A Gothic Grammar

§ 51. The letter p, which does not occur very often in Gothic, corresponds to Gr. π.

(a) Initially, p may be regarded as being altogether wanting in purely Gothic words; the exampls which do occur ar either obviously foren words or at least etymologically obscure, if not loanwords too: plinsjan, to dance; plats, pach; anapraggan, to harass; paida, coat; puggs, purse; peikabagms, date-palm; pund, pound; plapja, street ('platea'); pistikeins, πιστικός, paúrpura, purpl.

(b) p occurs in purely Gothic words medially and finally; e. g., slêpan, to sleep; greipan, to gripe; ƕôpan, to boast; skapjan, to shape, make; hlaupan, to run; diups, deep; waírpan, to throw; hilpan, to help; skip, ship; iup, upwards. – Initial sp in speiwan, to spit; sparwa, sparrow; spillôn, to narrate; spinnôn, to spin.

Note 1. pp does not occur.

Note 2. p before t becums f in gaskafts, f., creature (cp. skapjan); ƕôftuli, f., glory (cp. ƕôpan). Cp. § 81 (#para_81).

f

§ 52. Gothic f in foren words corresponds to Gr. φ; e. g., Filippus, Φίλιππος; Kajafa, Καϊάφας. Latin writers render Goth. f mostly by ph (Dietrich, p. 75); as, Dagalaiphus, Phaeba. Hense Goth. f was probably a bilabial, not a labiodental spirant, as is also evident from Goth. fimf, hamfs.

Note. f is regarded as labiodental by Jellinek; Zs. fda., 36, 275 et seq.

§ 53. (a) Initial f occurs often in Gothic words; e. g., fôtus, foot; fadar, father; flôdus, flud; faíhu (catl), muney; fûls, foul; frôþs, wise, judicious; frius, cold; fidwôr, 4.

(b) Medially and finally f occurs in but a small number of Gothic words; as, hlifan, to steal; hafjan, to heav; hiufan, to lament; lôfa, m., palm of the hand; ufar, over; afar, after. Before consonants: luftus, air; hamfs, maimd; tweifls, dout; wulfs, wolf; – (final) fimf, five; hôf (prt. of hafjan); þarf, I need (inf. þaúrban).

Note 1. Finally and before the s of the nom., f occurs very often for medial b; s. § 56 (#Page_24).

Note 2. Medial f before t (n) stands for b (§ 56 (#Page_24), n. 4), before t also for p (§ 51 (#para_51), n. 2).

Note 3. ff is not found.

b

§ 54. b corresponds to Gr. β, for which it stands in foren words; e. g., barbarus, βάρβαρος; Iakôb, Ἰακώβ. The pronunciation of the Gr. β was that of a labial soft spirant [nearly = E. v]. In like manner Goth. b has the value of a soft (voiced) labiolabial spirant medially after vowels, while initially and medially after consonants it denotes a soft stop (= E. b).

Note 1. Gothic b between vowels in Latin foren words stands for Lt. v, but after m for b: Silbanus, Silvanus; Naúbaímbaír, November; (ana)kumbjan, cumbere.

Note 2. In Gothic names Latin writers employ Lt. b for Gothic b initially and after a consonant (as, Amala-berga, Hildi-bald, Albila), but medially between vowels Lt. v is uzed (as, Liuva, Erelieva); cp. Dietrich, p. 71; Beitr., 1, 148 et seq.; Wrede, 'Ostg.', 169; Zs. fda., 36, 275.

§ 55. Exampls of b:

(a) initially: baíran, to bear; beitan, to bite; brikan, to break; brûkjan, to uze; blêsan, to blow; biudan, to offer; blôma, flower; brôþar, brother; bôka, letter; bnauan, to rub.

(b) medially: liuba (w. m. adj.), dear; galaubjan, to believ; graban, to dig; sibja, relationship; arbi, inheritance; kalbô, hefer; —haubiþ, hed; hlaibis (gen. of hlaifs), bred; sibun, seven; haban, to hav; skaban, to shave; (bi-)leiban, to remain; liban, to liv; biraubôn, to rob; salbôn, to salv, anoint.

Note. bb occurs in foren words only; as, sabbatus.

§ 56. b after consonants (l, m, r) remains finally, before the s of the nom., and before the t of the 2nd pers. sg. prt.; postvocalic b becums f. This means that postvocalic b was a soft spirant (§ 54 (#para_54)) which, finally, changed into the corresponding hard spirant, while postconsonantal b, medially and finally, had the value of a stop. Hense giban, to giv, 1st and 3d pers. sg. prt.: gaf, 2nd. pers. gaft, 2nd sg. imper.: gif; hlaifs, bred, acc. hlaif, nom. pl. hlaibôs; – but lamb, lam; dumbs, dum; swaírban, to wipe, prt. swarb.

