๐๐๐ฐ๐๐
Gothic
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *stabaz or an i-stem alternative form *stabiz.
Noun
๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ โข (stafs) m
- (exact meaning uncertain) element, foundation
Usage notes
- The exact meaning of this term in Gothic is unclear, but it is used in the Bible to translate Ancient Greek ฯฯฮฟฮนฯฮตแฟฮฟฮฝ (stoikheรฎon) and one phrase it appears in is glossed with ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ผ (tugglam). George Lane suggests (1933) that Wulfila used this term, which originally may also have meant "letter" (as in "bookstaff"), because the Ancient Greek it is used to translate can also arguably mean the same, as in ฮบฮฑฯแฝฐ ฯฯฮฟฮนฯฮตแฟฮฟฮฝ (katร stoikheรฎon, โalphabeticallyโ).
Declension
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | ๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ stafs |
๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ด๐น๐ stabeis |
| vocative | ๐๐๐ฐ๐ staf |
๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ด๐น๐ stabeis |
| accusative | ๐๐๐ฐ๐ staf |
๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐น๐ฝ๐ stabins |
| genitive | ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐น๐ stabis |
๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ด stabฤ |
| dative | ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ฐ staba |
๐๐๐ฐ๐ฑ๐น๐ผ stabim |
References
- George S. Lane, "Some semantic borrowings in Wulfila", Philological Quarterly 12.4 (1933) pp. 321-326, there 321-322.