𐌷𐌹𐌻𐍀𐌰:Starter's guide

Welcome to the Gothic Wikipedia! This guide will help you get started with contributing here. It is recommended that you thoroughly read this guide before contributing to this wiki as you might get lost without it.

This guide also contains information on where to apply for adminship, how to add categories, good resources etc.

Displaying the Gothic alphabet

Although a lot of computers and devices can display Gothic unicode, some still have problems with it or display a font which the user might not like.

See 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐍀𐌰:How to enable the Gothic Skeirs font for help on activating an internal Gothic font to display Gothic correctly on this Wikipedia.

How to write an article

Articles on the Gothic Wikipedia must be written in the Gothic script. They also need to have a title in the Gothic script. For instructions on how to do this, see the next part on how to write in the Gothic script.

Articles which are written in Roman script, or have a title in Roman script, should be deleted. The use of Roman script or any other script is only allowed when it's necessary, for example to paraphrase something from another language. A title is never allowed to be in any other script than Gothic because this is the Gothic Wikipedia.

Adding 'See also'

See also is translated as "𐍃𐌰𐌹 𐌾𐌰𐌷" in Gothic. Add:

==𐍃𐌰𐌹 𐌾𐌰𐌷== with the articles which are related to the article which you wrote below it.

Adding categories

T Under the content of the article, either add [[Category: ]] or [[𐌷𐌰𐌽𐍃𐌰: ]].

In the advanced editing mode, go to the three horizontal lines icon on the top right while editing or creating an article, and select Categories.

To view a list of existing categories, go to this page and scroll down to the pages in Gothic script.

How to write in the Gothic script

There are a few suggested methods as to how to do this outlined below.

Method 1

Download or set a Gothic keyboard and write with it.

Windows

To set the Gothic keyboard for Windows, see Microsoft - Default Input Locale

Or download MultiKey, which also works for older versions of Windows.

Mac

To download a Gothic keyboard for Mac, go to Weihos bokos - Gothic keyboard layout for Mac

Not everyone has access to this, especially on Android devices; therefore Method 2 might be more suitable.

Linux (X.Org)

To set the Gothic Keyboard layout on Linux, you just need to follow the instructions on Gothic Keyboard Layout for Linux.

Method 2

Go to Lingjam Gothic Language and type your Gothic text in Latin letters (v = 𐍈, y = 𐌸), after that copy the converted text to the Gothic script.

Method 3

Go to Gothic keyboard

You can also find a virtual online Gothic keyboard at: Virtualboard

When you're finished, copy your text and paste it to the article. It is necessary to be able to display Gothic unicode to use this.

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How to enable the Gothic font

If you only see blocks or do not like the standard font in use, you can use the Skeirs font, which was designed for the Gothic Wikipedia by Robert Pfeffer. For instructions on how to use it, see our special page How to enable the Gothic font. You will need a registered account.

If you want the Skeirs font to be always be used, you will need to select it in your account; if you do not want it to be used as the default font, de-select it.

You can also download the Gothic font add-on. gothic font converter

How to convert names and place names to Gothic

Gothic has differing writing conventions, but it is easy to get the hang of them. Place names need to be written with these conventions; Jerusalem is, for example, Iairusalems in Biblical Gothic. Here are the basic rules for converting sounds; sounds that are not mentioned below are written in the same way:

English letters	Pronunciation in English	Gothic equivalent	Example
oo	oo as in boot, /u/	u	Iairusalems (Jerusalem)
o	o as in or (short), /ɔ/	au	Appaullo (Appollo)
yo	yo as in York, /jɔ/	iau	Iaurdanus (Jordan)
ay	ay as in say, /eː/	e	Eleiaizair (Eliezer)
e	e as in west, /ɛ/	ai	Bairauja (Beroja)
ee	ee as in see, /iː/	ei	Galeilaia (Galilea)
o	o as in so, /oː/	o	Farao (Farao)
u	u as in Utah, /juː/	iu	Iudas (Judas)
ow	ow as in how, /aʊ/	aw	Pawlus (Paul)

Of course there are also vowels which don't occur in English, but do occur in other languages. Some of the most prevalent foreign vowels are:

eu: like in French 'fleur' or the 'eu' from ancient Greek, both should be transcribed as 𐌰𐌹𐍅 · 'aiw'.
/y/: 'ü' like in German 'würde', Swedish 'u' in 'utan', Dutch written as 'uu', French 'u' in 'dur'. In Gothic this sound is transcribed as 𐍅 · 'w'.

For a more extensive list, go to: writing foreign words and names.

You can find some practice exercises in the Starter's Guide.

Now let's apply these rules to some place names.

