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GRAMMAR.

1. This book deals with Old Icelandic in its classical period, between 1200 and 1350.

PRONUNCIATION.

2. The Icelandic alphabet was founded on the Latin, with the addition of þ and ð, and of the modified letters ę, ǫ, ø, which last is in this book written ö, ǫ̈.

VOWELS.

3. The vowel-letters had nearly the same values as in Old English. Long vowels were often marked by (´). In this book long vowels are regularly marked by (¯)[1] The following are the elementary vowels and diphthongs, with examples, and key-words from English, French (F.), and German (G.):—

Example 3:—koń, 'the horse.'

a as in mann (G) halda (hold)
ā " father rāð (advice)
e " été (F) gekk (went)
ē[2] " . . . lēt (let pret.)
ę " men męnn (men)

  1. Note that the longs of ę, ö are written æ, œ respectively.
  2. Where no keyword is given for a long vowel, its sound is that of the corresponding short vowel lengthened.