Gothic/2/Declension
Gothic Nouns
editGothic nouns have three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. All Gothic nouns change their ending depending on the case and gender. To further simplify Gothic nouns, we can put them into groups that share the same ending. These groups are called noun declensions. Gothic noun declensions are divided into seven distinct groups: a-declensions, o-declensions, i-declensions, u-declensions, r-declensions, and weak declensions. There is also a class of minor declensions.
The a-declension
editThe Gothic a-declension consists of masculine and neuter nouns. This class corresponds to the Latin and Greek second declension (Latin -us, -um; Greek ος, ον). Furthermore, this class is subdivided into pure a-stems, ja-stems, and wa-stems.
Pure a-stems
editCase | dags, dagōs day m. |
waúrd, waúrda word n. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |||||
Nominative | dags | –s | dagōs | –ōs | waúrd | – | waúrda | –a |
Accusative (Vocative) | dag | – | dagans | –ans | ||||
Genitive | dagis | –is | dagē | –ē | waúrdis | –is | waúrdē | –ē |
Dative | daga | –a | dagam | –am | waúrda | –a | waúrdam | –am |
Ja-stems
editJa-stems decline the same as pure a-stems, but with a -j preceding. Within the ja-stems, a distinction is made between those with a long syllable and those with a short syllable.
Case | harjis, harjōs army m. |
haírdeis, haírdjōs herdsman m. |
kuni, kunja race n. | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |||||||
Nominative | harjis | –jis | harjōs | –jōs | haírdeis | –eis | haírdjōs | –jōs | kuni | -i | kunja | –ja |
Accusative (Vocative) | hari | -i | harjans | –jans | haírdi | -i | haírdjans | –jans | ||||
Genitive | harjis | –jis | harjē | –jē | haírdeis | –eis | haírdjē | –jē | kunjis | –jis | kunjē | –jē |
Dative | harja | –ja | harjam | –jam | haírdja | –ja | haírdjam | –jam | kunja | –ja | kunjam | –jam |
Wa-stems
editWa-stems nouns decline just like pure a-stems, but with -w.
Case | þius, þiwōs servant m. |
kniu, kniwa knee n. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |||||
Nominative | þius | –s | þiwōs | –ōs | kniu | – | kniwa | –a |
Accusative (Vocative) | þiu | – | þiwans | –ans | ||||
Genitive | þiwis | –is | þiwē | –ē | kniwis | –is | kniwē | –ē |
Dative | þiwa | –a | þiwam | –am | kniwa | –a | kniwam | –am |
O-stems
editThis declension only contains feminine nouns and corresponds to the Latin and Greek first declension (Latin -a, -am; Greek -η, ην). Just like a-stems, it is subdivided into pure o-stems, jo-stems, and wo-stems.
Pure O-stems
editCase | giba, gibōs gift f. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Nominative-Accusative | giba | –a | gibōs | –ōs |
Genitive | gibōs | –ōs | gibō | –ō |
Dative | gibái | –ái | gibōm | –ōm |
Jo-stems
editJo-stems decline just like pure o-stems, but with -j. Short stem jo-stems decline the same as pure o-stems.
Long syllable jo-stem have a different nominative singular ending in -i:
Case | bandi, bandjōs band f. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Nominative | bandi | –i | bandjōs | –jōs |
Accusative | bandja | –ja | ||
Genitive | bandjōs | –jōs | bandjō | –jō |
Dative | bandjái | –jái | bandjōm | –jōm |
Wo-stems
editWo-stems decline just like pure o-stems.
I-Declension
editThe i-declension contains both masculine and feminine nouns.
Case | gasts, gastis stranger, guest m. |
qēns, qēneis wife f. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |||||
Nominative | gasts | –s | gasteis | –eis | qēns | –s | qēneis | –eis |
Accusative (Vocative) | gast | – | gastins | –ins | qēn | – | qēnins | –ins |
Genitive | gastis | –is | gastē | –ē | qēnáis | –áis | qēnē | –ē |
Dative | gasta | –a | gastim | –im | qēnái | –ái | qēnim | –im |
Abstract nouns ending in -eins are declined like feminine i-stem nouns.
Case | láiseins, láiseinōs doctrine f. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Nominative | láiseins | –s | láiseinōs | –ōs |
Accusative | láisein | – | láiseinins | –ins |
Genitive | láiseináis | –áis | láiseinō | –ō |
Dative | láiseinái | –ái | láiseinim | –im |
U-Declension
editThe u-declension contains all genders. Both masculine and feminine nouns decline the same. Only a few neuter u-declension nouns are extant and no plural exist.
Case | sunus, sunjus son m. |
faíhu property n. | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | ||||
Nominative | sunus | –us | sunjus | –jus | faíhu | –u |
Accusative (Vocative) | sunu | –u | sununs | –uns | ||
Genitive | sunáus | –áus | suniwē | –iwē | faíháus | –áus |
Dative | sunáu | –áu | sunum | –um | faíháu | –áu |
Weak Declension
editMasculine, feminine, and neuter nouns belong to this declension.
An-Declension
editWeak masculine and neuter nouns belong to this declension.
Case | atta, attans father m. |
haírtō, haírtōna heart n. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |||||
Nominative | atta | –a | attans | –ans | haírtō | –ō | haírtōna | –ōna |
Accusative | attan | –an | attans | –ans | ||||
Genitive | attins | –ins | attanē | –anē | haírtins | –ins | haírtanē | –anē |
Dative | attin | –in | attam | –am | haírtin | –in | haírtam | –am |
On-Declension
editThis declension is the feminine counterpart of the an declension.
Case | tuggō, tuggōns tongue f. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Nominative | tuggō | –ō | tuggōns | –ōns |
Accusative | tuggōn | –ōn | ||
Genitive | tuggōns | –ōns | tuggōnō | –ōnō |
Dative | tuggōn | –ōn | tuggōm | –ōm |
Minor Declensions
editR-Declension
editA few family nouns inherited from Proto-Indo-European have a very archaic declension. Feminines and masculines have identical forms.
Case | swistar, swistrjus sister f. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Nominative | swistar | –ar | swistrjus | –rjus |
Accusative | swistruns | –runs | ||
Genitive | swistrs | –rs | swistrē | –rē |
Dative | swistr | –r | swistrum | –rum |
-Nd Declension
editThese nouns are old present participles, corresponding to nouns in -nt in Latin and Greek.
Case | frijōnds, frijōnds friend m. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Nominative | frijōnds | –s | frijōnds | –s |
Accusative | frijōnd | – | ||
Genitive | frijōndis | –is | frijōndē | –ē |
Dative | frijōnd | – | frijōndam | –am |
Consonant Declension
editThese nouns correspond to the consonant declensions in Latin and Greek (in both cases, part of the third declension). Only traces of masculines are extant, but feminines are fairly well attested.
Case | reiks, reiks ruler m. |
baúrgs, baúrgs city f. | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural | |||||
Nominative | reiks | –s | reiks | –s | baúrgs | –s | baúrgs | –s |
Acc. | reik | – | baúrg | – | ||||
Gen. | reikis | –is, –s | reikē | –ē | baúrgs | –s | baúrgē | –ē |
Dative | reik | – | reikam | –am, um | baúrg | – | baúrgim | –im |