§ 37. The consonant-signs to be discust here both in regard to value and occurrence in the Gothic language hav alredy been enumerated in § 2. We divide the consonantal sounds in sonorous consonants and noizd sounds. Cp. Sievers, Grundzüge der Phonetik4, p. 70 et seq. Accordingly, the Gothic consonant-signs w, j, l, m, n, r, represent the sonorous sounds, the rest the noizd sounds.
§ 38. Germanic w and j ar the vowels u and i uzed as consonants; hense in Gothic the interchange between i and j, u and w, according to their position which determins their fonetic values as vowels or consonants. The consonantal i and u, which in other languages ar denoted by the same signs as the vocalic i and u, hav special signs in Gothic, j and w. These sounds ar also calld 'semivowels'.
§ 39. The sign of the Gothic alfabet which we represent by w, is, according to its form and alfabetic position, the Gr. υ. For this it also stands in Greek foren words, for exampl, Pawlus, Παῦλος; Daweid, Δαυίδ; aíwaggêljô, εὐαγγέλιον; paraskaíwê, παρασκευή. But the Gothic w stands not only for the Gr. υ of the combinations αυ, ευ, in which it had perhaps at that time assumed the value of a spirant, but also for simpl Greek υ, namely vocalic υ; as, Swmaíôn, Συμεών; swnagôgê, συναγωγή; martwr, μάρτυρ. But in our transcriptions of the Gothic texts the Greek vocalic υ is exprest by y instead of w (Symaíôn, synagôgê, martyr); so, also, for practical reasons, in this book.
Note 1. A noteworthy Gothic transcription is kawtsjô (= Lt. cautio) in the document at Naples (§ 221, n. 3). Cp. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 166; Zs. fda., 36, 273.
Note 2. The Gothic sign is in most of the later editions represented by v. But because of its correspondence in the other Germanic languages the letter w should be uzed (as, Goth. wilja, MHG. NHG. wille, OE. willa, NE. wil). Cp. Beitr., 12, 218 et seq.
§ 40. In Gothic words the w originally had the fonetic value of the consonantal u (= E. w). But at Wulfila's time the u-sound seems to hav alredy containd sumwhat of a spirant. Cp. Zs. fda., 36, 266 et seq. (37, 121 et seq.).
Note. Latin writers uzually express the w in proper nouns by uu. Vvilia, Uualamir; but also often by Ub: Ubadala (= Wadila), Ubadamirus (= Wadamêrs), etc. Greek authors mostly put οὐ for the Goth. w (as in Οὐάνδαλοι), but also β (as in Βάνδαλοι). Cp. Dietrich, pp. 77-80. Wrede, 'Wand.', 102; 'Ostg.', 167 et seq.
§ 41. Initial Gothic w occurs frequently; e. g., wasjan, to clothe; witan, to know; wiljan, to wil; waír, man; warmjan, to warm.
So also before l and r; as, wlits, countenance; wrikan, to persecute; wrôhjan, to accuse.
After the consonants: t, d, þ, s; e. g., twai, two; dwals, foolish; þwahan, to wash; swistar, sister.
Medial w before vowels; e. g., awistr, sheepfold; saiwala, soul; hneiwan, to bow; siggwan, to sing; ûhtwô, dawn; taíhswô, right hand; nidwa, rust.
Note. The signs q (kw) and ƕ (hw) ar also uzually explaind as combinations of w with k and h. There ar reasons, however, to assume that q and ƕ ar simpl labialized gutturals (§§ 59. 63). But on the other hand q and ƕ in High German ar treated precisely like Goth. tw, gw, etc. (= t, g, etc., medial w being dropt); for exampl, Goth. ûhtwô, siggwan = OHG. ûhta, singan; and Goth. sigqan, saíƕan = OHG. sinkan, sehan. Altho this proves nothing as to the values of the Gothic signs, it certainly shows that in proethnic Germanic the tw, gw, etc., must hav denoted sounds analogous to those of kw and hw.
§ 42. (1) w remains unchanged after long vowels, difthongs, and consonants, (a) finally, (b) before the s of the nominativ, (c) before j; e. g., (a) lêw, n., opportunity; hlaiw, n., grave;, waúrstw, n., work; (b) snaiws, snow; triggws, tru, faithful; (c) lêwjan, to betray; hnaiwjan, to abase; skadwjan, to cast a shade (< skadus, shade); arwjô, adv., in vain.
