ᚦᛡᛁᛡᛉ

Proto-Norse

Etymology

Not directly descended from Proto-Germanic *þôz, feminine nominative/accusative plural of *sa (“that”) (whence Gothic 𐌸𐍉𐍃 (þōs)). Rather, it appears to be a formation of the masculine nominative plural *þai, suffixed with the feminine ending *-ōz. Compare ᚦᚱᛁᛃᛟᛉ (þrijoʀ /⁠þrijōʀ⁠/, “three”, fem. pl.), formed in the same way.

Pronoun

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

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

     ᛡᚠᚨᛏᛉᚺᛡᚱᛁᚹᚢᛚᚨᚠᚨ ¶ ᚺᛡᚦᚢᚹᚢᛚᚨᚠᛉᚺᛡᛖᚱᚢᚹᚢᛚᚨᚠᛁᛉ ¶ ᚹᚨᚱᛡᛁᛏᚱᚢᚾᛡᛉᚦᛡᛁᛡᛉ
     AfatzhAriwulafa ¶ hAþuwulafzhAeruwulafiz ¶ warAitrunAzþAiAz

     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