We have now learned how to draw a standard Danish Ár-rune (see my
last post). Despite the long A found in the name of this rune, our
basic A rune will represent only short A. This is quite logical, as
the Ár-rune found on classical inscriptions from around 800-900 can
represent either short A or long A, as well as other sounds. We have
thus arrived at our first character. Each of the numbered entries
below will represent one character, of which short A will be first.
1. A SHORT. Draw a basic Ár-rune. This character = short A. Either
side of the short line crossing the vertical line can be eliminated
for elegance in writing. For example, in writing the word 'bað'
(bath), remove the side of the line extending to the LEFT of the
vertical line. This creates visual elegance by backing the vertical
line against the B-rune. On the other hand, when writing 'kaðall'
(cable), remove the side of the line extending to the RIGHT. This
creates visual elegance by allowing the left portion to extend in
part beneath the 2nd line of the K-rune, while backing the vertical
line against the Ð-rune (represented by Þ in medial positions). The
practice of removing one side of the short line crossing the
vertical line of the Ár-rune appears to have originated in Sweden.
In our alphabet, either side of the short line crossing the vertical
can be removed for any of the characters based on the Ár-rune. All
that matters is the placement of the dots! If you decide to follow
the practice of removing one side of the Ár-rune for elegance, then
do so consistently. Visual tradition and elegance will indicate
which side to remove. When in doubt, consult a standard dictionary
of Rúniska! The consistent alternative is to never remove either
side of the Ár-rune. Either way, consistency is king.
2. E FROM I-MUTATION OF SHORT A. Draw a basic Ár-rune. Place a dot
on the LEFT side of the vertical line and ABOVE the short line
crossing the vertical line. This character = E (short - with a small
hook below it) from I-mutation of A (short), as in the plural 'menn'
(men), where the Proto-Norse A was mutated by an I the the second
syllable of the word (which was later lost). Every occurance of E
through mutation of short A by I (or J, which = I) in the next
syllable will be represented by this same character. This practice
is not only historically accurate, but visually represents the true
linguistic history from Proto-Norse to Old Norse by allowing E by I-
mutation of short A to be represented by the same rune as short A
itself. This is also elegant in that it allows us to use the same
rune throughout a nominal paradigm where E by I-mutation of short A
is not present in all of the cases. Icelandic writers represented
this E by I-mutation of short A by a letter no longer used in
standard editions of Old Norse texts. This letter consisted of an E
with a small hook underneath it, identical to the hook sometimes
seen under an O in Old Norse texts. At some point in the 12th or
early 13th century, this sound ran together with natural E and thus
came to be represented by the same letter. E by I-mutation of short
A was written as Æ by writers of East Norse, who accented the Æ to
write long Æ. West Norse writers, on the other hand, only used Æ to
represent long Æ. No accent mark was thus necessary. E by I-mutation
of short A is short Æ, which Western writers represented by placing
a small hook under the letter E. In writing E by I-mutation of short
A, one should NOT remove the LEFT side of the short line crossing
the vertical line. To do so would not be elegant, as the dot must be
placed on the LEFT side of the vertical line to form this character.
3. LONG A. Draw a basic Ár-rune. Place a dot on the RIGHT side of
the vertical line and ABOVE the short line crossing the vertical
line. This character = Á (long A, also represented with a strait
line on top of a Latin A). In writing long A, one should NOT remove
the RIGHT side of the short line crossing the vertical line. To do
so would not be elegant, as the dot must be placed on the RIGHT side
of the vertical line to form this character. The long A in the word
Ár, which is the name of the rune itself, will be represented by
this character. This character represents natural Proto-Norse long
A. In the Proto-Norse period, this sound was represented by the rune
which later came to represent long nasal A (Åss) after the loss a
following N. Our Ár-rune is a development from an earlier rune used
to represent J prior to the loss of initial J in words like 'jâra'
(Proto-Norse for 'year'). This loss made the rune available for use
in representing both short A and long A, which could no longer be
represented by the Proto-Norse Ansuz-rune (which had become Å). One
of the only vowal-shifts known to have taken place during the change
from Common Germanic to Proto-Norse is the one which replaced tight
Germanic E with long A. For exapmles, compare Proto-Norse 'mâriz'
(ON mærr - 'famous') with Gothic 'mêrs' ('famous') and Proto-
Norse 'jâra' (ON ár - 'year') with Gothic 'jêr' ('year'). As our
point of refernce in representing our vowals will be Proto-Norse,
which is the real and attested ancestor of our language, no effort
will be made to visually represent the transformation of this tight
Germanic E into long A in Proto-Norse. All instances of long A, as
with any other Proto-Norse vowal, will be considered NATURAL.
4. Æ FROM I-MUTATION OF LONG A. Draw a basic Ár-rune. Place a dot on
the RIGHT side of the vertical line and BELOW the short line
crossing the vertical line. This character = Æ, which is the long
version of E by I-mutation of short A. this sound = West Norse Æ and
East Norse accented Æ. In writing Æ by I-mutation of long A, one
should NOT remove the RIGHT side of the short line crossing the
vertical line. To do so would not be elegant, as the dot must be
placed on the RIGHT side of the vertical line to form this character.
If you so choose, you may also retain the dot ABOVE the short line
crossing the vertical line, which indicates long A, when writing
this character. Doing so might help to emphasize the relationship
between the two sounds more clearly. However, it is not necessary,
as it is the placement of the dot the right of the vertaical line
and BELOW the short line crossing the vertical line which is needed
in forming this character.