selfcwala

Old English

Alternative forms

• sylfcwala

Etymology

self- +‎ cwala

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈselfˌkwɑ.lɑ/, [ˈseɫfˌkwɑ.lɑ]

Noun

selfcwala m

1. someone who commits suicide
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Eight Vices and Twelve Abuses"

     Ēaðe mæġ sē mann findan hū hē hine selfne āmierre, ac wē sċulon witan þæt nān selfcwala, þæt is āgenslaga, ne becymþ tō Godes rīċe.

     Anyone can easily find a way to destroy themselves, but we should know that no suicide, that is [synonym], makes it into the Kingdom of God.

Declension

Declension of selfcwala (weak)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	selfcwala	selfcwalan
accusative	selfcwalan	selfcwalan
genitive	selfcwalan	selfcwalena
dative	selfcwalan	selfcwalum

Synonyms

• āgenslaga
• selfbana
• selfmyrþere

Related terms

• selfcwalu

Descendants

• Middle English: seolf-cwale, seolf cwale

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “self-cwala”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary‎^[1], 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.