NEJII Grk 2

Image © Al-Jallad and al-Manaser; CC BY
Siglum
NEJII Grk 2
Transliteration
Γαυτος ἀπῆλθεν [ε]ἰς τόν Ακελον Σαιρου
Ahmad Al-Jallad
Translation
Gawtos departed into the Akel of Sayr
Ahmad Al-Jallad
Language and Script
Greek/Greek

Interpretation

Commentary

This Greek equivalent of NEJII Saf 2 demonstrates a number of important facts: first, it conclusively demonstrates that diphthongs were articulated in Safaitic but simply not recorded graphically in the Safaitic script, ġṯ = Γαυτος. Second, the transcription of the Safaitic interdental ṯ, which has a dedicated glyph, with the unaspirated voiceless dental/alveolar stop τ [t˭] proves that the use of Tau does not suggest that interdentals were lost in transcriptions of Arabic. On the contrary, this seems to be an optional way to represent these phonemes which did not yet exist in the Greek of the Near East. 

See Al-Jallad and al-Manaser (2016) for an in-depth discussion. 

 

Ahmad Al-Jallad

Editio Princeps
Al-Jallad and al-Manaser 2016
Field Collector
S. Abbadi and A. al-Manaser

Technique
Scratched
Direction of Script
Left to right

Associated Inscriptions

  • [NEJII] Al-Jallad, A.M. & Al-Manāsīr [Al-Manaser], A.Y.Kh. New epigraphica from Jordan II: three Safaitic-Greek partial bilingual inscriptions. Arabian Epigraphic Notes 2, 2016: 55-66.
  • [Lane] Lane, E.W. An Arabic-English Lexicon, Derived from the Best and Most Copious Eastern Sources. (Volume 1 in 8 parts [all published]). London: Williams & Norgate, 1863-1893.
Site
Wādī al-Ḥašād, Jordan
Date Found
2004
Current Location
In situ
Subjects
Bilingual, Movement, Name only, Place-name
Download Images
Updated 12 Sep, 2025 by Ahmad Al-Jallad

Cite this Site

Al-Jallad, Ahmad. 'NEJII Grk 2.' OCIANA. 12 Sep, 2025. https://ociana.osu.edu/inscriptions/45820. Accessed: 24 Sep, 2025.