LL-L: "Orthography" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 06.OCT.1999 (04)

[Lowlands-L Administrator]

 =========================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 06.OCT.1999 (04) * ISSN 1089-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Web Site: <http://www.geocities.com/~sassisch/rhahn//lowlands/>
 User's Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 =========================================================================
 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
 =========================================================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 =========================================================================

From: jchilders at mindex.com
Subject: LL-L: "Orthography" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 05.OCT.1999 (04)

John Feather wrote:

>Jason asked about letters in older forms of English.
>
>I've looked at the website he mentioned but can't see a modified "eth"
>(majuscule "D" with a horizontal bar through the upright, minuscule a bit
>like minuscule Greek delta). Perhaps he means modified "thorn" (a bit like
>"p"). If so this is probably the OE letter "wynn", representing "w".

You're right.  I have my dictionary packed up right now, and I keep getting
thorn and eth mixed up.  Thanks for straightening me out.

Alfred Brothers wrote:

>The "yogh" (the letter similar to a 3) was used in Middle English texts to
>represent the sounds now usually written "y", "w" or "gh". Examples are ME
>"3ong, dra3en, dou3ter, 3e, 3if, fi3ten" (young, draw, daughter, ye, if,
>fight). It was also occasionally used by scribes for voiced /s/ [z] at the
end
>of words out of confusion with the letter z. It probably dropped out of use
as
>these sounds changed in pronunciation and fell in line with sounds
represented
>by symbols already in use (y, w, etc.). (I believe the IPA symbol used for
the
>"s" in "pleasure" was borrowed from this source.)

I'm still not sure of it's use though.  When you say it is "usually written
'y', 'w' or 'gh'", did it have three pronounciations?  Could you substitute
it in current spellings for examples?  Can you do the same for wynn?

Also, is there a name for the letter ‘?

Thanks for all your help.

       -Jason

----------

From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
Subject: Orthography

The British MP whom Ted mentioned, being a rugged individualist, spells his
name "Dalyell", not "Dalziel".

I can imagine him having trouble with all sorts of minor officials and
spelling his name for them: "D-A-L-Y-E-L-L, pronounced `Dalziel' " (!).

John Feather
johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk

==================================END======================================
 * Please submit contributions to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Contributions will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
 =========================================================================