𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌿𐍃

Forms

𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌿𐍃 (kaurus), an adjective of the u-stems.^[1][2][3] The only recorded form is the feminine nominative plural 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌾𐍉𐍃 (kaurjōs), so the nominative singular is a reconstruction;^[4] Feist allowed for a masculine *kaurs as well, while Uhlenbeck held to kaurus.^[4][5][6]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *kuruz (“heavy”),^[7][8][9] from Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us (“heavy”),^[7] the source of Ancient Greek βαρύς (barús, “heavy”) and Latin gravis (“heavy, severe”).^[8][9] Kroonen calls this reconstruction unproblematic;^[8] Orel derives the word from an earlier form with a labiovelar and finds the development of the labiovelar unclear.^[9] Lehmann stresses that the word has no cognates elsewhere in Germanic, so that any assumption about the loss of the labial element is speculative; he also lists Middle Welsh bryw (“strong”) among the cognates.^[10] Kroonen reports that Snædal relates it instead to Old Norse keyra (“to drive, impel”).^[8]

Attestation

Köbler records a single occurrence, kaurjos at 2 Corinthians 10:10 in manuscript B, rendering Ancient Greek βαρύς (barús).^[4] The Wulfila project lists three tokens under the word, all ambiguous; the other two are kaurja at 2 Corinthians 12:14, which Lehmann assigns to the verb 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌾𐌰𐌽 (kaurjan).^[11][10] The verse reads unte þos raihtis bokos qiþand kaurjos sind jah swinþos, "for his letters, they say, are weighty and strong".^[12]

Meanings

1. heavy, weighty, burdensome, for βαρύς^[4][3][13]

Word family

• 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌴𐌹 (kaurei, “weight”)
• 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌹𐌸𐌰 (kauriþa, “burden”)
• 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌾𐌰𐌽 (kaurjan, “to burden”)

Related words

• 𐌿𐌽𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (unkaureins, “freedom from burden”)

References

1. ^ Krause, Wolfgang (1963), Handbuch des Gotischen, 2nd ed., München: Beck, p. § 161
2. ^ Braune, Wilhelm; Heidermanns, Frank (2004), Gotische Grammatik, mit Lesestücken und Wörterverzeichnis, 20th ed., Sammlung kurzer Grammatiken germanischer Dialekte A 1, Tübingen: Niemeyer, p. 285
3. ^ a b Regan, Brian T. (1974), Dictionary of the Biblical Gothic Language, Phoenix: Wulfila House, p. 96
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. kaúrus
5. ^ Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. kaurus
6. ^ Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1900), Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Müller, p. 94
7. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌿𐍃
8. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 312
9. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 225
10. ^ a b 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. kaurus
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
12. ^ 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. 2Cor 10:10
13. ^ Stamm, Friedrich Ludwig; Heyne, Moriz (1920), Ulfilas oder die uns erhaltenen Denkmäler der gotischen Sprache: Text, Wörterbuch und Grammatik, 13th–14th ed. by Ferdinand Wrede, Paderborn: Schöningh, p. 447