Ambiguity of Gothic SAMA and its morphosyntactic implications

What is it about?

In line with the orthodox pronouncement that the weak (definite) forms of adjectives in Germanic follow the definite determiner, the Gothic weak-only adjective SAMA ‘the same’ (no indefinite form *SAMS, with the strong inflection -S, occurs) is determined (SA SAMA ‘the same’) in the majority of its attestations. However, occasionally it also occurs on its own, without a determiner. An examination of the syntactic distribution of the adjective and a comparison of the Gothic translation of the Bible with the Greek and Latin texts uncover a double semantic nature of SAMA. Specifically, when determined, SAMA conveys a definite/particularising force of ‘the same’. In the absence of the determiner, however, it conveys the semantic value of ‘one; of one kind’.

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Why is it important?

The results of this investigation contribute to our understanding of the conditions that govern the distribution of strong vs. weak adjective inflections. In particular, the occurrence of the weak form of the adjective is not simply a matter of whether or not a definite determiner precedes it. Instead, the definite value of the adjective inflection is realised periphrastically, via the co-occurrence of the definite determiner and the weak adjective inflection. These conclusions, based on Gothic evidence, have important implications for the study and understanding of the development and functioning of the adjective inflection not only in Gothic, but across older Germanic.

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