𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐍃
Gothic
Etymology
Related to 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐌿𐍃 (wulþus, “glory”).
It is not certain that this word in fact existed as a noun; it has also been credibly suggested that the attestation wulþrais (in Codex Ambrosianus A; this would morphologically be the genitive of an i-stem noun) is to be viewed as the genitive to a noun wulþris derived from a comparative adjective; the parallel attestation wulþris (in Codex Ambrosianus B) would then simply be the nominative. A comparative adjective is in fact attested elsewhere as 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌽𐍃 (wulþrizans), which suggests the existence of an adjective *wulþrs. For more, see references below; Falluomini's reading (both a noun and an adjective *wulþrs existed) is followed here.
Noun
𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐍃 • (wulþrs) f
- (hapax) significance, importance, meaning
Usage notes
- This word may have also have had a more specialized meaning as a technical term used by scribes, as suggested by the occurrence of this term in the Praefatio to the Codex Brixianus.
Declension
Attested in only one place in the corpus, but in two manuscripts: Codex Ambrosianus A has the expected genitive singular form 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃 (wulþrais), whereas Codex Ambrosianus B has 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌹𐍃 (wulþris).
| Feminine i-stem | ||
|---|---|---|
| Singular | Plural | |
| Nominative | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐍃 wulþrs | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 wulþreis |
| Vocative | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂 wulþr | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 wulþreis |
| Accusative | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂 wulþr | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌹𐌽𐍃 wulþrins |
| Genitive | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌰𐌹𐍃 wulþrais | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌴 wulþrē |
| Dative | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌰𐌹 wulþrai | 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌹𐌼 wulþrim |
Related terms=
- 𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐌹𐌶𐌰 (wulþriza, “more important, more valuable, more significant”)
Descendants
- → Latin: uulthres (single attestation in the Praefatio to Codex Brixianus, where a translation adnotationes is given)
References
- Falluomini, Carla, The Gothic version of the Gospels and Pauline Epistles: cultural background, transmission and character (Berlin/Boston 2015), pp. 105-106, nn. 485, 486.
- Lehmann, Winfred, A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (Leiden 1986) pp. 412-413.