The Aryan origin of the alphabet : disclosing the Sumero-Phœnician parentage of our letters ancient & modern

SUMERIAN ORIGIN OF LETTER Z 53

derived, as we have seen, from G. The phonetic value of X, is sometimes transferred in the Runes to a sign Y

which seems the Runic K sign with an extra stroke on its left side, and might be regarded as an X written with its stem erect and one of its lower limbs turned up. In Ogam the X sign has the value of X or Kh.

Y. This semi-vowel is generally regarded as a late letter and sound. But many Assyriologists render the Sumerian signs for | and the diphthong 1A as Y, sometimes, and credit the Sumerians with the use of this sound. Semitists call the J sign in “Semitic”? Phcenician and Hebrew Yod, and render it both as J, J and Y,; and thus obtain the forms of Y-h-v-h and Jah for their name “ Jehovah.”

The sign Y is found on Early Egyptian pottery as owner’s marks. In the Cadmean and Greek it is regarded as the capital form of the letter U or V, from which it is considered to be derived, especially as in the “ Semitic’’ Phcenician the old sign for that letter U has a tail on its right border, which is centred in the Moabite Stone inscription.

This derivation from the U explains the interchange of U and Y in the transliteration of Greek words. The signs read Ja on the Indian Kharosthi versions of Asokas inscriptions are of the Y form. On the lapse of Y into | in English, see under J.

Z. This sibilant letter sign, in its earlier fe Cadmean “‘Semitic”’ Phcenician and Greek forms celts occurs on Egyptian pottery as graven owner's marks from the Pre-dynastic period downwards (see Plate II).

Its Sumerian parent is now seen to be the battle-axe or sceptre sign + with the phonetic value of Zag. The second form, like the capital I with long strokes at either

1 WPOB. 30.

* Br. 5566; BW. 249. And see Zag, “ battle-axe, sceptre,” in Dict, (WSAD.).