[gothic-l] Re: Gothic 'jah' & 'auk'

[llama_nom]

Hailai allai,

There is also an Old High German JOH "and".  And according to one 
interpretation, the word is found in a Scandinavian runic 
inscription, on the Skodborg bracteate:

auja Alawin auja Alawin auja Alawin JA Alawid
"good fortune / a blessing, Alawin x3, and Alawid"

Regarding Gothic JAH, Koebler suggests it is a combination of JA + -
UH, the latter being an enclitic particle attached to the end of a 
word to mean "and", like Lat. -que, with which I think it is cognate: 
GAGGITH QITHIDUH "go and tell".  He attributes this etymology to 
Lehmann.

The Gothic AUK seems to be less general in use than OE eac, etc.  In 
Gothic, the word translates Greek GAR, usually = "for" in the King 
James Bible, and like the Greek word it comes second in the sentance, 
after some initial word.  Occasional variations in word order at this 
level suggest that this is not simply a slavish imitation of Greek 
style though, but actual Gothic syntax - that's my opinion.  If 
anyone here is familiar with Greek, by the way, I would be interested 
to hear their thoughts on the use of GAR, and possible English 
equivalents.  In the Bible, where translated by AUK (sometimes other 
Gothic words are used instead), it seems to imply causation usually, 
but in a very unemphatic way: "for, because, 'coz, coz you see..."  
Gothic AUK, I think, only means "also" in a sentance-connective sort 
of way: "and what's more, because besides, and here's another 
thing/reason I've got to tell you".

I don't think AUK ever introduces a reason preceding a consequence, 
only a reason after the consequence has already been mentioned.  It 
might signal an afterthought, or an explanation not demanded by the 
syntax of the preceding clause.  I can't think of anywhere it 
means "but".

A.  Because B.

(As opposed to:
Since A, then B
Since A, how come B
Because A, so B
etc.)

As Francisc says, AUK has many cognates among the other Germanic 
languages.  The West Germanic equivalents tend to mean "also", while 
in Norse it early became a simple conjunction, taking over from *and-
, as well as having the more emphatic use "also".

Llama Nom



--- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, "Francisc Czobor" <fericzobor at y...> 
wrote:
> Dear Sigi,
> 
> Swedish "och", Danish "og", Norwegian "og", Icelandic "og" are 
> related to German "auch", Dutch "ook", but also to Gothic "auk" 
> = "furthermore, moreover, besides, for, but, also, since" (which 
> reflects the original form also for the other Germanic languages). 
> The Common Germanic *auk is related to the Gothic verb 
aukan "become 
> greater, increase", from an Indo-European base "*aweg-, *wo:g-, 
*aug-
> , *ug-,".
> 
> Francisc
> 
> --- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, "Sigi Vandewinkel" 
> <sigivandewinkel at y...> wrote:
> > Hello all, 
> > 
> > I don't know about the gothic "jah" (perhaps related to 
Latin "ac"? 
> > I'm guessing on this one), but at least in West Germanic 
languages, 
> > the words for "and" share a common source: 
> > 
> > English: and (OE: and)
> > German: und (ohg: unta/unti)
> > Dutch: en (Mediaeval form end(e))
> > Old Saxon: endi
> > 
> > My etymological dictionary tells me these words are related to 
> > Sanskrit átha ("thereafter, thereupon") and Avestian "ada" 
("also")
> > 
> > Today's Scandinavian languages also share a common word 
> > (Swedish "och", Danish "og", Norwegian "og", Icelandic "og"). I 
> think 
> > these words are related to German "auch", Dutch "ook" 
> > (meaning "also", cfr. Chaucerian "eek"), but again this is 
nothing 
> > more than a guess. 
> > 
> > Tata, 
> > 
> > Sigi Vandewinkel



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