Use the place name in the original language and only reconstruct it if it is not attested in Gothic. Remember that v in many modern country and place names was usually changed to b in Gothic in between vowels. It is recommended to try to use the 4th-century form of the most distant classic etymology of a place if possible; so for Belgium use the Latin Belgia, which might have been comprehensible to the Goths.

Utah = 𐌹𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌷 · Iutah
Washington = 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌹𐌲𐌲𐍄𐌰𐌿𐌽 · Wausjiggtaun (ng = Gothic gg)
York = 𐌹𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺 · Iaurk
Cork = 𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺 · Kaurk
Belgium = 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌻𐌲𐌹𐌰 · Bailgia
Slovenia = 𐍃𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌾𐌰 · Slaubainja
Milwaukee = 𐌼𐌹𐌻𐍅𐌰𐌿𐌺𐌴𐌹 · Milwaukei

Help, phrases for articles and tips for writing

If you don't really know Gothic well yet, but would like to start writing some articles already, here is some help.

to be

What you will often need is to use he/she/it is or they are.

he/she/it is = 𐌹𐍃𐍄
they are = 𐍃𐌹𐌽𐌳

The past tense is:

he/she/it was = 𐍅𐌰𐍃
they were = 𐍅𐌴𐍃𐌿𐌽

Personal pronouns are usually left out in Gothic.

Here is a list of some professions and functions of people in Gothic:

actor = *fairweitlands (m. Nd)
actress = *fairweitlandi (f. Jo)
banker = skattja (m. N) / *skattjo (f. N)
king = þiudans (m. A)
linguist = *razdaleis (m. A) / *razdaleisa (f. O)
prophet = praufetes (m. U)
researcher = sokareis (m. Ja) / *sokari (f. Jo)
ruler = reiks (m. Noun)
writer = bokareis (male, ja-stem) / bokari (female, jo-stem)

So if we would want to write: "Oscar Wilde was a writer", you first have to know how to transcribe Oscar. Above we learned that a short o is written as 'au', so you have to use this form, and "c" is pronounced as "k", which doesn't even occur in the Gothic alphabet, so this becomes "k", thus auskar.

Wilde can be transcribed as: "waeild", as the i is pronounced as a-ee, you write a + ei = "aei", or "aj".

Now if you write Oscar Wilde was a writer that becomes:

Auskar Waeild was bokareis.

countries

Gothic has its own word for 'to border': "'gamarkon' + dative". In order to translate 'it borders', you use: gamarkoþ. So 'It borders Italia' would become:

gamarkoþ Italjai.

People

When writing articles about people, you might want to use some of these phrases:

he/she was born in = warþ in ... + dative (can be both for space and time)
he/she was born in the year ... = warþ in jera ...
He/she died in .... = gaswalt in ... + dative (can be both for space and time)
he/she died in the year ... = gaswalt in jera ...

he/she has one child = aihtiþ ain barn.
he/she had one child = aihta ain barn.
he/she has ... childdren = aihti ... barna
he/she had .... children = aihta ... barna
he/she is called = haitada
they are called = haitanda

Numbers

Gothic uses its own system for numbers. Gothic uses the symbol • before and after the number and uses letters to transcribe numbers. So 1 for example is 'a' and written in Gothic 1 would be •a•. Here is a list with Gothic transcriptions of numbers:

Gothic	English
•𐌰•	1
•𐌱•	2
•𐌲•	3
•𐌳•	4
•𐌴•	5
•𐌵•	6
•𐌶•	7
•𐌷•	8
•𐌸•	9
•𐌹•	10
•𐌺•	20
•𐌻•	30
•𐌼•	40
•𐌽•	50
•𐌾•	60
•𐌿•	70
•𐍀•	80
•𐍁•	90
•𐍂•	100
•𐍃•	200
•𐍄•	300
•𐍅•	400
•𐍆•	500
•𐍇•	600
•𐍈•	700
•𐍉•	800
•𐍊•	900

In Gothic, numbers like 14 are formed by the decimal + the number under 10, so 14 = 10 + 4, which are the letter values i + d = •id• For numbers above hundred you first use the number of hundred, then the decimal and then the number under 10. So 539 for example is 500 + 30 + 9, these are the letter values f + l + h = •flh•. In Gothic numbers above the 1000 aren't attested. The best solution is to use the ancient Greek counting system which Wulfila used for this Gothic counting system as well. By adding the symbol ʹ after a number, the first number under 10 becomes multiplied by 1000, so 2011 for example would become: 2 + 10 + 1 = b + i + a + ʹ = •biaʹ•.

Other ways to contribute to this wiki

Adding images to articles

Dictionaries

When writing an article in Gothic, a good dictionary is necessary. You could use this one, which is especially designed for this purpose:

PDF download of English-Gothic dictionary

Or you could use the Köbler dictionary; it contains many reconstructions, but is one of the best free online dictionaries for translation purposes.