(2) in all three positions, however, w becums u after a short vowel; e. g., (a) snau (prt. to sniwan, § 176, n. 2); triu, tree (gen. triwis); *kniu, knee (gen. kniwis, § 94, n. 1); (b) naus, m., a ded person (gen. nawis); *þius, servant (gen. þiwis, § 91, n. 3); (c) mawi, gen. maujôs, girl; gawi, gen. gaujis, district; þiwi, gen. þiujôs, maid-servant; tawida, pres. taujan, to do; *straujan, to strew, prt. strawida; iujan, to quicken, prt. qiwida.—Cp. Grundr., I, 414; Zs. fda., 36, 277.
Note 1. Hense a word does not end in aw, iw; aws, iws, except the isolated lasiws, weak (II. Cor. X, 10).
Note 2. aw for au occurs before j in usskawjan, to awake; II. Tim. II, 26 (in B); I. Cor. XV, 34 (ussk..jiþ in MS.); and in the nom. pl. usskawai (unskawai in MS.), wakeful; I. Thess. V, 8; cp. § 124, n. 3.
Note 3. No exampl occurs for the position of medial w before consonants other than j and s; before n after a short vowel u is found in qiunan (< qiwa-), to becum alive; siuns (cp. saíƕa-).
§ 43. The sign j stands, as a rule, for the Greek antevocalic ι, in Akaja, Αχαία; Marja, Μαρία; Judas, Ἰούδας; Iskarjôtês, Ἰσκαριώτης, etc. But Gr. antevocalic ι is also often represented by Goth. i; as, Iskariôtês, Zakarias, Gabriêl, Iûdas.—The sign j in Gothic pronunciation probably has the value of a consonantal i, not that of the spirant j in German.
§ 44. (a) Initial j in Gothic words: juk, yoke; jêr, year; ju, alredy; jus, yu. (b) Medial j occurs after vowels and after consonants, but always before vowels, never before consonants; e. g., midjis, 'medius'; lagjan, to lay; niujis, new; frauja, lord; þrija, 'tria'; bajôþs, both. (c) ji is contracted into ei after a consonant belonging to the same syllabl, but is retaind when the syllabl begins with j (cp. Beitr. 16, 282). The latter is the case when it is preceded by a short high-toned vowel with a singl consonant or by a long stem-vowel without a consonant. Exampls—concerning particularly the masculins (and neuters) of the ja-stems (§§ 92. 127)—ar: har-jis, tô-jis (doer), but haír-deis, dat. haírd-ja; —also the I. Weak Conjugation (§ 185): sô-kja, sô-keis, sô-keiþ; san-dja, san-deiþ; miki-lja, miki-leiþ; but nas-ja, nas-jis, nas-jiþ; stô-ja, stô-jis, stô-jiþ.
Note 1. The rule under (c) may, practically, also be worded in the following manner: ji becums ei after a long stem-syllabl and after secondary syllabls, but remains ji after a short stem-syllabl and immediately after a long stem-vowel.—For exceptions, s. § 95; § 108, n. 2; § 132, n. 1.
Note 2. Only i is often employd for medial ij before vowels; s. § 10, n. 4; for j occurring sporadically in the inflection of saian, s. § 22, n. 1.
§ 45. j is never final; in this position it always becums i; e. g., harjis, acc. hari; mawi, gen. maujôs (s. § 42, 2, c); taui, deed, gen. tôjis.
Note 1. For the change of aj and ai, s. § 21, n. 2.
§ 46. Gothic l occurs often,—initially, medially, and finally; as, laggs, long; galaubjan, to believ; liuhaþ, light; laúhmuni, lightning; wiljan, to wil; aljis, 'alius'; blôma, flower; —dubl l, as in fill, hide; fulls, ful; wulla, wool.
Note 1. l is syllabic (§ 27), for exampl, in fugls, bird (fowl); tuggl, constellation, star; tagl, hair; swumfsl, pond; sigljan, to seal.
Note 2. Goth. l always corresponds to Gr. λ. It is interpolated in alabalstraún, ἀλάβαστρον.
§ 47. r is equivalent to Gr. ρ and occurs frequently in Gothic words; e. g., raíhts, right; raubôn, to rob; baíran, to bear; fidwôr, four.—Dubl r is rare: qaírrus, meek; andstaúrran, to threten; faírra, far.
