A Gothic Grammar, with Selections for Reading and a Glossary

Gothic is the earliest attested Germanic language, preserved through Bishop Ulfilas's 4th-century Bible translation. This 1883 grammar by German philologist Wilhelm Braune was among the first systematic introductions for English-speaking students to this extinct tongue. Braune assumes no prior knowledge, building methodically from phonology to inflection to reading actual Gothic texts. The selections include passages from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, and the Skeireins, a fragmentary Gothic Biblical commentary. A comprehensive glossary anchors the practical work. Some terminology reflects its era ("Indo-Germanic" for Indo-European), but this only deepens its historical charm. For linguists, medievalists, and anyone drawn to the roots of the Germanic language family, this remains a remarkable gateway into a language that fell silent centuries ago yet still speaks across time.