𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰

Forms

𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰 (gahlaiba), a masculine noun of the weak (n-stem) declension.^[1][2][3] The nominative is not recorded: the Bible has only the dative plural 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌼 (gahlaibam) and the accusative singular 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 (gahlaiban).^[2][4] The Gothic deed of Naples has the dative plurals gahlaibaim and gahlaibim.^[3][5] Streitberg set up a separate adjective gahlaifs for them, while Seebold sees only a reduced vowel in the ending.^[3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *gahlaibô (“messmate, companion”),^[6][3] the source also of Old High German galeipo (“companion”).^[5][7][8] It is formed from 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃 (hlaifs, “bread”) with the prefix 𐌲𐌰- (ga-), as a bahuvrihi, "one who has bread in common with someone".^[3][6] The same image lies in Vulgar Latin *compāniō, from Latin pānis (“bread”), whence Old French compain and compagnon.^[5][8] Which is the model is disputed: Velten took the Germanic word as a calque of the military Vulgar Latin term, whereas Brüch, Meyer-Lübke and Scardigli took the Latin word as modelled on the Germanic one, and Orel cites Brüch for it.^[8][9][3] The question also depends on the runic inscription of Tune, Proto-Norse witadahalaiban (“bread-ward”): if its second element is the same word, the Gothic noun would be an old Germanic formation.^[3][8] Feist doubts the connection.^[8]

Attestation

The word occurs twice in the Bible, at John 11:16 in manuscript CA and at Philippians 2:25 in manuscript B, and in the deed of Naples.^[4][2][5] In John it renders Ancient Greek συμμαθητής (summathētḗs, “fellow disciple”), in Philippians συστρατιώτης (sustratiṓtēs, “fellow soldier”).^[10] John 11:16 reads þanuh qaþ Þomas saei haitada Didimus þaim gahlaibam seinaim: gaggam jah weis, "then Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his companions: let us go too".^[11]

Meanings

1. companion, comrade; literally one who shares bread.^[1][2][12]
   1. A fellow disciple, for Greek summathētḗs.^[12][10]
   2. A fellow soldier, for Greek sustratiṓtēs.^[12][10]
2. A colleague in office, in the deed of Naples.^[2][13]

Related words

• 𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍃 (hlaifs, “bread”)

References

1. ^ a b Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910), Die gotische Bibel, II: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. gahlaiba
2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. gahlaiba*
3. ^ a b c d e f g Casaretto, Antje (2004), Nominale Wortbildung der gotischen Sprache: Die Derivation der Substantive, Heidelberg: Winter
4. ^ a b De Herdt, Tom (2004–2026), Project Wulfila: digital edition of the Gothic Bible with lemma and morphological annotation, data release 2026-09-03, wulfila.be
5. ^ a b c d Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. ga-hlaiba
6. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. 𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌰
7. ^ Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1900), Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Müller, p. 54
8. ^ a b c d e Lehmann, Winfred P. (1986), A Gothic Etymological Dictionary, based on the third edition of Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache by Sigmund Feist, Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. *ga-hlaiba
9. ^ Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 174
10. ^ a b c Haug, Dag T. T. et al., PROIEL Treebank: The Gothic Bible (gothic-nt), 2023 release, Pragmatic Resources in Old Indo-European Languages, University of Oslo
11. ^ De Herdt, Tom (2004–2026), Project Wulfila: digital edition of the Gothic Bible with lemma and morphological annotation, data release 2026-09-03, wulfila.be, p. Jn 11:16
12. ^ a b c Skeat, Walter W. (1868), A Moeso-Gothic Glossary, with an Introduction, an Outline of Moeso-Gothic Grammar, and a List of Anglo-Saxon and Old and Modern English Words Etymologically Connected with Moeso-Gothic, London: Asher
13. ^ Gabelentz, Hans Conon von der; Loebe, Julius (1843), Ulfilas: Veteris et Novi Testamenti versionis gothicae fragmenta quae supersunt, vol. II.1: Glossarium der gothischen Sprache, Leipzig: Brockhaus