𐍈𐌰𐌸𐌰𐍂

Forms

𐍈𐌰𐌸𐌰𐍂 (ƕaþar), an interrogative pronoun inflected as a strong adjective.^[1][2] In the nominative and accusative neuter it has only the short form ƕaþar, without -ata.^[2][3] Only the form ƕaþar occurs.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *hwaþeraz (“which of two”),^[4][5] a comparative formation on the stem of 𐍈𐌰𐍃 (ƕas, “who”).^[6][7] The cognates are Old Norse hvárr, Old English hwæþer, Old Frisian hweder, Old Saxon hwethar and Old High German hwedar.^[5][6] Kroonen reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *kʷo-t(e/o)r-o-, and Wiktionary derives this from *kʷos (“which”).^[5][8] The same formation is found in Ancient Greek πότερος (póteros), Lithuanian katràs, Avestan katāra- and Latin uter.^[5][6][7]

Attestation

The word occurs six times by the Wulfila project's count and Köbler's: once in Matthew, twice in Luke, once in Mark, once in Philippians and once in the Skeireins.^[2][9] The Gospel records are in manuscript CA and Philippians 1:22 is in B.^[2][9] The first in canonical order is Matthew 9:5.^[2] In the Gospels and Epistles it renders Ancient Greek τίς (tís) four times.^[10] Luke 5:23 reads ƕaþar ist azetizo qiþan afletanda þus frawaurhteis þau qiþan urreis jah gagg, "which is easier, to say 'your sins are forgiven you', or to say 'get up and walk'?"^[11]

Meanings

1. which of two, for Greek πότερος and τίς.^[1][9][4]

Word family

• 𐍈𐌰𐌸𐌰𐍂𐌿𐌷 (ƕaþaruh)

Related words

• 𐍈𐌰𐍂𐌾𐌹𐍃 (ƕarjis)

References

1. ^ a b Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910), Die gotische Bibel, II: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Winter, p. s.v. ƕaþar
2. ^ a b c d e f 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
3. ^ Streitberg, Wilhelm (1920), Gotisches Elementarbuch, 5th–6th ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. § 174
4. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. 𐍈𐌰𐌸𐌰𐍂
5. ^ a b c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 264
6. ^ a b c Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 199
7. ^ a b Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1900), Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der gotischen Sprache, 2nd ed., Amsterdam: Müller, p. 86
8. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hwaþeraz
9. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Gotisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. ƕaþar
10. ^ 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. Lk 5:23