𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽

Gothic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwisan/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *wesaną (“to be, remain”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-. Compare Latin Vesta (“goddess of the hearth”), Sanskrit वसति (vásati, “dwell”). Some forms are suppletive and instead derive from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésti.

Verb

𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 • (wisan)

1. to be

Usage notes

• To express the imperative mood, morphologically subjunctive forms of this verb are used instead of morphologically imperative forms (thus sijaiþ is used with imperative meaning instead of wisiþ, for example; occurrences of wisiþ belong to the verb meaning "remain, abide" below instead).

Conjugation

Multiple variant forms are attested:

• 𐍃𐌹𐌰𐌹 (siai), 𐍃𐌹𐌰𐌹𐍃 (siais), 𐍃𐌹𐌰𐌿 (siau), 𐍃𐌹𐌿𐌼 (sium), 𐍃𐌹𐌿𐌳 (siud), 𐍃𐌹𐌿𐌸 (siuþ).
• 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍃 (weiseis), 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌿 (weisjau), 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃𐌿𐌽 (weisun).

Class 5 strong, irregular, suppletive
Infinitive	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 wisan
Indicative	Present	Past	Present passive
1st singular	𐌹𐌼 im	𐍅𐌰𐍃 was	—
2nd singular	𐌹𐍃 is	𐍅𐌰𐍃𐍄 wast	—
3rd singular	𐌹𐍃𐍄 ist	𐍅𐌰𐍃 was	—
1st dual	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌿 siju	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿 wēsu	—
2nd dual	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌿𐍄𐍃 sijuts	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐍄𐍃 wēsuts	—
1st plural	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌿𐌼 sijum	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌼 wēsum	—
2nd plural	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌿𐌸 sijuþ	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌸 wēsuþ	—
3rd plural	𐍃𐌹𐌽𐌳 sind	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌽 wēsun	—
Subjunctive	Present	Past	Present passive
1st singular	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌿 sijau	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌿 wēsjau	—
2nd singular	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐍃 sijais	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍃 wēseis	—
3rd singular	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹 sijai	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌹 wēsi	—
1st dual	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰 sijaiwa	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍅𐌰 wēseiwa	—
2nd dual	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐍄𐍃 sijaits	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍄𐍃 wēseits	—
1st plural	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌰 sijaima	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌰 wēseima	—
2nd plural	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌸 sijaiþ	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌸 wēseiþ	—
3rd plural	𐍃𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰 sijaina	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰 wēseina	—
Imperative
2nd singular	—
3rd singular	—
2nd dual	—
2nd plural	—
3rd plural	—
	Present	Past
Participles	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃 wisands	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐍃 wisans

Derived terms

• 𐌰𐍄𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (atwisan)
• 𐌹𐌽𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃 (inwisands)
• 𐌼𐌹𐌸𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (miþwisan)
• 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (ufarwisan)
• 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (faurawisan)

 

Related terms

• 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌰𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹 (balwawēsei, “wickedness”)
• 𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 (wists, “nature, essence, being”)

 

Verb

𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 • (wisan)

1. to remain, abide

Conjugation

(Attested relatively rarely compared to the above sense to be. For a full list of attestations, refer to Köbler.)

Class 5 strong
Infinitive	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 wisan
Indicative	Present	Past	Present passive
1st singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰 wisa	𐍅𐌰𐍃 was	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌰 wisada
2nd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐍃 wisis	𐍅𐌰𐍃𐍄 wast	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌶𐌰 wisaza
3rd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸 wisiþ	𐍅𐌰𐍃 was	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌰 wisada
1st dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍉𐍃 wisōs	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿 wēsu	—
2nd dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐍄𐍃 wisats	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐍄𐍃 wēsuts	—
1st plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌼 wisam	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌼 wēsum	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰 wisanda
2nd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸 wisiþ	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌸 wēsuþ	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰 wisanda
3rd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳 wisand	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌽 wēsun	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰 wisanda
Subjunctive	Present	Past	Present passive
1st singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌿 wisau	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌿 wēsjau	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaidau
2nd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍃 wisais	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍃 wēseis	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌿 wisaizau
3rd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹 wisai	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌹 wēsi	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaidau
1st dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰 wisaiwa	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍅𐌰 wēseiwa	—
2nd dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍄𐍃 wisaits	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍄𐍃 wēseits	—
1st plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌰 wisaima	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌰 wēseima	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaindau
2nd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌸 wisaiþ	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌸 wēseiþ	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaindau
3rd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰 wisaina	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰 wēseina	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaindau
Imperative
2nd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃 wis
3rd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisadau
2nd dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐍄𐍃 wisats
2nd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸 wisiþ
3rd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisandau
	Present	Past
Participles	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃 wisands	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐍃 wisans

Derived terms

• 𐌲𐌰𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (gawisan)
• 𐌸𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌷𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (þairhwisan)

 

Related terms

• 𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 (wists)

 

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *wesaną (“to consume, feast”), from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to graze”). The usage of the adverb 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌰 (waila) to qualify this verb is very common (three out of the four total attestations of wisan); the resulting phrase waila wisan (in various conjugated forms) seemingly represents a calque of Ancient Greek εὐφραίνεσθαι (euphraínesthai), which it translates. However, the same Greek verb may also be translated simply as wisan without the adverb waila (Luke 15:24).

Verb

𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 • (wisan)

1. to feast, make merry

Conjugation

(Attested relatively rarely compared to the above sense to be. For a full list of attestations, refer to Köbler.)

Class 5 strong
Infinitive	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 wisan
Indicative	Present	Past	Present passive
1st singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰 wisa	𐍅𐌰𐍃 was	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌰 wisada
2nd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐍃 wisis	𐍅𐌰𐍃𐍄 wast	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌶𐌰 wisaza
3rd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸 wisiþ	𐍅𐌰𐍃 was	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌰 wisada
1st dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍉𐍃 wisōs	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿 wēsu	—
2nd dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐍄𐍃 wisats	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐍄𐍃 wēsuts	—
1st plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌼 wisam	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌼 wēsum	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰 wisanda
2nd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸 wisiþ	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌸 wēsuþ	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰 wisanda
3rd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳 wisand	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌽 wēsun	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰 wisanda
Subjunctive	Present	Past	Present passive
1st singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌿 wisau	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌿 wēsjau	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaidau
2nd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍃 wisais	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍃 wēseis	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌿 wisaizau
3rd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹 wisai	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌹 wēsi	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaidau
1st dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌰 wisaiwa	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍅𐌰 wēseiwa	—
2nd dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐍄𐍃 wisaits	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐍄𐍃 wēseits	—
1st plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌰 wisaima	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌰 wēseima	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaindau
2nd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌸 wisaiþ	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌸 wēseiþ	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaindau
3rd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰 wisaina	𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰 wēseina	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisaindau
Imperative
2nd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃 wis
3rd singular	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisadau
2nd dual	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐍄𐍃 wisats
2nd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌹𐌸 wisiþ
3rd plural	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌿 wisandau
	Present	Past
Participles	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍃 wisands	𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽𐍃 wisans

Derived terms

• 𐌱𐌹𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (biwisan)
• 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (frawisan)

 

Further reading

• Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910). Die gotische Bibel. Zweiter Teil: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, p. 175
• Streitberg, Wilhelm (1910). Die gotische Bibel. Zweiter Teil: Gotisch-griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: Carl Winter’s Universitätsbuchhandlung, p. 176