A Gothic Grammar
- -
- 100%
- +
ABBREVIATIONS
anv., anomalous verb. cf. or cp., compare. E., English. follg., following. G., German. Gr., Greek. Idg., Indo-Germanic. Lt., Latin. ME., Midl English. MHG., Midl High German. NE., New English. NHG., New High German. Nth., Northumbrian. OE., Old English. OHG., Old High German. ON., Old Norse. OS., Old Saxon. pp., past participl. prec., preceding. prsp., present participl. prt. – prs., preterit present. Sc., Scotch. Shak., Shakspere. Sp., Spenser. sta., strong adjectiv. stv., strong verb. th. s., the same. w., with or word. wa., weak adjectiv. wv., weak verb. <, from; >, whense.
Anz. fda., Anzeiger für deutsches alterthum, s. Zs. fda.
Beitr., Beiträge zur geschichte der deutschen sprache und literatur. Halle 1874 ff.
Bezzenb. beitr., Beiträge zur kunde der indogerm. sprachen, hg. v. A. Bezzenberger. Göttingen 1875 ff.
Brugm., Grundriss der vergleichenden grammatik der indog. sprachen von K. Brugmann (Engl. edition). Strassburg 1886-92.
Dietrich, aussprache des got., s. § 2 n. 1.
Germ., Germania, hg. von Pfeiffer-Bartsch-Behaghel (1856-92).
Grundr., Grundriss der germ. philologie, hg. v. H. Paul. Strassburg 1889-93.
IF., Indogerm. forschungen, hg. v. K. Brugmann und W. Streitberg. Strassburg 1892 ff.
Kl. W., Kluge, Wörterbuch.
Kuhns zs., Zeitschrift für vergleichende sprachforschung. Berlin 1852 ff.
Litbl., Literaturblatt für germ. und roman. philologie. Heilbronn 1880 ff.
Sk., Skeat, Etymological Dictionary.
vB., von Bahder, Verbalabstracta.
Wrede, Wand., Sprache der Wandalen, s. § 220 n. 4.
Wrede, Ostg., Sprache der Ostgoten, s. § 221 n. 4.
Zs. fda., Zeitschrift für deutsches alterthum. Berlin 1841 ff. With this sinse vol. 19: Anzeiger für d. alt. Berlin 1876 ff.
Zs. fdph., Zeitschrift für deutsche philologie. Halle 1869 ff.
FONOLOGY
CHAP. I. THE ALFABET
§ 1. The monuments of the Gothic language ar handed down to us in a peculiar alfabet which, according to Greek ecclesiastic writers, was invented by Wulfila (s. § 221). The Gothic alfabet, however, is not entirely a new creation, but Wulfila based it on the Greek alfabet which he accomodated to the Gothic sounds, increasing it by several signs from the Latin alfabet, and, in a few cases, availing himself of the familiar runic alfabet. Of the Greek alfabet he also retaind the order and numerical value. The Gothic alfabet is now sufficiently represented in Roman letters. In the following we giv in the first line the original Gothic characters, in the second their numerical values, in the third the transliteration of the Gothic characters by Roman letters, which latter we shall uze exclusivly in this book.
Note 1. Of these signs one (i, 10) is represented by two forms. The i without dots occurs oftener, the i with dots stands at the beginning of a word, and in the midl of a word after a vowel, to show that it forms a syllabl for itself and does not form a difthong with the preceding vowel; e. g., fraïtiþ (= fra-itiþ). In transliteration i is employd thruout.
Note 2. Two characters, the Greek episema 'koppa' (90) and 'sampi' (900), hav no fonetic values, but serv only as numerals. When the symbols denote numerals, they ar markt by a horizontal stroke abuv them, or by dots before and after them: ib or ·ib· = 12.
Note 3. The transliteration of the Gothic symbols is not alike in all cases. Most editors hav hitherto uzed v for w (§ 39, n. 1); for the singl symbols q (§ 39, n. 1) and ƕ (§ 63) we find kv or qu and hv or w, respectivly; for þ, which is borrowd from the Norse-A. – S. alfabet, also th occurs (§ 70, n. 1).
Note 4. The Gothic monuments show but few abbreviations; the holy names, guþ, frauja, iêsus, Χristus, ar always abbreviated. Abbreviations ar denoted by a stroke abuv the word, but in our texts the abbreviated words ar uzually printed in ful; as, gþ = guþ, fa, fins = frauja, fraujins. – For more on this point, s. Gabelentz-Loebe's grammar, p. 19 et seq.
Note 5. The Goths alredy had the Germanic runic letters before Wulfila. The names of these letters wer uzed also for the new characters. The names of the Gothic symbols, together with a few Gothic words and alfabets, ar preservd in a Salzburg-Vienna manuscript of the 9th century: W. Grimm, 'Wiener Jahrbücher der Litteratur 43', p. 4 et seq. Massmann, zs. fda. 1, p. 296 et seq. – The form of the names, however, is very corrupt. As to this, cp. A. Kirchhoff, 'Das Gotische Runenalphabet', 2nd edit., Berlin 1854; J. Zacher, 'Das Gotische Alphabet Vulfilas und das Runenalphabet', Leipzig 1855. – Of special importance is Wimmer's treatis on Wulfila's alfabet, as 'Appendix I' to his book: 'Die Runenschrift', Berlin 1887, pp. 259-274.
