GOTHIC LANGUAGE

GOTHIC LANGUAGE. The peoples known in his-

Gothofred, tory under the names of Mæso goths, Ostrogoths, and Visigoths, were all of the same race, and spoke different but closely similar idioms of the same language. This language differed very little from the ancient dialects of Germany; and during successive ages it spread with the Goths over all southern Europe, and occupied for a considerable time Spain and Italy, where but feeble effects have been left in the vernaculars of these countries. The case has been very different, however, in the northern countries of Europe, where the Goths firmly and permanently established themselves, and have perpetuated their race with their language. From the Gothic has sprung the Scandinavian, which is found in its greatest purity in Iceland; and, in more modified forms, in the Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian. The similarity between the remains of the ancient relics of Gothic and Sanscrit is very striking.

The affinity between the Sanscrit and the Gothic appears equally striking in conjugation as well as in declension. The terminations which in the verbs designate the same persons, are the same in both languages. The Gothic has even preserved in conjugation the dual which has been lost in declension, and like the Sanscrit, the Greek and the Latin, it has a particular form to express the passive.

As to the variety of grammatical forms the Gothic holds a middle place between Sanscrit and Latin; and without possessing the richness of the former or the conciseness of the latter, it rivals both in precision and energy of expression. See GOTH. (A. F. F.)