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Early Geez Phonology as Reflected in ʔAbbā Garimā I
ʔAbbā Garimā I (AG I) is among the oldest extant manuscripts written in Old Ethiopic (Geez). A recent radiocarbon analysis dates AG I to the 6th–7th cent. AD. The present study provides additional evidence for the early dating of the manuscript: it preserves all gutturals and sibilants intact (in contrast to post-Aksumite manuscripts, characterized by their confusion). While AG I orthography mostly coincides with that of the authoritative dictionaries of Geez, there are a few deviations, dealt with in this article. In some of the relevant cases, AG I spellings can be shown to be more archaic than those of the dictionaries; others are non-conclusive. Thus, AG I (and III) must indeed reflect the earliest stage of Geez, and provide valuable material for its history and the etymology of its lexical stock.