[gothic-l] Is þu "drugkans" jah "balþs" aíþþáu "þaúrsts" jah "agláits" ?

[konrad_oddsson]

Háilái Einar jah Troels jah galistans allái!

Most of the weak feminine nouns ending in -ei are formed from 
adjectives. There are, however, gaps in the sequence. Consider:

Agláitei 
áiþei
áudagei    - áudags
báitrei    - báitrs
balþei
baírhtei   - baírhts
bleiþei    - bleiþs
diupei     - diups
drugkanei  
fródei     - fróþs
gagudei    - gaguds
garaíhtei  - garaíhts
gódei      - góþs
háuhhaírtei- háuhhaírts
hlútrei    - hlútrs
kilþei 
liutei     - liuts
managei    - manags
marei
mikilei    - mikils
þramstei
þaúrstei

Based on the history of this declension, we should be able to fill 
in a few adjectives here. Notice that the full root is preserved in 
both the adjectives and the nouns quoted above. Here is an example:
"hlútrs" becomes "hlútrei", preserving the R of the stem. Here are 
some of the lost adjectival forms that seem to lie behind the nouns:

agláits = lascivious, unchaste
balþs = bold
drugkans = drunken
þaúrsts = thirsty

Here is also a potential noun formed along the same lines:

grédagei = greed

This one is derived from extant adjective "grédags" = greedy; it 
preserves the full stem - compare "áudags" and "áudagei" above. The 
form "grédagei" ia also supported by Norse "græðgi" = greed.

It seems to me ridiculous to talk about drunkenness without the 
possibility of being drunk or about boldness without the possibility 
of being bold. Also, how can we talk about thirst without having 
been thirsty? While I´m not suggesting that every noun of this 
declension must needs be based on an adjective, I am suggesting that 
more of them were than is now appearant. Some words, like "áiþei", 
already have a phonologically corresponding form of a different 
meaning (in this case "áiþs" = oath); others, like "þramstei", would 
yield unlikely adjectives (in this case "þramsts" = locustlike).

If these forms or others like them have occurred to any of you, then 
please let us know. It seems imperative that we recover what we can 
of the basic vocabulary before we venture further off into the land 
of coinages for modernity. Thoughts, observation, references and 
other responses are always welcome. Is anyone "thirsty" for basic 
adjectives or "unchaste" about getting into bed with them? Is anyone 
feeling "drunk" or "bold" enough to uncover a few more?

Regards,
Konrad.





You are a member of the Gothic-L list.  To unsubscribe, send a blank email to <gothic-l-unsubscribe at egroups.com>. 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/