A Gothic Grammar

Note 1. Apocope of an unaccented a before enclitics: þat-ist, þat-ei, þan-uh, þamm-uh, þan-ei, þamm-ei, kar-ist. – Also frêt and frêtum (prt. of fra-itan, to devour, § 176 (#litres_trial_promo), n. 3).

Note 2. For a in the difthongs ai, au, s. §§ 21 (#Page_11). 25 (#para_25).

§ 5. In a few cases a is long [as in E. father]. (Comp. Holtzmann, Altd. Gr., I, 3 et seq.).

(a) In foren words: Silbânus (Silvanus), aurâli (orale), spaíkulâtur (speculator), Peilâtus, etc.;

(b) In the following Gothic words: fâhan (OHG. fâhan), to cach; hâhan (OHG. hâhan), to hang; þâhta (prt. of þagkjan, to think); brâhta (prt. of briggan, to bring); gafâhs, a haul; faúrhâh, curtain; gahâhjô, in order; -gâhts, a going; also þâhô (OHG. dâha), clay; unwâhs, blameless (OE. wôh, wrong).

Note. In the words mentiond under (b) âh arose from anh (§ 50 (#para_50), n. 1). Cp. also Litbl. 1886, p. 485.

e

§ 6. e is always a long, close vowel (ê) approaching very much the sound of i [as in E. they].

Note 1. In Greek words η is regularly represented by ê; e. g., Gabriêl, Kêfas, aíkklêsjô, Krêta; – sumtimes also ι: Naên, Ναίν; Tykêkus, Τυχικός; aíloê, ἐλωί; likewise e: Jarêd, Ἰαρέδ.

Note 2. In Gothic names Latin writers employ e for Gothic ê: Sigismêres, Gelimêr, Reccarêd; besides, as erly as the 6th century, quite regularly also i; as, Theodemir, Valamir. Cp. Beitr., 11, 7 et seq.; Wrede, Wand., 92 et seq.

§ 7. Goth. ê (which regularly corresponds to OHG. and OS. â; ahd. gr., § 34 (#para_34)) is found:

(a) in reduplicating verbs, in part with the ablaut ô (§§ 179 (#litres_trial_promo). 181 (#litres_trial_promo)): grêtan, lêtan, slêpan; (b) in the prt. pl. of the IV. and V. ablaut-series: sêtum (inf. sitan, to sit), nêmun (inf. niman, to take), têmum (inf. timan, to befit), êtum (inf. itan), and in the prt. sg. frêt; Luc. XV, 30 (§ 176 (#litres_trial_promo), n. 3); (c) in derivativs from the verbal stems givn under (b); as, andanêms, agreeabl; andanêm, a receiving; gatêmiba, becumingly; uzêta, manger; (d) in other words; as, jêr, year; qêns, wife; mêna, moon; lêkeis, fysician; mêrjan, to preach; manasêþs ('man-seed'), world, etc.; (e) in formativ syllabls: fahêþs, joy; awêþi, flock of sheep (cp. however § 17 (#para_17), n. 1); azêts, easy; 2nd pers. sg. prt. of wvs., -dês (nasidês, § 184 (#litres_trial_promo)); (f) final: in the ending of the gen. pl.; as, dagê; in monosyllabic instrumentals: þê, ƕê (§§ 153 (#para_153). 159 (#para_159)); in particls and advs.; as, swê, untê, hidrê, bisunjanê; lastly, in the dativs ƕammêh, ƕarjammêh, ainummê-hun (cp. §§ 163 (#para_163)-166).

Note 1. ê before vowels appears as ai; s. § 22 (#para_22).

Note 2. ei occurs quite often for ê, especially in the Gospel of St. Luke; as, qeins (= qêns), faheid (= fahêd), fraleitais (= fralêtais); Lu. II, 5. 10. 29; afleitan; Mt. IX, 6, etc.

Note 3. Sporadically also i for ê; so, frequently, in the Gospel of St. Lu.; as, birusjôs; Lu. II, 41; qiþeina; VIII, 56. IX, 21; tawidideina; VI, 11; duatsniwun; Mk. VI, 53. Only i is found in wriþus, herd; Lu. VIII, 33 (for wrêþus; cp. Bezzenb. Beitr. 3, 114).

Note 4. Reversely, also e occurs for i and ei (§ 10 (#para_10), n. 5; § 17 (#para_17), n. 1). – These deviations (in ns. 2-4) seem due to East Gothic writers; cp. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 161.

§ 8. From the preceding ê must be separated the ê of sum Gothic words in which it corresponds to OHG. ea, ia (not â): hêr, here; Krêks, Greek; fêra, side, region; mês, table. Cp. ahd. gr., §§ 35 (#para_35). 36 (#para_36); Beitr., 18, 409 et seq.

i

§ 9. Gothic i, as a rule, denotes the short vowel i [as in E. it], while its corresponding long sound is represented by ei [= ie in E. believ]; s. § 16 (#para_16).

Note 1. The i in Greek words stands for short ι, only exceptionally for η which is generally represented by ê; e. g., Aúnisimus, Ὀνήσιμος; Biþania, Βηθανία.

Note 2. i in Gothic words is long, when it is incorrectly employd for ê (cp. § 7 (#para_7), n. 3).

§ 10. The Gothic i, from an historical point of view, is of two kinds: It represents two originally distinct sounds which, from a purely Gothic standpoint, can not be separated.

(a) Goth. i = proethnic Germanic e (OHG. ë or i; cp. ahd. gr., §§ 28 (#para_28)-30), as in the prs. tense of verbs of the III. – V. ablaut-series (§§ 32 (#para_32)-34): niman, OHG. nëman; giban, OHG. gëban; giba, OHG. gëba; bindan, OHG. bintan; itan, to eat; midjis, 'medius'; hlifan, to steal; swistar, OHG. swëster; fidwôr, four; gifts, gift; -qiss, speech; the pps. of the V. ablaut-series: gibans, itans, lisans, wigans, qiþans.

