*balþaz
Runic: ᛒᚨᛚᚦᚨᛉ Pronunciation: /ˈbɑl.θɑz/adjective · a-stem
Meanings
bold, brave; strong, courageous
Etymology
Probably an old verbal adjective associated with a lost Strong class 6 verb **balaną (‘to swell’), perhaps originally ‘pressing or striving forward’ > ‘bold, brave’; it is commonly analyzed as a formation in Proto-Indo-European*-tó- (Faltings 2010: 42, 113; Heidermanns 1993: 116). A straightforward *-tó- formation is phonologically problematic, however, since Verner’s Law should have produced *d; this may be preserved in Old Norse baldr, while the *þ of the usual *balþaz remains unexplained (Heidermanns 1993: 116). The verb would ultimately be from PIE root *bʰel- (Lehmann 1986a: 60, s.v. balþaba; Mallory & Adams 2006: 467). The older comparison with Lithuanian báltas, from the PIE *bʰel-/bʰelH- group, is possible but less likely (Lehmann 1986a: 60, s.v. balþaba; Orel 2003: 34). No secure extra-Germanic cognate of the adjective itself is known.
Declension
Strong declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | balþaz | balþō | balþą, -atō | balþai | balþôz | balþō |
| Acc. | balþanǭ | balþǭ | balþą, -atō | balþanz | balþōz | balþō |
| Gen. | balþas, -is | balþaizōz | balþas, -is | balþaizǫ̂ | balþaizǫ̂ | balþaizǫ̂ |
| Dat. | balþammai | balþaizōi | balþammai | balþaimaz | balþaimaz | balþaimaz |
| Inst. | balþanō | balþaizō | balþanō | balþaimiz | balþaimiz | balþaimiz |
Weak declension
| Case | Sg. Masc. | Sg. Fem. | Sg. Neut. | Pl. Masc. | Pl. Fem. | Pl. Neut. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom. | balþô | balþǭ | balþô | balþaniz | balþōniz | balþōnō |
| Acc. | balþanų | balþōnų | balþô | balþanunz | balþōnunz | balþōnō |
| Gen. | balþiniz | balþōniz | balþiniz | balþanǫ̂ | balþōnǫ̂ | balþanǫ̂ |
| Dat. | balþini | balþōni | balþini | balþammaz | balþōmaz | balþammaz |
| Inst. | balþinē | balþōnē | balþinē | balþammiz | balþōmiz | balþammiz |
Descendants
-
*balþ (Proto-West Germanic)
-
*balt (Old Dutch)
-
bout (Middle Dutch)
-
boud (Dutch)
- boud (Afrikaans)
-
boud (Dutch)
-
bout (Middle Dutch)
-
*balt (Old Dutch)
-
*balþ (Proto-West Germanic)
-
beald, bald (Old English)
-
bolde, bold, boold, bald, beald (Middle English)
- bold, bawd (English)
- bald, bauld, baul, bawl, beld (Scots)
-
bolde, bold, boold, bald, beald (Middle English)
-
beald, bald (Old English)
-
*balþ (Proto-West Germanic)
-
bald (Old Frisian)
-
balde (Old Frisian)
- boalde (Saterland Frisian)
-
balde (Old Frisian)
-
bald (Old Frisian)
-
*balþ (Proto-West Germanic)
-
bald, pald (Old High German)
-
balt (Middle High German)
- bald (Bavarian)
- bald (German)
-
balt (Middle High German)
-
bald, pald (Old High German)
-
*balþ (Proto-West Germanic)
-
bald, pald (Old High German)
-
baldo (Old High German)
-
balde, palde (Middle High German)
- båld, boid (Bavarian)
- bald (German)
-
balde, palde (Middle High German)
-
baldo (Old High German)
-
bald, pald (Old High German)
-
*balþ (Proto-West Germanic)
-
bald (Old Saxon)
-
bald, bold, balt, bolt (Middle Low German)
- bold, boll (Low German)
-
bald, bold, balt, bolt (Middle Low German)
-
bald (Old Saxon)
-
ballr, baldr (Old Norse)
- baldur (Faroese)
- ballur, baldur (Icelandic)
- bold (Old Danish)
-
ballr, baldr (Old Norse)
-
balder (Old Swedish)
- båld (Swedish)
-
balder (Old Swedish)
-
*𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐍃 (*balþs) (Gothic)
- 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐌸𐌰𐌱𐌰 (balþaba) (Gothic)