Where to learn Gothic

If you don't know Gothic yet, it's necessary to study Gothic basic grammar first before you contribute here.

A special course is written on this Wikipedia to teach you to translate and learn the basics rapidly: Starters course.

You could start with studying the Gothic declensions and Gothic verbs.

A very good course consisting of 10 lessons to get you started is the Gothic course from the University of Texas.

A course aimed at the modern use of Gothic can be found here.

There is also a Memrise course to learn Gothic: The Gothic Language.

Genders and stems of neologisms

You might have trouble with genders and stems for neologisms, there are however rules for new words, as Wulfila included new words too. In this we differ between place names, names and otyer nouns.

City names

The rules are:

-ia is declined as a -jo stem.
-a is declined as an o-stem.
-us is declined as an u-stem.
Consonant + -em is the same in all cases, except for genitive -ems.

Other nouns

It differs based on what it's reconstructed of. If it's from Proto-Germanic, it's recommended to keep the same gender.

If it's from a language like English or Spanish use the following rules:

The gender should be the same as in the original language. So for example tapas from Spanish is las tapas, so use a feminine gender.
Masculine words with final -a should be declined as (m. N) words.
Feminine words with final -a should be declined as (f. O) words.
Words for professions and people doing something like butcher (skilja) and sel.er (frabuugja) are declined like (m. N) if the accompAnying verb is -jan. If the accompanying verb is -an, like in gibands (giver, verb: giban) or -on like in frijonds (friend, verb: frijon) it's declined like a masculine consonant stem.
Words with a consonant + u should be declined as (n. U) words.
Words, regardless of masculine or feminine gender with -us, shouold be declined as (U) words.
Words with -jo or in the original language -io or -ion are declined as (f. N) words in Gothic with the form -jo. So for example Greek εὐαγγέλιον becomes aiwaggeljo (f. N).
Words with -x or -ks become -ks and should be declined as (m. Consonant) words.
When borrowing from Latin, in -ium words the -um part is left out and in -us word the final -us is missing in Gothic, like in aket, akeit (vinegar) from Latin acetum.
An accented í in Greek becomes j in Gothic.
Words with -ar are declined as (m. A) stems, compare kaisar.
Words with -kn are declined as (n. A) stems, compare kelikn.

People from countries

When the country has the ending -ia in Latin, people generally have m. (U/I) stems (u-declension in singular, i-declension in plural).

Compare:

Iudaia - iudaius (m. U/I)

How to get your article on the frontpage rotation

The frontpage article rotates, this means that your article might be shown in some weeks once on the frontpage.

Here are the things which a frontpage article must have:

A good quality (no basic grammar errors)
A length of a few paragraphs. (An article with one phrase can't be on the frontpage)
Pictures which fit the article
Categories added are preferred
A good style, so for example using bold and italic text where it is expected.

Once you think your article is good enough, add it here:

Page gallery.

If there's enough agreement or if an admin accepts it, it can be added.

Adminship

If you want to become an admin because you want to help this Wikipedia by removing bad articles, cleaning it up, maintaining it, and countering spam or because you have some other good motivation, you can apply for adminship here:

Admin candidatures

After that, you have to add your application here (referring to the previous link when you apply):

Steward Requests

Please, keep in mind, if you are new to this community, you will need a very good reason to be accepted and will not be granted permission if there is not enough community support.

Admins

If you are an Admin, please consult the Admin guide to be informed about your tasks and what you can do.

Popular names in Gothic

For modern non-fictive names it's recommended to transcribe them (𐌴.𐌲. Deb Grol instead of Daweid Grol, similar to how this is done in modern Hebrew and Greek).

For names in fiction and ancient history (like Alaric, Wulfila etc.) it's recommended to reconstruct them.

If a name is of Germanic origin or an attested word of Latin, Greek or Hebrew origin, it is recommended to use these first names in an article which you write. Here you can find a list of popular names in Gothic:

