𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐍃

Gothic

FWOTD – 18 December 2022

Etymology

From the root of Proto-Germanic *grindaną (“to grind”) (apparently in the sense of “crushed”) + 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌹 (fraþi, “mind”). Likely a calque of Ancient Greek ὀλιγόψυχος (oligópsukhos), which it translates.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡrindafraθjis/

Adjective

𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐍃 • (grindafraþjis)

1. (hapax) faint-hearted, timid, demoralized
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:14:

     𐌱𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌿𐌸-𐌸𐌰𐌽 𐌹𐌶𐍅𐌹𐍃, 𐌱𐍂𐍉𐌸𐍂𐌾𐌿𐍃, 𐍄𐌰𐌻𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌸 𐌸𐌰𐌽𐍃 𐌿𐌽𐌲𐌰𐍄𐌰𐍃𐍃𐌰𐌽𐍃, 𐌸𐍂𐌰𐍆𐍃𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌸 𐌸𐌰𐌽𐍃 𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃, 𐌿𐍃𐌸𐌿𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌸 𐌸𐌰𐌽𐍃 𐍃𐌹𐌿𐌺𐌰𐌽𐍃, 𐌿𐍃𐌱𐌴𐌹𐍃𐌽𐌴𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌹 𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌸 𐍅𐌹𐌸𐍂𐌰 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌰𐌽𐍃.

     bidjamuþ-þan izwis, brōþrjus, talzjaiþ þans ungatassans, þrafstjaiþ þans grindafraþjans, usþulaiþ þans siukans, usbeisneigai sijaiþ wiþra allans.

     Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient toward all men. (NKJV)

Declension

Ja-stem
Strong (indefinite) inflection
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐍃 grindafraþjis	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰 grindafraþja	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌹, 𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐍄𐌰 grindafraþi, grindafraþjata
Accusative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌰 grindafraþjana	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰 grindafraþja	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌹, 𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐍄𐌰 grindafraþi, grindafraþjata
Genitive	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐍃 grindafraþjis	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌶𐍉𐍃 grindafraþjaizōs	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐍃 grindafraþjis
Dative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌼𐌰 grindafraþjamma	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹 grindafraþjai	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌼𐌰 grindafraþjamma
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹 grindafraþjai	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐍃 grindafraþjōs	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰 grindafraþja
Accusative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjans	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐍃 grindafraþjōs	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰 grindafraþja
Genitive	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌴 grindafraþjaizē	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌶𐍉 grindafraþjaizō	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌴 grindafraþjaizē
Dative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌼 grindafraþjaim	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌼 grindafraþjaim	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌼 grindafraþjaim
Weak (definite) inflection
Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰 grindafraþja	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉 grindafraþjō	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉 grindafraþjō
Accusative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽 grindafraþjan	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽 grindafraþjōn	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉 grindafraþjō
Genitive	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjins	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjōns	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjins
Dative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐌽 grindafraþjin	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽 grindafraþjōn	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐌽 grindafraþjin
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjans	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjōns	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽𐌰 grindafraþjōna
Accusative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjans	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍃 grindafraþjōns	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽𐌰 grindafraþjōna
Genitive	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌴 grindafraþjanē	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍉 grindafraþjōnō	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌴 grindafraþjanē
Dative	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌼 grindafraþjam	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐍉𐌼 grindafraþjōm	𐌲𐍂𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌰𐌼 grindafraþjam

Further reading

• Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910). Die gotische Bibel. Zweiter Teil: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, p. 51