Table V (alternate) - comparison of spellings in Orm, PC2 and selected 13th century texts

Commentary

Key:

• PC2 & Orm
• points of conflict in PC2 & Orm
• predominant spelling in secondary eME sources (where PC2 & Orm conflict)

Issues arising from this spelling comparison:

• *reflexes of OE prefix g`e- occur only twice in PC2: onoh (< g`eno_h) and gehaten;
• twin prefixes - y`e- and i- for OE g`e-, would be inconsistent with OE and all other eME texts, and would add a slight complexity to the spelling system; thus there is a single prefix i- in eME;
• the solution to the conflict between PC2 & Orm over the spelling of /dZ*/ is gg; ggh provides the spelling needed for /gg/ in six words;
• the solution to the conflict between PC2 & Orm over the spelling of /G``/ is y`; four of the secondary eME sources have y` (the later development of y%); of course y` is also the predominant spelling for /j/, and thus it may seem that using the same spelling for two quite different sounds would be confusing; however, context will always indicate the correct pronunciation, since initial y` is always /j/, while medial y` is always /G``/; note that Orm was forced to add an h`, giving - y%h`, because simple y% was also used medially and finally - in diphthongs; which isn't the case in the alternate eME spelling;
• sch would only be an acceptable solution if either PC2 or Orm used that spelling, but neither does; sh would outweigh sc if Ch were included in the list of sources which determine the alt eME spelling; but it doesn't (post 1350); given the stalemate, sc has been retained from the default eME spelling;
• see an alternate spelling scheme for a fuller discussion;