Note 1. Syllabic r (§ 27) occurs, for exampl, in akrs, field; brôþr, dat. sg. of brôþar (§ 114), brother; figgrs, finger; tagr, tear; hlûtrs, pure; fagrs, suitabl; maúrþr, murder; huggrjan, to hunger.
Note 2. Every i before r becums aí, and every u in the same position aú; s. §§ 20. 24.
§ 48. m occurs in all positions of a word; as, mizdô, f., reward; mêna, m., moon; ams, m., shoulder; guma, m., man; finally: nam, I took; in the terminations of the dat. pl.,—dagam, etc.; 1st pers. pl.,—nimam, nêmum, etc.—Dubl (mm) in swamms (cp. § 80, n. 1), spunge; wamm, n., spot; in the pronominal dat. sg.,—imma, blindamma.
Note. Syllabic m (§ 27) in maiþms, present; bagms, tree.
§ 49. Initial n in nahts, night; niujis, new; ni (negation), etc.; medial: kuni, n., kin; ains, one, etc.; final: laun, n., reward; niun, nine; often in inflection; as, dat. sg. hanin, inf. niman, nêmun (3d pers. pl. prt.), etc.
Dubl n (nn) occurs frequently; e. g., brinnan, to burn; spinnan, to spin; rinnan, to run; kann, I know; kannjan, to make known; manna, man; brunna, wel, spring. Dubl n remains finally and before j, but is simplified before other consonants (s. § 80): kant, kunþa (inf. kunnan), rant (2nd pers. sg. prt.; inf. rinnan), brunsts (inf. brinnan), ur-runs (< rinnan), outlet.
Note. Syllabic n (§ 27) in usbeisns, f., expectation; taikns, f., token; ibns, even; laugnjan, to deny; swêgnjan, to triumf, rejoice.
§ 50. Before guttural consonants n becums a guttural nasal which (in imitation of the Gr.) is denoted by g (gg; s. § 67).
Note. The (guttural) nasal disappears before h, and the preceding short vowel is lengthend. S. § 5, b; § 15, b (Brgm., I, 182 et seq.).
§ 51. The letter p, which does not occur very often in Gothic, corresponds to Gr. π.
(a) Initially, p may be regarded as being altogether wanting in purely Gothic words; the exampls which do occur ar either obviously foren words or at least etymologically obscure, if not loanwords too: plinsjan, to dance; plats, pach; anapraggan, to harass; paida, coat; puggs, purse; peikabagms, date-palm; pund, pound; plapja, street ('platea'); pistikeins, πιστικός, paúrpura, purpl.
(b) p occurs in purely Gothic words medially and finally; e. g., slêpan, to sleep; greipan, to gripe; ƕôpan, to boast; skapjan, to shape, make; hlaupan, to run; diups, deep; waírpan, to throw; hilpan, to help; skip, ship; iup, upwards.—Initial sp in speiwan, to spit; sparwa, sparrow; spillôn, to narrate; spinnôn, to spin.
Note 1. pp does not occur.
Note 2. p before t becums f in gaskafts, f., creature (cp. skapjan); ƕôftuli, f., glory (cp. ƕôpan). Cp. § 81.
§ 52. Gothic f in foren words corresponds to Gr. φ; e. g., Filippus, Φίλιππος; Kajafa, Καϊάφας. Latin writers render Goth. f mostly by ph (Dietrich, p. 75); as, Dagalaiphus, Phaeba. Hense Goth. f was probably a bilabial, not a labiodental spirant, as is also evident from Goth. fimf, hamfs.
Note. f is regarded as labiodental by Jellinek; Zs. fda., 36, 275 et seq.
§ 53. (a) Initial f occurs often in Gothic words; e. g., fôtus, foot; fadar, father; flôdus, flud; faíhu (catl), muney; fûls, foul; frôþs, wise, judicious; frius, cold; fidwôr, 4.
(b) Medially and finally f occurs in but a small number of Gothic words; as, hlifan, to steal; hafjan, to heav; hiufan, to lament; lôfa, m., palm of the hand; ufar, over; afar, after. Before consonants: luftus, air; hamfs, maimd; tweifls, dout; wulfs, wolf; —(final) fimf, five; hôf (prt. of hafjan); þarf, I need (inf. þaúrban).
Note 1. Finally and before the s of the nom., f occurs very often for medial b; s. § 56.