Note 1. Our texts contain a few exceptions to the rule of final f for medial b after vowels, but the preponderant number of exampls prove the validity of the rule which is fonetically founded and has a striking analogon in the OS. geƀan – gaf; lioƀo – liof (but lamb). The exceptional cases with final b (21 in all) occur only in definit parts of the texts (7 in Lu., 5 in the epistls to the Thess., 4 in Jo., 3 in Skeir., in all the other texts only onse each in Mk. and Eph.). Therefore the anomalous bs may be referd to the writers of the respectiv parts, who either from purely orthografic considerations put the medial bs also finally, or in order to express a later pronunciation as it existed at their time, according to which voiced sounds occurd also finally. The latter supposition is founded on the fact that in the Arezzo document (of the 6th century) the spelling Gudilub occurs. – Cp. also the remarks on the interchange of d and þ in § 74 (#para_74), n. 1.

The exceptions in the verb ar rare, only grôb (Lu. VI, 48) and gadôb (Skeir. 42); – the forms with f occur in gaf, gaft, gif (very often); onse each: grôf (inf. graban), swaif (inf. sweiban), bilaif (inf. bileiban), skauf (inf. skiuban). Accordingly, we may safely write draif (prt. of dreiban, to drive).

Of nouns only hlaifs is often found: nom. hlaifs (12 times, onse hlaibs), acc. hlaif (19 times, hlaib seven times); —twalif, twelv (12 times, twalib 3 times); accordingly, also *ainlif (dat. ainlibim).

Furthermore the following nominativs must be regarded as normal forms: *stafs, element (only stabim occurs); *laufs, leaf (only galaubamma 3 times, filugalaubis, galubaim), *gadôfs, becuming (onse gadôf, 4 times gadôb), *liufs, dear (only forms with more than one syllabl occur: liubai, liuba, liubana, etc.). Lastly, also *þiufs (= OS. thiof), thief, tho the nom. accidentally occurs (4 times) as þiubs, beside þiubôs (twice), þiubê.

Note 2. Subject to the abuv rule ar also the preps. of and uf, the f of which becums medial by enclisis and is changed into b before the following vowel; ab-u, ub-uh. In composition, however, f remains: af-êtja, voracious eater; uf-aiþeis, under oath. (Cp. us in § 78 (#para_78), n. 4).

Note 3. An apparent exception is þarf, I want (for þarb), pl. þaúrbum; but þarf has real f (§ 53 (#Page_23)) and must be kept apart from the pl. with b (s. ahd. gr., § 101 (#para_101)). b stands correctly in the adj. gaþaúrbs. Cp. § 79 (#para_79), n. 2.

Note 4. f before t in derivativ words stands for b elsewhere (§ 81 (#para_81)): gifts, f., gift (< giban, onse fragibtim; Lu. I, 27), þaúrfts, necessity. b is common before n: ibns, stibna, daubnan, drôbnan, but the ending -ubni interchanges with -ufni; as, fraistubni, temptation, but waldufni, power; aflifnan, to remain, be left; cp. laiba, remnant.

2. Gutturals

k

§ 57. Goth. k corresponds to Greek κ, Lt. c; e. g., Kêfas, Κηφᾶς; aíkklêsjô, ἐκκλησία; laíktjô, lectio. Goth. k in Greek words represents also χ; as, kaúrazein, Χοραζίν; ark-aggilus, ἀρχάγγελος. The Gr. sign χ is but rarely retaind, always in χristus (s. § 2 (#para_2)). Cp. Wrede, 'Ostg.', 54.

Note. The labialized k (kw) has a special sign (q§ 59 (#para_59)) in Gothic.

§ 58. Exampls of k: (a) initially: kniu, knee; kaúrn, corn; kuni, kin; kalds, cold; kiusan, to choose; kalbô, f., calf; —sk: skeinan, to shine; skaidan, to separate. (b) medially: brikan, to break; aukan, to increase; akrs, field; reiks, mighty; mikils, great; waúrkjan, to work; laikan, to leap; rakjan, to strech; finally: ik, I; mik, me; juk, yoke.

Note 1. kk occurs in smakka, fig; sakkus, sack.

Note 2. In derivativ words h takes the place of k before t (§ 81 (#para_81)); as, saúhts, sickness (cp. siuks); wahtwô, wach (cp. wakan); brûhta (prt. of brûkjan); þâhta (prt. of þagkjan). – Sinse there occur no exampls of the 2nd pers. prt. of verbs in k (as, wakan, aukan, têkan), it is uncertain whether the k before t remaind k or was changed into h (wôkt or wôht?).

q

§ 59. The Gothic sign q does not occur in the Greek alfabet, the corresponding sign being borrowd from the Latin (Q). In Lt. words it corresponds to Lt. qu (qartus; Rom. XVI, 23) to which it most likely corresponds also fonetically. The Lt. qu denoted a labialized k-sound which was a simpl consonant not forming position. Cp. Zs. fdph., 12, 481 et seq.

