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Demonstratives and Definite Article

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The Demonstratives and The Definite Article

 

Generally, the demonstratives could be used as deictic adjectives, or in a substantival function as demonstrative pronouns. The most common demonstrative pronoun is sa, þata, . In the role of adjective, it may point to something proximal 'this', or distal 'that' from the perspective of the speaker. In a less explicit sense, the demonstrative is used as the basic definite article 'the'. As pronouns, the same forms may translate as 'this one' or 'that one'.

 

SINGULAR

  masculine neuter feminine
N sa þata
A þana þata
G þis þis þisos
D þamm þamm þisái

 

PLURAL

  masculine neuter feminine
N þái þó þós
A þans þó þós
G þise þise þiso
D þáim þáim þáim

 

The final a of þata is often elided before ist: þat' ist. A neuter instrumental singular is preserved in certain phrases and as part of some conjunctions: ni þe haldis 'none the more'; bi-þe 'while'; jaþ-þe 'and if'; du-þe 'therefore'; þe-ei 'that'. A locative or instrumental form survives as the relative particle þei 'that'.

 

The emphatic demonstrative sah, þatuh, þōh 'that, that in particular, that especially' is formed by adding the enclitic -uh to the forms of sa, þata, sō. This demonstrative expresses not only emphasis, but contrast as well. The attested forms are as follows.

 

SINGULAR

  Masculine
Neuter
Feminine
N sah þatuh sóh
A
þanuh
þatuh
 
G
þizuh
þizuh
 
D
þammuh
þammuh
 

 

PLURAL

  Masculine
Neuter
Feminine
N
þáih
   
A
þanzuh
þóh
 
G
     
D
  þáimuh
 

 

When the simple pronoun ends in -a, the -a is elided before the following -u, except in the nominative singular masculine (that is, weakly stressed -a is lost). When the simple pronoun ends in a long vowel or diphthong, the following -u is elided. Final -s changes to -z before -uh. The instrumental occurs in the adverb bi-þeh 'after that, then afterward'.

 

There are remnants of a demonstrative built to the stem hi-. These are confined, for the most part, to a small number of temporal adverbial phrases: himma daga 'on this day, today'; und hina daga 'to this day'; fram himma 'henceforth'; und hita (nu) 'till now, hitherto'; also hidrē 'to here'.

 

The demonstrative jáins 'that, that there, yon' declines as a strong adjective (the nom. and acc. pl. neut. is always jáinata). The demonstratives silba 'self' and sama 'same' decline as weak adjectives.

 

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/gotol-3-X.html#Got03_GP12

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