; ''[HRGs: q-A-A-q], _q_'',
"slope," or brickwork, "height." (The doubled weak consonant is
here neglected.)

[HRG: d], hand, value _d_; from [HRGs: d:t*Z1], _d.t_, "hand."

[HRG: D], cobra, value _z_; from [HRGs: D:t*Z1], _z.t_, "cobra."

For some alphabetic signs more than one likely origin might be found,
while for others, again, no clear evidence of origin is yet
forthcoming.

It has already been explained that the writing expresses only
consonants. In the Graeco-Roman period various imperfect attempts were
made to render the vowels in foreign names and words by the
semi-vowels as also by [HRGs: a], the consonant [Hebrew: ayin] which
[HRGs: a] originally represented having been reduced in speech by that
time to the power of [Hebrew: alef], only. Thus, [Greek: Ptolemaios]
is spelt _Ptwrmys_, Antoninus, _'Nt'nynws_ or _Intnyns_, &c. &c. Much
earlier, throughout the New Kingdom, a special "syllabic" orthography,
in which the alphabetic signs for the consonants are generally
replaced by groups or single signs having the value of a consonant
followed by a semi-vowel, was used for foreign names and words, e.g.

[Hebrew: merkevet], "chariot," was written [HRGs:
m:a-r:Z1-k:A-b-W-ti-i-t:xt], in Coptic [Coptic: berechojt].

[Hebrew: migdal], "tower," was written [HRGs: m:a-k-ti-i-r:Z1],
[HRGs: m:a-g-A-d:y-r:Z1-niwt], [Coptic: mechtod].

[Hebrew: kinor], "harp," was written [HRGs: k-n:Z2-i-n-i-w-l:Z1-xt].

[Hebrew: hamath], "Hamath," was written [HRGs:
HA-A-mA-A-ti-i-qmA:xAst ].

According to W. Max Muller (_Asien und Europa_, 1893, chap, v.), this
represents an endeavour to express the vocalization; but, if so, it
was carried out with very little system. In practice, the semi-vowels
are generally negligible. This method of writing can be traced back
into the Middle Kingdom, if not beyond, and it greatly affected the
spelling of native words in New Egyptian and demotic.

_Determinatives._--Most signs can on occasion be used as
determinatives, but those that are very commonly employed as
phonograms or as secondary word-signs are seldom employed as
determinatives; and when they are so used they are often somewhat
differentiated. Certain generic determinatives are very common,
e.g.:--

[HRG: D54]; of motion.

[HRG: A24], [HRG: D40]; of acts involving force.

[HRG: A40]; of divinity.