xviii BIRDS OF ICELAND 



Q is used before v, and almost =/j. 



R. As in English, except when following a consonant at 



the end of a word, when it has the sound of ur. 



' Haf skumr ' (Great Skua) = ' Haf skiimur .' and may be 



written so. 



SI. 



— k As in English. 



p, J) (called 'Thorn'). An aspirated th, as © (S) is an 

 aspirated d. It is pronounced as we pronounce the 

 Greek 9 and our th (in ' think '). Like ©, p is never 

 doubled. 



V. As in English, but is sometimes softened into w, 

 e.g. ' Havella ' (Longtail) = ' Howedtla.' 



X. As in English. 



Z. Seldom used, and then standing for a combination of 

 other consonants {e. g. ' Kvazt ' = ' KvaSst ' ; ' Beztr ' = 

 ' Betstr '), and has the sound of s. 



