gahaihait - 3 pers, sing, p, indicat - Tit. I, 2; Skeirns. III, 9
gahaihaitun - 3 pers, pl, p, indicat - Mrk. XIV, 11; XV, 16
gahaitands - pres.p.- Luk. IX, 1; Tim. I, II, 10; Skeirns. V, 3
4.1.3. VII class – reduplicating strong verbs
Reduplicating verbs, or the verbs with the repetition of the stem vowel.
The repetition mainly involves the first consonant, followed by aí [-ɛ-], which may or may not be accompanied by ablaut: e.g. maitan - maímait, letan - laílot.
When a verb begins with a cluster of two consonants, repeated is only one of them: e.g. fraisan - faífrais. The combinations sk, st are the exception from this rule: e.g. skaidan - skaískaiþ, (ga)staldan - (ga)staístald. In case of verbs with the initial vowel, the verb root is preceded by aí- : e.g. aukan - aíauk.
4.1.3. (a) reduplicating verbs without ablaut
Redublicating verbs without ablaut, or non-gradationa reduplicating verbs are subdivided into several classes according to the vocalization of the present tense stem (classes: ai [ai], au [au], a, ē, ō).
VII class (a) without ablaut |
infinitive | preterite singular | preterite plural | past participle |
to call, name | haitan [ai] |
haíhait [-ɛ-] |
haíhaitum [-ɛ-] |
haitans [ai] |
to leap | laikan [ai] |
laílaik [-ɛ-] |
laílaikum [-ɛ-] |
laikans [ai] |
to sleep | slēpan | saíslēp [-ɛ-] |
saíslēpum [-ɛ-] |
slēpans |
See the complete paradigm of the conjugation of strong verbs
4.1.3. (b) Reduplicating verbs with ablaut
VII class (b) with ablaut |
infinitive | preterite singular | preterite plural | past participle |
to leave; to let go | lētan | laílōt [-ɛ-] |
laílōtum [-ɛ-] |
lētans |
to touch | tēkan | taítōk [-ɛ-] |
taítōkum [-ɛ-] |
tēkans |
See the complete paradigm of the conjugation of strong verbs
4.1.3. (c) Irregular reduplicating verbs
Basing on the data from the Icelandic, it is believed that the Gothic verb bnauan (to rub) belonged to the class of irregular reduplicating verbs. Surviving Gothic sources contain one form of this verb: present participle bnauands (in masc pl, Nom - bnauandans (those rubbing) Luk. VI, 1).
Some degree of atypicality is also displayed by the verbal root hahan (to hang), which is a reduplicating verb in its transitive sense (ushaihah sik (hanged himself)), while in its intransitive sense, builds its preterite forms like class 3 weak verbs do (hahaida - (hung, was suspended)).
It is also, believed, that some of the Gothic weak, suppletive and/or irregular verbs (bauan, trauan, gaggan, and oth) initially belonged to the class of reduplicating strong verbs.