b interchanges with the other labials,
f and
p :-- Ic hæbbe
I have, he hæfþ
he hath. When words are transferred into modern English,
b is sometimes represented by
f or
v :-- Beber
or befor
a beaver; Ober, ofer,
over. 2. In comparing the Anglo-Saxon aspirated labial
f with the corresponding letter in Old Saxon, the sister dialect, we find that the Old Saxons used a softer aspirated labial b
= bh. This softer aspirated b generally occurs as a medial letter between two vowels; as,- -
| O. Sax. | | A. Sax. | | Eng. |
| graban | = | grafan | = | engrave |
| klioban | = | cleófan | = | cleave |
| geðan | = | gifan | = | give |
3. The Runic letter ᛒ not only stands for the letter B, b, but also for the name of the letter in Anglo-Saxon beorc
the birch-tree.