Contemporary language. [Database]

[ualarauans]

--- In gothic-l at yahoogroups.com, "thiudans" <thiudans at ...> wrote:
>
> Gothic has already the word "usmet", na. for culture. It also means
> behavior, conduct, life of a citizen, cultural community, society,
> polity and way of life.

I'd doubt that usmet means "culture". Let's see the examples:

1. Tim. 4:12

MHDEIS SOU THS NEOTHTOS KATAFRONEITW ALLA TUPOS GINOU TWN PISTWN EN 
LOGWi EN _ANASTROFHi_ EN AGAPHi EN PISTEI EN AGNEIAi

ni manna þeinai jundai frakunni, ak frisahts sijais þaim 
galaubjandam in waurda, in _usmeta_, in friaþwai, in galaubeinai, in 
swikniþai

Let no man despise thy youth;  but be thou an example of the 
believers, in word, in _conversation_, in charity, in spirit, in 
faith, in purity

2. Tim. 3:10

SU DE PARHKOLOUQHSAS MOU THi DIDASKALIAi THi _AGWGHi_ THi PROQESEI 
THi PISTEI THi MAKROQUMIAi THi AGAPHi THi hUPOMONHi

þu galaista is laiseinai meinai, _usmeta_, muna, [sidau,] 
galaubeinai, usbeisnai, frijaþwai, þulainai

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, _manner of life_, purpose, 
faith, longsuffering, charity, patience

Eph. 2:12

hOTI HTE TWi KAIRWi EKEINWi CWRIS CRISTOU APHLLOTRIWMENOI THS 
_POLITEIAS_ TOU ISRAHL KAI XENOI TWN DIAQHKWN THS EPAGGELIAS ELPIDA 
MH ECONTES KAI AQEOI EN TWi KOSMWi

unte wesuþ þan in jainamma mela inu Xristu, framaþjai _usmetis_ 
Israelis jah gasteis gahaite trausteis, wen ni habandans jah 
gudalausai in manasedai

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the 
_commonwealth_ of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of 
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world

Eph. 4:22

APOQEESQAI hUMAS KATA THN PROTERAN _ANASTROFHN_ TON PALAION ANQRWPON 
TON FQEIROMENON KATA TAS EPIQUMIAS THS APATHS

ei aflagjaiþ jus bi frumin _usmeta_ þana fairnjan mannan þana 
riurjan bi lustum afmarzeinais

That ye put off  concerning the former _conversation_ the old man, 
which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts

Also, in Skeireins:

Skeir. 1:6

...iþ sunjos kunþi du aftraanastodeinai þize in guda _usmete_ 
gasatjan

which Streitberg [1910:162, s. v. usmet] leads back to Greek THS 
ENTQEOU _POLITEIAS_;

Skeir. 1:7

...jah spilla wairþan aiwaggeljons _usmete_

Cf. also the verb us-mitan for ANASTREFEIN "to walk", "to 
behave", "to dwell"; POLITEUEIN "to be a citizen".

Usmet may seem to be not a bad word for "archaeological culture" if 
we understand it as "way of life" or "community". Still, 
*arkaiulaugikeina kultura would create a more strict term.

> For archaeology Icelandic has fornleifafrædi. This in Gothic might 
be
> ? *fairnjalaibafrodei

Are there attested examples of Gothic tripartite compounds? Doesn't 
it seem a bit cumbersome? Maybe it would do if we are simply to 
project Icelandic back into 2nd – 3rd centuries CE. "The wisdom of 
the old remains" – that sounds beautiful, of course. Still, maybe 
just fairnja-frodei (both elements alliterate) or fairnja-kunþi (cf. 
Altertumskunde)? What's your suggestion for "antiquity"?

Ualarauans

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