Insular script
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Insular (Gaelic) script | |
---|---|
Script type | |
Time period | fl. 600–850 AD |
Languages | Latin, Old Irish, Old English |
Related scripts | |
Parent systems | Latin script
|
Child systems | Gaelic type |
Insular script is a
The term "Insular script" is used to refer to a diverse family of scripts used for different functions. At the top of the hierarchy was the Insular
Origin
The scripts developed in Ireland in the 7th century and were used as late as the 19th century, though its most flourishing period fell between 600 and 850. They were closely related to the
Appearance
Works written in Insular scripts commonly use large initial letters surrounded by red ink dots (although this is also true of other
Insular script was spread to England by the Hiberno-Scottish mission; previously, uncial script had been brought to England by Augustine of Canterbury. The influences of both scripts produced the Insular script system. Within this system, the palaeographer Julian Brown identified five grades, with decreasing formality:
- Insular half-uncial, or "Irish majuscule": the most formal; became reserved for rubrics (highlighted directions) and other displays after the 9th century.[2]
- Insular hybrid minuscule: the most formal of the minuscules, came to be used for formal church books when use of the "Irish majuscule" diminished.[2]
- Insular set minuscule
- Insular cursive minuscule
- Insular current minuscule: the least formal;[3] current here means ‘running’ (rapid).[4]
Brown has also postulated two phases of development for this script, Phase II being mainly influenced by Roman uncial examples, developed at
Usage
Insular script was used not only for
Insular script was influential in the development of
In Ireland, Insular script was superseded in c. 850 by Late Insular script; in England, it was followed by a form of
The Tironian et, ⟨⁊⟩ – equivalent of ampersand ⟨&⟩ – was in widespread use in the script (meaning agus 'and' in Irish, and ond 'and' in Old English) and is occasionally continued in modern Gaelic typefaces derived from Insular script.
Unicode
Unicode treats representation of letters of the
According to Michael Everson, in the 2006 Unicode proposal for these characters:[6]
To write text in an ordinary Gaelic font, only ASCII letters should be used, the font making all the relevant substitutions; the insular letters [proposed here] are for use only by specialists who require them for particular purposes.
Insular letters in Unicode[1][2] | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+1ACx | ◌ᫌ | ◌ᫍ | ◌ᫎ | |||||||||||||
U+1D7x | ᵹ | |||||||||||||||
U+1DDx | ◌ᷘ | |||||||||||||||
U+204x | ⁊ | |||||||||||||||
U+2E5x | ⹒ | |||||||||||||||
U+A77x | Ꝺ | ꝺ | Ꝼ | ꝼ | Ᵹ | Ꝿ | ꝿ | |||||||||
U+A78x | Ꞃ | ꞃ | Ꞅ | ꞅ | Ꞇ | ꞇ | ||||||||||
U+A7Dx | Ꟑ | ꟑ | ||||||||||||||
Notes
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See also
- Gaelic type
- Hiberno-Saxon art
- Insular G
- Irish orthography
- Latin delta
- Medieval Unicode Font Initiative
- List of Hiberno-Saxon illustrated manuscripts
References
- ISBN 978-0-7123-0680-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4443-1910-1.
- ISBN 978-1-118-31609-2.: Entry "Script, Anglo-Saxon"
- ^ "current, a.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.) (definition e.)
- ^ Brown, Thomas Julian (1993). J. Bately; M. Brown; J. Roberts. (eds.). A Palaeographer's View. Selected Writings of Julian Brown. London: Harvey Miller Publishers.
- ^ a b Everson, Michael (6 August 2006). "N3122: Proposal to add Latin letters and a Greek symbol to the UCS" (PDF). ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG2. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
Sources
- O'Neill, Timothy. The Irish Hand: Scribes and Their Manuscripts From the Earliest Times. Cork: Cork University Press, 2014. ISBN 978-1-7820-5092-6
External links
- Pfeffer Mediæval An Insular minuscule as a Unicode font (strictly speaking, a Carolingian minuscule with a set of Insular variants)