English	Gothic	Notes
Abraham	Abraham	attested; gen. -is
Adam	Adam	attested; gen. -is
Alexander	Alaiksandrus	attested; u-stem
Alfred	Albireþs, Albareþs	From PGmc albaz/albiz (occurs as both i- and a-stems in other Germanic languages) and attested root red-.
Alice, Alicia, Alison, Adelaide	Aþalahaidus, Aþalahaids	from PGmc aþalaz + haiduz based on OHG Adalheidis; David Alexander Carlton renders this as Aþalhaids, with no stem-vowel and treated as an i-stem for his translation of Alice in Wonderland, but it would be Aþalahaidus if lacking OHG influence
Andrew	Andraias	attested; nom. -as, otherwise declines as masc. n. stem
Anna	Anna	attested
Baldwin	Balþawins	from attested roots balþ- and PGmc *winiz.
Bartholemew	Barþaulaumaius	attested; u-stem
Benjamin	Beiniamein
Charles	Karls, Karla	from PGmc *karlaz; monothematic names tend to be declined weak.
Constantine	Kustanteinus	attested in the Gothic calendar
Damian	Damjanus	attested; gen. -aus
David	Daweid	attested; gen. -is
Derek, Dirk, Terry, Dietrich	Þiudareiks	from attested þiuda and reiks
Dorothy, Dorothea	Dauriþaia	based on attested Dauriþaius
Edgar	Audagais	from attested root auda- and PGmc gaisaz/gaizaz.
Edmund	Audamunds	from attested root auda- and PGmc mundō masculinized to munds.
Edward	Audawards	from attested roots auda- and ward-.
Egbert	Agjabairhts	from PGmc *agjō and attested bairhts.
Elias	Helias	attested; gen. -an
Eliezer	Aileiaizair	attested; gen. -is
Elizabeth	Aileisabaiþ	attested; acc. Aileisabaiþ
Erik, Eric	Ainareiks, Haimareiks, Aizareiks, Airareiks	the origin of the first element is not well understood, but likely related to one of these variants; the name Eraricus occurs in Latin sources
Eve	Aiwwa	attested; acc. Aiwwan
Frederick	Friþareiks, Friþureiks	attested in gen. as Friþareikeikeis, likely scribal error for Friþareikeis. Friþu- is properly a u-stem.
Gabriel	Gabriel	attested
Gottlieb	Gudilub	attested in the Arezzo Deed, same etymology
Harold	Harjawalds	from attested harjis and PGmc *waldaz, attested as in verb waldan.
Herbert	Harjabairhts	from attested harjis and bairhts
Isaac	Isak	attested; gen. -is
Janna	Janna	attested; gen. -ins
Jacob	Iakob, Iakobus	attested, occurs as both a. stem (sans nom. -s) and u-stem
Joanna	Iohanna	attested; declines like masc. n. stem.
John	Iohannes	attested; declines rather inconsistently, gen. -is; acc. -en; dat. -e
Josef	Iosef	attested; gen. -fis, dat. -fa & -ba.
Levi	Laiwweis	attested; heavy ja-stem
Lucius	Lukius	attested
Luke	Lukas	attested; nom. as, otherwise treated as weak masc. n. stem.
Marc, Mark	Markus	attested; u-stem
Marcel, Marcellus	Markaillus	attested; u-stem
Margaret	Marikreitus	attested as dat. marikreitum for 'pearl'
Martha	Marþa	attested; declines like masc. n. stem.
Mary, Maria	Marja, Maria	attested; declines rather variously
Matilda	Mahtihilds, Mahtihildi	from attested mahts and PGmc hildiz; the name Diindihildi suggests a possible jo-stem
Matthew	Maþþaius, Matþaius	attested; u-stem
Nathan	Naþan	attested; gen. -is
Nico	Nikau	Based on attested Nikaudemus, Nico having the same root as the first part
Oswald	Ansuwalds, Ansiwalds	from PGmc *ansuz (may have become i-stem in East Germanic) and attested verb waldan
Paul	Pawlus	attested; u-stem
Peter	Paitrus	attested; u-stem
Phillip	Filippus	attested; u-stem
Rebecca	Raibaikka	attested
Richard	Reikihardus	from attested reiks and hardus; reiks is a consonant stem but seem to favour compounding with -i-
Robert	Hroþibairhts	from PGmc *hroþiz, attested bairhts
Roger	Hroþigais	from PGmc hroþiz +gaisaz
Rufus	Rufus	attested; u-stem
Sarah, Sara	Sarra	attested; decline like masc. n. stem.
Seth	Seþ	attested only in gen. as Sedis
Sigmund	Sigismunds, Sigimunds	from attested sigis, compounding without stem-vowel (sigislaun) and also attested in name Sigisvultus ( Gothic Sigiswulþus); later names seem to favor Sigi- which may be due to West German or influence of an otherwise unattested variant of sigis.
Simeon	Swmaion	attested
Simon	Seimon	attested; declines rather haphazardly
Solomon	Saulaumon	attested; gen. -is
Stan	Stains, Staina	from attested stains; monothematic names tend to be n-stems.
Stephen	Staifanus	attested; u-stem
Susan	Susanna	attested
Timothy	Teimauþaius	attested; u-stem
Thaddeus	Þaddaius	attested; u-stem
Theo	Þaiau	Based on first part of the attested name Þaiaufeilus (Theophilus)
Thomas	Þomas	attested; nom. -as, otherwise declines as masc. n. stem.
Tobias	Tobeias	attested; gen. -in
Walter	Waldaharjis	from PGmc *waldaz (attested as verb waldan) and attested harjis
William	Wiljahilms	from attested wilja and hilms