Note 2. Medial f before t (n) stands for b (§ 56, n. 4), before t also for p (§ 51, n. 2).
Note 3. ff is not found.
§ 54. b corresponds to Gr. β, for which it stands in foren words; e. g., barbarus, βάρβαρος; Iakôb, Ἰακώβ. The pronunciation of the Gr. β was that of a labial soft spirant [nearly = E. v]. In like manner Goth. b has the value of a soft (voiced) labiolabial spirant medially after vowels, while initially and medially after consonants it denotes a soft stop (= E. b).
Note 1. Gothic b between vowels in Latin foren words stands for Lt. v, but after m for b: Silbanus, Silvanus; Naúbaímbaír, November; (ana)kumbjan, cumbere.
Note 2. In Gothic names Latin writers employ Lt. b for Gothic b initially and after a consonant (as, Amala-berga, Hildi-bald, Albila), but medially between vowels Lt. v is uzed (as, Liuva, Erelieva); cp. Dietrich, p. 71; Beitr., 1, 148 et seq.; Wrede, 'Ostg.', 169; Zs. fda., 36, 275.
§ 55. Exampls of b:
(a) initially: baíran, to bear; beitan, to bite; brikan, to break; brûkjan, to uze; blêsan, to blow; biudan, to offer; blôma, flower; brôþar, brother; bôka, letter; bnauan, to rub.
(b) medially: liuba (w. m. adj.), dear; galaubjan, to believ; graban, to dig; sibja, relationship; arbi, inheritance; kalbô, hefer; —haubiþ, hed; hlaibis (gen. of hlaifs), bred; sibun, seven; haban, to hav; skaban, to shave; (bi-)leiban, to remain; liban, to liv; biraubôn, to rob; salbôn, to salv, anoint.
Note. bb occurs in foren words only; as, sabbatus.
§ 56. b after consonants (l, m, r) remains finally, before the s of the nom., and before the t of the 2nd pers. sg. prt.; postvocalic b becums f. This means that postvocalic b was a soft spirant (§ 54) which, finally, changed into the corresponding hard spirant, while postconsonantal b, medially and finally, had the value of a stop. Hense giban, to giv, 1st and 3d pers. sg. prt.: gaf, 2nd. pers. gaft, 2nd sg. imper.: gif; hlaifs, bred, acc. hlaif, nom. pl. hlaibôs; —but lamb, lam; dumbs, dum; swaírban, to wipe, prt. swarb.
Note 1. Our texts contain a few exceptions to the rule of final f for medial b after vowels, but the preponderant number of exampls prove the validity of the rule which is fonetically founded and has a striking analogon in the OS. geƀan—gaf; lioƀo—liof (but lamb). The exceptional cases with final b (21 in all) occur only in definit parts of the texts (7 in Lu., 5 in the epistls to the Thess., 4 in Jo., 3 in Skeir., in all the other texts only onse each in Mk. and Eph.). Therefore the anomalous bs may be referd to the writers of the respectiv parts, who either from purely orthografic considerations put the medial bs also finally, or in order to express a later pronunciation as it existed at their time, according to which voiced sounds occurd also finally. The latter supposition is founded on the fact that in the Arezzo document (of the 6th century) the spelling Gudilub occurs.—Cp. also the remarks on the interchange of d and þ in § 74, n. 1.
The exceptions in the verb ar rare, only grôb (Lu. VI, 48) and gadôb (Skeir. 42); —the forms with f occur in gaf, gaft, gif (very often); onse each: grôf (inf. graban), swaif (inf. sweiban), bilaif (inf. bileiban), skauf (inf. skiuban). Accordingly, we may safely write draif (prt. of dreiban, to drive).
Of nouns only hlaifs is often found: nom. hlaifs (12 times, onse hlaibs), acc. hlaif (19 times, hlaib seven times); —twalif, twelv (12 times, twalib 3 times); accordingly, also *ainlif (dat. ainlibim).
Furthermore the following nominativs must be regarded as normal forms: *stafs, element (only stabim occurs); *laufs, leaf (only galaubamma 3 times, filugalaubis, galubaim), *gadôfs, becuming (onse gadôf, 4 times gadôb), *liufs, dear (only forms with more than one syllabl occur: liubai, liuba, liubana, etc.). Lastly, also *þiufs (= OS. thiof), thief, tho the nom. accidentally occurs (4 times) as þiubs, beside þiubôs (twice), þiubê.
