The Original Sound Of W.

I guess this is science and technology. Linguistics is a science, you know.

I am a little confused by the history of the letter 'W'. It came into being, in the Dark Ages I suppose, reportedly because it stood for a sound there was no letter for.

My question: exactly which sound?

I know in English, it stands for the "w" sound we have in 'water'. But in German and Polish (Polish was my mother's first language), it stands for the 'v' sound in 'vampire'.

What was its original sound? Some sources say the 'w' in 'water'. But Classical Latin already has that sound. 'V' actually represents that sound, in Classical Latin at least, because in Classical Latin (and originally in English), 'V' and 'U' were actually the same letter.

So what did it originally represent? 'W' in 'water' or 'V' in 'vampire'? I sure I am not the first person to ask this question. Thank you all in advance for your kindly replies.

 

The letter "W" was invented by the famous Elmer Fudd, who could not pronounce his "r" sounds, and wanted to give his girlfriend, Barbara Walters, a womb with a view.

 

That I'm not so sure about.

 

I'm not certain, but that could be because you not the same person.

 

Maybe there are multiple original usages. As there are multiple early languages. Since we don't know the earliest language and how particular letters were exactly used in it, attempts to answer the exact question will be speculation at best.
Keep in mind languages originated out of speech, not a thought out system for writing. It could very well be the V, W and maybe even B sounds were interchangable in a lot of instances

 

The Roman empire was not terribly creative, and invented the letter "V" as an alternative to "U". Later, people doubled "V" to make "W" because, again, they were not that creative. Rome preferred to import talent. The Roman empire's claim to fame is they invented really good concrete and the fundamentals of modern bureaucracy.

 

Not the roads, bathhouses, size of their empire, aquaducts, literature, etc. etc.

 

Then it should be called double-V instead of double-U.

 

They imported Mexicans for all the gardening and maintenance, and imported Greeks for all the architecture.

 

You have to remember, only in the last 150 years has more than 5% of the population been able to read, and modern day literacy was invented by lawyers and bankers!

 

Can't have a conversation with this fuckin guy! But he's entertaining.

 

Drumming is the sound of W

 

Dubbya

 

Where or where has my wittle DubbleU gone, or where or where could it be?