At 11:43 26.1.2001 -0800, Selv wrote:

>From this and similar experiences, I just don't follow how we have
>any idea what phonetic values were used a thousand years ago.

I tend to agree. We DO have SOME idea, but there's no way for
us to say that we are sure. "Educated guesses" are what we have.

I commend your decision to doubt whatever is said here. There is
a tendency for "face values" being accepted. Our teachers are
extremely brilliant and well-read young Icelanders, but that is
no guarantee that all their opinions are correct. Keth is simply
a well-meaning Norwegian, whose Old Norse is pretty bad. I myself
am simply a well-meaning Icelander, whose Old Norse is good enough
for me to sigh loudly whenever Keth writes a sentence in Old Norse.

A mixed bag, if there ever was one.

Regards
Eysteinn