Note 2. Subject to the abuv rule ar also the preps. of and uf, the f of which becums medial by enclisis and is changed into b before the following vowel; ab-u, ub-uh. In composition, however, f remains: af-êtja, voracious eater; uf-aiþeis, under oath. (Cp. us in § 78, n. 4).
Note 3. An apparent exception is þarf, I want (for þarb), pl. þaúrbum; but þarf has real f (§ 53) and must be kept apart from the pl. with b (s. ahd. gr., § 101). b stands correctly in the adj. gaþaúrbs. Cp. § 79, n. 2.
Note 4. f before t in derivativ words stands for b elsewhere (§ 81): gifts, f., gift (< giban, onse fragibtim; Lu. I, 27), þaúrfts, necessity. b is common before n: ibns, stibna, daubnan, drôbnan, but the ending -ubni interchanges with -ufni; as, fraistubni, temptation, but waldufni, power; aflifnan, to remain, be left; cp. laiba, remnant.
§ 57. Goth. k corresponds to Greek κ, Lt. c; e. g., Kêfas, Κηφᾶς; aíkklêsjô, ἐκκλησία; laíktjô, lectio. Goth. k in Greek words represents also χ; as, kaúrazein, Χοραζίν; ark-aggilus, ἀρχάγγελος. The Gr. sign χ is but rarely retaind, always in χristus (s. § 2). Cp. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 54.
Note. The labialized k (kw) has a special sign (q § 59) in Gothic.
§ 58. Exampls of k: (a) initially: kniu, knee; kaúrn, corn; kuni, kin; kalds, cold; kiusan, to choose; kalbô, f., calf; —sk: skeinan, to shine; skaidan, to separate. (b) medially: brikan, to break; aukan, to increase; akrs, field; reiks, mighty; mikils, great; waúrkjan, to work; laikan, to leap; rakjan, to strech; finally: ik, I; mik, me; juk, yoke.
Note 1. kk occurs in smakka, fig; sakkus, sack.
Note 2. In derivativ words h takes the place of k before t (§ 81); as, saúhts, sickness (cp. siuks); wahtwô, wach (cp. wakan); brûhta (prt. of brûkjan); þâhta (prt. of þagkjan).—Sinse there occur no exampls of the 2nd pers. prt. of verbs in k (as, wakan, aukan, têkan), it is uncertain whether the k before t remaind k or was changed into h (wôkt or wôht?).
§ 59. The Gothic sign q does not occur in the Greek alfabet, the corresponding sign being borrowd from the Latin (Q). In Lt. words it corresponds to Lt. qu (qartus; Rom. XVI, 23) to which it most likely corresponds also fonetically. The Lt. qu denoted a labialized k-sound which was a simpl consonant not forming position. Cp. Zs. fdph., 12, 481 et seq.
Note. The dubl sign kw (kv) which is uzed beside q for the Gothic character is due to the perception that in the cognate languages Gothic q is represented by a combination of consonants which appears as k with a w-sound closely attacht to it, and is therefore exprest by two signs: in OE. by cw, in ON. by kv, in OHG. MHG. NHG. by qu. Hense Goth. qiþan, to say, = OE. cweþan, ON. kveþa, OHG. quedan. But from this nothing certain can be inferd about the fonetic value of Goth. q, altho it is possibl that its pronunciation was precisely the same as that of NHG. NE. qu.—Cp. also § 41, n. 1.
§ 60. Exampls of q: qinô, woman; *qius, pl. qiwai, alive; qaírnus, mil; qiman, to cum; qrammiþa, moisture; naqaþs, naked; aqizi, ax; riqis, darkness; sigqan, to sink, prt. sagq.
§ 61. Gothic h in Greek words stands for the ruf breathing (as, Haíbraius, Ἑβραῖος; Hêrôdês, Ἡρώδης), but the ruf breathing is often disregarded (as, ôsanna, ὡσαννά). Accordingly, Goth. initial h had the value of a mere breathing. Medially and finally it may stil hav had the value of a fricativ sound (HG. ch). Cp. the assimilations (§ 62, n. 3) and breaking (§ 62, n. 1). Also initially before consonants, (hl, hn, hr (ƕ)), the h had probably retaind a stronger sound.
Note 1. Latin writers render Gothic h by their h (as, Hildibald, Hildericus); but they also omit it; as, Ariamirus, eils = hails in the epigram (s. § 21, n. 1), Zs. fda. 1, 379; cp. Dietrich, p. 77.