§ 2. Of the 27 characters two hav only numerical values, (§ 1, n. 2), a third, the χ, is retaind only in Greek foren words, especially in the name 'Christus', and denotes no Gothic sound. Hense there remain the following 24 characters whose fonetic values ar to be determind:
(a) Consonants:
p b f m w | t d þ s z n l r | k q g h ƕ j.
(b) Vowels:
a e i o u.
(c) Difthongs:
ei iu ai au.
In determining the fonetic values of these characters we ar guided by the following means: (1) The Gothic alfabet is based on the Greek alfabet; hense, the pronunciation of the Greek letters to be determind for the 4th century, must also be regarded as that of the Gothic letters so long as there is no proof to the contrary. (2) The rendition of the numerous Greek foren words and proper nouns by Wulfila. (3) The transliteration of the Gothic proper nouns in Latin documents and by Latin authors of the 4th-8th centuries. (4) The testimony of the cognate Germanic languages. (5) Fonetic changes and grammatical fenomena in the Gothic language itself permit us to draw conclusions about the nature of the sounds.
Note 1. Concerning the pronunciation of the Gothic letters, cp. Weingärtner, 'Die Aussprache des Gotischen zur Zeit des Ulfilas', Leipzig 1858; Fr. Dietrich, 'Ueber die Aussprache des Gotischen während der Zeit seines Bestehens', Marburg 1862; about the consonants, Paul, 'Zur Lautverschiebung', Beitr. 1, p. 147 et seq.
Note 2. An old testimony for the Gothic pronunciation in the Salzburg-Vienna MS.:
ubi dicit. genuit .j. ponitur ubi gabriel .g. ponunt et alia his sim̅ ubi aspiratione. ut dicitur gah libeda jah libaida diptongon ai pro e longa p ch q ponunt. – Cp. § 1, n. 5, and, for explanation, especially Kirchhoff, p. 20 et seq.
CHAP. II. THE VOWELS
a
§ 3. The Gothic a signifies as a rule the short a-sound [as in G. mann].
Note 1. Foren words and names; as, Annas, Ἀννας; Akaja, Ἀχαΐα; barbarus, βάρβαρος; aggilus, ἄγγελος; karkara, carcer; lukarn, lucerna; Kafarnaum, Καπερναούμ.
Note 2. Gothic names: Athanaricus, Ariaricus, Amalafrigda (Ammian.)
§ 4. Short a is very frequent both in stem-syllabls and in inflection. E. g.
(a) Stem-syllabls: agis, aw; aljis, 'alius'; tagr, tear; aƕa, 'aqua'; alan, to grow; hafjan, to heav; saltan, to salt; haldan, to hold; waldan, to rule; fadar, father; staþs, place. —ahtau, 'octo'; gasts, guest; ƕaþar, 'uter'; awistr, sheepfold (OHG. au, 'ovis'; ahd. gr., § 219, n. 3); bandi, band; barn, child; saggws, song; all preterits of the III. – V. ablaut-series: bar, I bore; hlaf, I stole; band, I bound; gaf, I gave, etc.
(b) Inflections: daga (dat. sg., § 90), waúrda (nom. acc. pl., § 93), giba (nom. acc. sg., § 96), guma (nom. sg., § 107), haírtôna (nom. acc. pl., § 109); —blindamma, blindana, blinda, blindata (str. adj., § 123); —imma, ina, ita, ija, meina (prn.; § 150 et seq.); —nima (1st pers. sg. prs. ind.); nimaima, nimaiwa, nimaina (1st pers. pl. du. and 3d pers. pl. opt., § 170); haitada (medio-passiv, § 170); sôkida (weak prt., § 184); – adverbs: -ba (as, glaggwuba), nêƕa, inna, ana, waíla, etc.
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, n. 3).
Note 2. For a in the difthongs ai, au, s. §§ 21. 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, 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) is found:
(a) in reduplicating verbs, in part with the ablaut ô (§§ 179. 181): 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, 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, n. 1); azêts, easy; 2nd pers. sg. prt. of wvs., -dês (nasidês, § 184); (f) final: in the ending of the gen. pl.; as, dagê; in monosyllabic instrumentals: þê, ƕê (§§ 153. 159); in particls and advs.; as, swê, untê, hidrê, bisunjanê; lastly, in the dativs ƕammêh, ƕarjammêh, ainummê-hun (cp. §§ 163-166).
Note 1. ê before vowels appears as ai; s. § 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, n. 5; § 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. 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.
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, 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., §§ 28-30), as in the prs. tense of verbs of the III. – V. ablaut-series (§§ 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); 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): 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), kuni (§ 93); in the acc. and voc. sg. of the masculin j-stems: hari (§ 90); 3d pers. sg. prt. opt.: nêmi. This final i appears as j, when it becums medial (§ 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.
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. 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, n. 3).
§ 12. ô (= OHG. uo; s. ahd. gr., § 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) and of the ê – ô-series (§ 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).
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.
Note 3. ô and u interchange in the inflection of fôn, gen. funins (§ 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, n. 1), u for áu (§ 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); 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): bundum, bundans; in the pp. of the verbs of the IV. series (§ 33): 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.