ABSTRACT
§1. The Old English Alphabet was based on that of Latin with the addition of the two symbols þ (N.E.th) and p (N.E.w), borrowed from the native runic alphabet, and of 5. It contained the follow ing vowels and consonants.
VOWELS: Front or Palatal æ, e, œ, i, y.
Back or Guttural a, o, u.
Diphthongs ea, eo, io, ie.
Consonants:
Labial.
Inter-Dental.
Dental.
Palatal.
Stops
voiceless
p
t
c(k)
voiced
b
d
ʒ2(=g)
Spirants
voiceless
f
þ
s
h
voiced
f(=v)
ð
s(=z)
ʒ2(= y)
Nasals
m
n
η, n
Liquids
l,r
Semivowel
w
Note 1.—All vowels might be long or short. When long they are marked in this grammar with a line above them, thus ā. When the sign ⌣ is used, it indicates that the vowel is short. The student should be careful from the beginning to observe the length of a vowel; ā and ă should be treated as two vowels as distinct as are a and e. Note 2.—3 is the symbol used in O.E. MSS. for g. For the sounds represented by it and for the use of the symbol 3 in this grammar see § 4, c. For ð see § 4, a, note. 5