On editing and normalizing Ethiopic texts

This paper deals with orthographic normalization and standardization in editions of Ethiopic texts. It intends to show that, if taken rigorously, every normalization and standardization finally presupposes—whether explicitly or implicitly—more or less precise hypotheses of linguistic and text-critical character. Various approaches appear to be possible, provided that the editor declares the goal of the edition and which method determines his textual choices. The following elaboration is predominantly based upon representative cases of text editions of biblical Aksumite texts, meaning texts—mostly translations from Greek models—created in the earlier period of Ethiopic literature during the flourishing of the kingdom of Aksum (fourth to seventh centuries ce). A few editions of later texts are additionally considered because of their contribution to text-critical methodology.