; ‘f’: ‘t//’ 26.2; ‘u1’: ‘uið’ 26.3; ‘u0’: ‘uorn’ 26.2; ‘þ’: ‘þat’
24.56; ‘æ1’: ‘æigi’ 24.53. The Tironian note for Latin et is regularly used
for ok\ ‘Ok’ (in full) is often used to begin sentences.
Occasionally there seems to be an unexpected confusion on the part of
the scribe between the letters <a> and <i>, so that what must be interpreted