𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍆𐍃

Forms

𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍆𐍃 (laufs), a masculine noun of the a-stems, genitive singular 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌹𐍃 (laubis).^[1][2][3] The recorded forms are 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍆 (lauf), twice, which Köbler takes as a neuter accusative singular, and the masculine nominative plural 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌱𐍉𐍃 (laubos), once.^[4][5] Lehmann takes lauf as a neuter used collectively, "foliage", beside the masculine "leaf".^[6]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *laubą (“leaf”),^[7][4] the source also of Old Norse lauf, Old English lēaf, Old Frisian lāf, Old Saxon lōf and Old High German loub, which are all neuter.^[8][9][6] Lehmann compares the pair of a masculine noun "leaf" and a neuter "foliage" with Latin vallus (“stake”) beside vallum (“palisade”).^[6][7] Feist and Uhlenbeck connect Old High German louft (“bark, bast”) and the verb Lithuanian lùpti (“to peel”).^[8][9] Wiktionary gives two explanations: from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“to break or peel off”), or from a pre-Germanic noun perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *lewp- (“to bend, peel, tear”).^[10] Lehmann and Köbler both relate these extended roots to *lew- (“to cut off, separate”).^[6][4]

Attestation

The word occurs three times, all in Mark in manuscript CA: lauf twice at Mark 11:13 and laubos at Mark 13:28.^[5][4] Each time it renders Ancient Greek φύλλον (phúllon).^[11] Mark 11:13 says of the fig tree ni waiht bigat ana imma niba lauf, "he found nothing on it but leaves".^[12]

Meanings

1. A leaf (for φύλλον).^[1][7]
2. foliage, leaves taken together.^[2][7][6]

Related words

• 𐌻𐌿𐍆𐍄𐌿𐍃 (luftus, “air”)
• 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌻𐌹𐌿𐍃𐌰𐌽 (fraliusan, “to lose”)

References

1. ^ a b Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910), Die gotische Bibel, II: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. laufs
2. ^ a b Regan, Brian T. (1974), Dictionary of the Biblical Gothic Language, Phoenix: Wulfila House, p. 100
3. ^ Lambdin, Thomas O. (2006), An Introduction to the Gothic Language, Eugene, Or.: Wipf and Stock, p. 179
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. laufs* 1
5. ^ 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
6. ^ 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. laufs
7. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐍆𐍃
8. ^ a b Feist, Sigmund (1939), Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 3rd ed., Leiden: Brill, p. s.v. laufs
9. ^ a b Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1900), Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Müller, p. 99
10. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *laubą
11. ^ 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
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. Mk 11:13