[gothic-l] The Gothic equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon Thegn

[edmundfairfax@yahoo.ca [gothic-l]]

Mea culpa! Yes, the correct form is andbahts.

A further note: the Gothic word 'gadrauhts' translates Greek 'stratiotes', which means broadly 'soldier.' It is impossible to tell from the Biblical contexts whether 'gadrauhts' meant specifically a 'called-up serviceman' or a 'member of a comitatus' or simply and broadly 'warrior.'

It should also be noted that OE `thegn`meant broadly 'he who serves in some capacity,' thus a 'minister, officer, soldier, retainer, disciple, someone in a king's or queen's service, a person of rank, a brave man, good warrior'; cf. 'horsthegn' (lit. 'horse-thegn') 'stable-man,' 'bedthegn' (lit. 'bed-thegn') 'chamberlain.' As such, it seems to corresponds best to Gothic 'andbahts.'

As to the hypothetical *drauht-, the cognates in the other early Germanic languages suggest that such a word would have meant merely a 'host' of any kind: e.g. ON 'drott' = 'household, people'; OE 'gedryht' 'company, multitude.' The word 'harjis' is used in the Gothic Bible where 'armed host' is meant, as it does in the other early Germanic languages (e.g. OE 'here').

As European history during the last 1500 years clearly shows, Christians have been no less warriorlike or militaristic than the infidel or heathen. Need I mention the Crusades, amongst many other examples?

Edmund

 

---In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, <marja-e at ...> wrote :

 On Mar 20, 2015, at 11:51 AM, edmundfairfax at ... mailto:edmundfairfax at ... [gothic-l] <gothic-l at yahoogroups.com mailto:gothic-l at yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 > 
 > Dear Tom,
 > 
 > The OE word `thegn`descends from a proto-form `thegnaz,` the hypothetical Gothic equivalent of which would be *`thigns.` However, there is no guarantee that such a word ever truly existed in Gothic and if it did with the same meaning.
 > 
 > A better choice, I think, would be 'ambahts' (masc. a-stem), which is extant, with the meaning 'he who serves (in some capacity).' The word is generally thought to be a Celtic loanword into Gothic (and into OHG, 'ambaht') cf. Latinized Gaulish 'ambactus' = *ambaktos (*ambi- 'around' and -act- from the root *ag- 'go'). The Gaulish word was in fact used in the same military sense as OE `thegn` according to Caesar's Gallic Wars (6.15.2).
 > 
 > I think the comitatus-system, well known from Anglo-Saxon England (and ancient Gaul), can be safely assumed for earlier Gothic contexts.
 > 
 > Edmund
 
 The attested Gothic form is andbahts, not ambahts.
 
 The Gothic word for soldier is gadrauhts, and for warband or other permanent unit is probably *drauhts.
 
 I think the concept of the “comitatus” obscures the distinction between short-term militia, who will go back to being farmers, herders, crafters, etc. after the campaign ends, and long-term soldiers. Only a small minority could or would want to become gadrauhtos. I also suspect that Gothic Christians, unlike for example English Christians, could have seen some military traditions as Heathen and/or anti-Christian.

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