ᚦᛡᛁᛡᛉ

Proto-Norse

Etymology

This form cannot be directly descended from Proto-Germanic *þôz, feminine nominative/accusative plural of *sa (“that”) (whence Gothic 𐌸𐍉𐍃 (þōs)). It rather appears to be formed from masculine nominative plural *þai, suffixed with the feminine ending *-ōz. Compare ᚦᚱᛁᛃᛟᛉ (þrijoʀ /⁠þrijōʀ⁠/, “three”) (feminine nominative), formed in the same way.

Pronoun

ᚦᛡᛁᛡᛉ (þᴀiᴀʀ /þaiaʀ/) (feminine nominative/accusative plural) (Transitional Period)

1. they, these
   • 600s, inscription on the Istaby Runestone

     ᛡᚠᚨᛏᛉᚺᛡᚱᛁᚹᚢᛚᚨᚠᚨ ¶ ᚺᛡᚦᚢᚹᚢᛚᚨᚠᛉᚺᛡᛖᚱᚢᚹᚢᛚᚨᚠᛁᛉ ¶ ᚹᚨᚱᛡᛁᛏᚱᚢᚾᛡᛉᚦᛡᛁᛡᛉ
     ᴀfatzhᴀriwulafa ¶ hᴀþuwulafzhᴀeruwulafiz ¶ warᴀitrunᴀzþᴀiᴀz

     afᵃtr Hariwulᵃfa, Haþuwulᵃfʀ Hjeruwulᵃfīʀ, wᵃrait rūnaʀ þaiaʀ

     In memory of Hariwulfʀ, Haþuwulfʀ, the descendant of Heruwulfʀ, wrote these runes.

Descendants

The vowel shift is identical to that of tvær (“two”, feminine nominative/accusative).

• Old West Norse: þær
  • Icelandic: þær
  • Faroese: tær
• Old East Norse: þáʀ, ᚦᛆᛧ
  • Old Swedish: þār, þā
• Old Gutnish: þar