Note 2. Labialized h (hw) has a special sign in Gothic: ƕ (§§ 63. 64).
Note 3. In foren names h is sumtimes interposed medially between vowels; as, Iôhannês, Ιωάννης; Abraham, Ἀβραάμ. Cp. Es. Tegnér, Tidskr. for filol. N. R. 7, 304 et seq.
§ 62. Exampls for h: (a) initially: haúrn, horn; hana, cock; haírtô, hart; hails, hole, sound; hund, hundred; hafjan, to heav; —initial combinations: hlaifs, bred; hliuma, m., hearing; hlifan, to steal; hlûtrs, pure; hlahjan, to laf; hnaiws, low; hrains, clean; hrôpjan, to call; hrôt, n., roof.—(b) medially: faíhu, muney; taíhun, ten; teihan, to show; tiuhan, to pul; saíhs, six; nahts, night; liuhtjan, to light; filhan, to conceal; swaíhra, 'socer'.—(c) finally: jah, and; -uh, and (cp. § 24, n. 2); falh (prt. of filhan); taúh (prt. of tiuhan), etc.
Note 1. Before h (as before r) i is broken to aí, u to aú; cp. §§ 20. 24.
Note 2. Dropping of n before h, which made the preceding vowel long: fâhan (< fanhan), þûhta (< þunhta), etc.; cp. § 50, n. 1; § 5, b; § 15, b.
Note 3. Final h in -uh (or -h; § 24, n. 2), jah, nih, may be assimilated to the initial sound of a following word. But rarely in the gospels (cod. argent.) and in codex B, and only before particls or prns. beginning with þ; frequently, however, also before other consonants, in codex A and Skeir; as, wasuþþan (= wasuh-þan, but it was); Mk. I, 6; sumaiþþan (= sumaih-þan, but sum); Mt. XXVI, 67; sijaiþþan (= sijaih-þan, but it shall be); Mt. V, 37; jaþþê (= jah-þê, and if); niþþan (= nih-þan, and not); —before other consonants in A: jalliban (= jah liban, and liv); II. Cor. I, 8; jaggatraua (= jah gatraua, and I trust); Rom. XIV, 14; jaddu (= jah du, and to); II. Cor. II, 16; jabbrusts (= jah brusts); II. Cor. VII, 15; nukkant (= nuh kant, knowest thou now?); I. Cor. VII, 16; exceptionally also in the codex argent., but only in Lu.: janni (= jah ni); Lu. VII, 32; nissijai (= nih sijai); Lu. XX, 16.
Note 4. Final h is sumtimes dropt (in consequence of having lost its sharp sound? But cp. Beitr., XV, 277): ƕarjô (for ƕarjôh); Mk. XV, 6; ƕammê (for ƕammêh); Gal. V, 3; ƕarjanô (for ƕarjanôh); Skeir. 43; oftener inu (in A) for inuh, without; the h of consonant-combinations is dropt in hiuma; Lu. VI, 17. VIII, 4 (elsewhere hiuhma, multitude); drausnôs; Skeir. 50 (beside drauhsna, crum); als (for alhs); Mk. XV, 38, etc. All these cases ar probably due to the copyists, and most of them hav therefore been amended by the editors. Cp. Bernhardt, Vulfila, LIII et seq.—Also superfluous h occurs: snauh (for snau); I. Thess. II, 16; here, however, it is perhaps the enclitic -h (= -uh, § 24, n. 2).
Note 5. In derivativ words h occurs in certain cases beside k (s. § 58, n. 2) and g (§ 66, n. 1).
§ 63. The sound of ƕ is peculiar to the Gothic, and has no equivalent in Gr. The Gothic sign (whose alfabetic position is that of the Greek ψ) is uzually exprest by hv (hw), because all the corresponding words of the remaining Germanic languages (at least initially) hav hw (hu, hv); as, Goth. ƕeits = OHG. hwîz, OS. OE. hwît, ON. hvîtr, white. But there ar reasons which justify the assumption that the Goth. ƕ was a simpl consonant. Fonetically, it may be regarded as a labialized h (or a voiceless w = NE. wh? Grundr., I, 411). It is therefore recommendabl to represent the simpl Gothic sign by the unitary ligature ƕ. Cp. Zs. fdph., 12, 481 et seq.; Beitr., 12, 218 et seq.