Script: Reconstruction of the Phonological System

8 The ON alphabet consists of 28 signs representing consonant as well as vowel phonemes. It has also two diacritical marks (superscript): the line < ̄ > and the dot < ̇ >. The line is transliterated as i, whereas the point is transliterated as such. As follows from the table below, the ON alphabet is based on the Greek–Coptic model. This allows us to suppose that the first translators of biblical texts into ON were Copts or Greeks knowing Coptic. A total of 23 signs are of Greek origin, and three signs (š, h, j) as well as