[gothic-l] Runes and Wulfila's alphabet

[babeck at ALPHALINK.COM.AU]

Hails,
On the subject of the runes and Wulfila's alphabet, it has always 
struck me as odd that Wulfila invented single letters for the 
labiovelas, i.e. /kw/ - 'q' Qairþr and /xw/ 'hv' Hvair.  There were 
no such letters in the runic futhark and the combinations kenaz-wunjo 
and hagalaz-wunjo were used instead (please correct me if I am 
wrong).  This raises the following questions for me:
If the Goths used the runic futhark before Wulfila's alphabet, why 
didn't Wulfila follow runic convention with these sounds?
Did it represent a change in the pronunciation of these sounds in 
Gothic since the runes were first used?
If the runes were once used by the Goths, why did Wulfila feel the 
need to invent a totally new alphabet?
Was it simply because the runes were not suited to writing on velum?
Were the runes too closely associated with the old religion?  If so, 
why did he use some apparently runic letters in his alphabet?
Does anyone know if anyone has considered these questions and if any 
answers have been proposed?
Goleins,
Brian Beck


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