(b) Goth. i = proethnic Germanic i (OHG. i; ahd. gr., § 31 (#para_31)); e. g., lists, stratagem; fisks, fish; is, he; wissa, I knew; skritnan, to rend (intr.); prt. pl. and pp. of the verbs of the I. ablaut-series (§ 30 (#para_30)): bitun, bitans (inf. beitan); stigun, stigans (inf. steigan); liþun, liþans (inf. leiþan).

Note 1. Final i occurs in ni, bi, si, hiri; in the nominativs of feminin and neuter j-stems: bandi (§ 96 (#para_96)), kuni (§ 93 (#para_93)); in the acc. and voc. sg. of the masculin j-stems: hari (§ 90 (#para_90)); 3d pers. sg. prt. opt.: nêmi. This final i appears as j, when it becums medial (§ 45 (#para_45)).

Note 2. Final i before a following i of an enclitic word is elided in nist (= ni-ist), sei (= si-ei), niba (= ni-iba).

Note 3. Every i before h and r is broken to aí; cp. § 20 (#Page_10).

Note 4. ij is found in ija, 'eam'; þrija, 'tria'; fijan, to hate; frijôn, to luv; sijum, we ar; kijans, germinated, etc. i for ij is rare: fian, sium, etc., but friaþwa (beside frijaþwa), luv, occurs very often.

Note 5. Occasionally e takes the place of i; as, usdrebi; Mk. V, 10; seneigana; I. Tim. V, 1.

Note 6. For i in the difthong iu, s. §§ 18 (#para_18). 19 (#para_19).

Note 7. For a separation of the two is (= OHG. ë and i) in East Gothic names, s. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 162.

o

§ 11. The Gothic character o always denotes a long close o approaching sumwhat the sound of û (= o in E. home).

Note 1. In Greek words o, as a rule, corresponds to ω, rarely to ο; e. g., Makidonja, Μακεδονία; it also stands for ου: Iodas, Ἰούδας; Lu. III, 26.

Note 2. o in Gothic words often stands for (short) u (§ 14 (#para_14), n. 3).

§ 12. ô (= OHG. uo; s. ahd. gr., § 38 (#para_38) et seq.) is frequent in Gothic words. E. g., brôþar, brother; bôka, beech; frôþs, wise; flôdus, flud; fôtus, foot.

In the prt. of the VI. series (§ 35 (#para_35)) and of the ê – ô-series (§ 36 (#para_36)): ôl, hôf, ôg, pl. ôlum, hôfum, ôgum; laílôt, laílôtum, aísô. In endings, as in nom. pl. gibôs, dagôs; wvs. II.: salbôn; final, in gen. pl. f. gibô, tuggônô; nom. sg. tuggô, haírtô. Prns.: ƕô, þô, sô, ƕanô-h, ainnô-hun, ƕarjanô-h. Verb salbô. Advs. in -ô (§ 211 (#litres_trial_promo)).

Note 1. For ô we sumtimes find u: gakrôtûda (inf. krôtôn), he is crusht; Lu. XX, 18; ûhtêdun (prs. ôg), they feard; Mk. XI, 32. – In East Gothic names u often takes the place of ô; s. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 164.

Note 2. In a few words ô before vowels becums au; s. § 26 (#para_26).

Note 3. ô and u interchange in the inflection of fôn, gen. funins (§ 118 (#para_118)). Concerning this and other relations between ô and u, cp. Beitr. 6, 377 et seq.; 564; also Kuhns Zs., 26, 16 et seq.

u

§ 13. The letter u in Gothic denotes both a short and a long vowel; the short u, however, occurs oftener than long û.

Note 1. u in foren words regularly represents Gr. ου. In unaccented syllabls, however, it stands for Gr. ο: diabulus, διάβολος (beside diabaúlus), apaústulus (beside apaústaúlus), paíntêkustê, πεντηκοστή.

Note 2. u for ô seldom (§ 12 (#para_12), n. 1), u for áu (§ 25 (#para_25), n. 3).

§ 14. Short u is very frequent in Gothic. E. g.

(a) juk, yoke; sunus, sun; drus, fall; us-drusts, a falling; fra-lusts, lost; lusnan, to perish; – in the prt. pl. and pp. of the verbs of the II. series (§ 31 (#para_31)); e. g., gutum, gutans; lusum, lusans; – in endings of the sbs. of the u-decl.: handus, handu; – final, as in þu, prn., thou; nu, now; -u (interr. particl).

(b) wulfs, wolf; wulla, wool; gaqumþs, council; gulþ, gold; swumfsl, pond; hund, 100; sibun, 7; taíhun, 10; fulls, ful; un- (privativ prefix); in the prt. pl. and pp. of the verbs of the III. series (§ 32 (#para_32)): bundum, bundans; in the pp. of the verbs of the IV. series (§ 33 (#Page_17)): numans, stulans.

brukans, broken; us-bruknan, to break off (intr.); trudan, to tred, pp. trudans; snutrs, wise.

Note 1. As a rule, the final u of stems is dropt before derivativ j-suffixes; e. g., -hardjan, to harden (< hardus); -agljan, to trubl (< aglus); manwjan, to prepare (< manwus); ufarassjan, to increase (< ufarassus); L. Meyer, 'Got. Spr.', p. 325 et seq. But skadwjan, to overshadow (< skadus), and skadweins, a shading (cp. Zs. fda. 36, 269). – Concerning u beside w, cp. § 42 (#para_42).

Note 2. Every u before h and r is broken to aú; cp. § 24 (#para_24).