Absolute chronology of early sound changes reflected in Pre-Old English runic inscriptions

Waxenberger, Gaby (2019): Absolute chronology of early sound changes reflected in Pre-Old English runic inscriptions. In: Nowele-North-Western European Language Evolution, Vol. 72, No. 1: pp. 60-77

Abstract

This article presents an absolute chronology of the early major sound changes reflected in the Pre-Old English (Pre-OE) runic inscriptions. These inscriptions were written in the Pre-fuporc, which was still close to the Common Germanic fupark (= Older fupark) of 24 characters but was extended and modified during the Pre-OE period (ca.AD 425-610/650). The Caistor-by-Norwich Brooch (ca. AD 610-650) marks the beginning of Old English (OE) because the new and modified runes - (sic) O, (sic) a, (sic) oe, (sic) ae - with their new phonemic sound-values appear together for the first time. All the relevant sound-changes were completed by then. The Pre-OE and also the Pre-Old Frisian (Pre-OFris.) data reveal four phases of development. In my proposed chronology phases one and four are straightforward, while phases two and three are more complex, with two scenarios being possible.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Languages and Literatures > Department 3
• Subjects: 400 Language > 400 Language
• ISSN: 0108-8416
• Language: English