𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐍃

Gothic

Etymology

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.

𐍅𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍂𐍃

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