Page:Compendious Syriac Grammar.djvu/46

Rh Rem. This orthography,—which otherwise is tolerably consistent,—substitutes in certain cases for, for no reason that can be discovered, e. g. in Passive Participles like  "built". In old manuscripts is largely interchangeable with  or. is also found in isolated cases for, particularly for an initial ī. is also written for. For other variations, v. .. .—On the representation of ai and au v..

§ 9. Much clearer is the system of vowel designation by small Greek letters set above or below the line,—a system which grew up among the Jacobites about A. D. 700. Unfortunately, however, this system represents in many parts a later pronunciation of the vowels, which had become prevalent at that time, so that we cannot in the Grammar altogether dispense with the other system,—the Nestorian. The method practised is as follows:

Rem. Sometimes ϊ or ι is found for &#9676;ܺ i. e. Η, η, following later Greek pronunciation; for &#9676;ܽ or there appears Ȣ, and ω too for ο. This ω has been in use with the interjection "O!" from very ancient times: a later and disfigured form is. The diphthongs au and ai are written, ; is an earlier form for ; and similar forms occur for other diphthongs.

§ 10. A combination of a modified point-system with the Greek system is in favour among the later West-Syrians and in our own impressions. In this usage

= . = .  and  without distinction =. , or merely =,. or without any certain distinction =.