Note. The dubl sign kw (kv) which is uzed beside q for the Gothic character is due to the perception that in the cognate languages Gothic q is represented by a combination of consonants which appears as k with a w-sound closely attacht to it, and is therefore exprest by two signs: in OE. by cw, in ON. by kv, in OHG. MHG. NHG. by qu. Hense Goth. qiþan, to say, = OE. cweþan, ON. kveþa, OHG. quedan. But from this nothing certain can be inferd about the fonetic value of Goth. q, altho it is possibl that its pronunciation was precisely the same as that of NHG. NE. qu. – Cp. also § 41 (#para_41), n. 1.

§ 60. Exampls of q: qinô, woman; *qius, pl. qiwai, alive; qaírnus, mil; qiman, to cum; qrammiþa, moisture; naqaþs, naked; aqizi, ax; riqis, darkness; sigqan, to sink, prt. sagq.

h

§ 61. Gothic h in Greek words stands for the ruf breathing (as, Haíbraius, Ἑβραῖος; Hêrôdês, Ἡρώδης), but the ruf breathing is often disregarded (as, ôsanna, ὡσαννά). Accordingly, Goth. initial h had the value of a mere breathing. Medially and finally it may stil hav had the value of a fricativ sound (HG. ch). Cp. the assimilations (§ 62 (#para_62), n. 3) and breaking (§ 62 (#para_62), n. 1). Also initially before consonants, (hl, hn, hr (ƕ)), the h had probably retaind a stronger sound.

Note 1. Latin writers render Gothic h by their h (as, Hildibald, Hildericus); but they also omit it; as, Ariamirus, eils = hails in the epigram (s. § 21 (#Page_11), n. 1), Zs. fda. 1, 379; cp. Dietrich, p. 77.

Note 2. Labialized h (hw) has a special sign in Gothic: ƕ (§§ 63 (#para_63). 64 (#para_64)).

Note 3. In foren names h is sumtimes interposed medially between vowels; as, Iôhannês, Ιωάννης; Abraham, Ἀβραάμ. Cp. Es. Tegnér, Tidskr. for filol. N. R. 7, 304 et seq.

§ 62. Exampls for h: (a) initially: haúrn, horn; hana, cock; haírtô, hart; hails, hole, sound; hund, hundred; hafjan, to heav; – initial combinations: hlaifs, bred; hliuma, m., hearing; hlifan, to steal; hlûtrs, pure; hlahjan, to laf; hnaiws, low; hrains, clean; hrôpjan, to call; hrôt, n., roof. – (b) medially: faíhu, muney; taíhun, ten; teihan, to show; tiuhan, to pul; saíhs, six; nahts, night; liuhtjan, to light; filhan, to conceal; swaíhra, 'socer'. – (c) finally: jah, and; -uh, and (cp. § 24 (#para_24), n. 2); falh (prt. of filhan); taúh (prt. of tiuhan), etc.

Note 1. Before h (as before r) i is broken to aí, u to aú; cp. §§ 20 (#Page_10). 24 (#para_24).

Note 2. Dropping of n before h, which made the preceding vowel long: fâhan (< fanhan), þûhta (< þunhta), etc.; cp. § 50 (#para_50), n. 1; § 5 (#para_5), b; § 15 (#para_15), b.

Note 3. Final h in -uh (or -h; § 24 (#para_24), n. 2), jah, nih, may be assimilated to the initial sound of a following word. But rarely in the gospels (cod. argent.) and in codex B, and only before particls or prns. beginning with þ; frequently, however, also before other consonants, in codex A and Skeir; as, wasuþþan (= wasuh-þan, but it was); Mk. I, 6; sumaiþþan (= sumaih-þan, but sum); Mt. XXVI, 67; sijaiþþan (= sijaih-þan, but it shall be); Mt. V, 37; jaþþê (= jah-þê, and if); niþþan (= nih-þan, and not); – before other consonants in A: jalliban (= jah liban, and liv); II. Cor. I, 8; jaggatraua (= jah gatraua, and I trust); Rom. XIV, 14; jaddu (= jah du, and to); II. Cor. II, 16; jabbrusts (= jah brusts); II. Cor. VII, 15; nukkant (= nuh kant, knowest thou now?); I. Cor. VII, 16; exceptionally also in the codex argent., but only in Lu.: janni (= jah ni); Lu. VII, 32; nissijai (= nih sijai); Lu. XX, 16.

Note 4. Final h is sumtimes dropt (in consequence of having lost its sharp sound? But cp. Beitr., XV, 277): ƕarjô (for ƕarjôh); Mk. XV, 6; ƕammê (for ƕammêh); Gal. V, 3; ƕarjanô (for ƕarjanôh); Skeir. 43; oftener inu (in A) for inuh, without; the h of consonant-combinations is dropt in hiuma; Lu. VI, 17. VIII, 4 (elsewhere hiuhma, multitude); drausnôs; Skeir. 50 (beside drauhsna, crum); als (for alhs); Mk. XV, 38, etc. All these cases ar probably due to the copyists, and most of them hav therefore been amended by the editors. Cp. Bernhardt, Vulfila, LIII et seq. – Also superfluous h occurs: snauh (for snau); I. Thess. II, 16; here, however, it is perhaps the enclitic -h (= -uh, § 24 (#para_24), n. 2).