Instrumental case

Primarily marks an instrument of an action.

Instrumental case is a regular core oblique and has a non-singular cluster "𐌼𐍃" (devoiced).

For Gothic speakers: Despite instrumental not being present in Gothic, Wistrish instrumental mostly relates to Proto-Germanic instrumental. A lot of Gothic dative usages that the language got from the merger of these two cases are transferred back to instrumental.

Usages

1. Instrument instrumental

The standard usage of instrumental. Answers to the questions "with what" and "with whom".

Bare instrumental is not used for commitative constructions with the meaning "together with", there instrumental + 𐌼𐌹𐌸 is used.

Examples (instrument)

𐌺𐌿𐌺𐍃
"male cook"
𐌺𐌿𐌺𐍃 - cook
GP-AS: m. a-stem anim.
nom. sg.
𐌺𐌰𐌺𐍉𐌽
"cake"
𐌺𐌰𐌺𐍉 - cake
f. ōn-stem
acc. sg.
𐍃𐌰𐍇𐍃𐌰
"with knife"
𐍃𐌰𐍇𐍃 - knife
nt. a-stem inan.
instr. sg.
𐌲𐌰𐍃𐌽𐌹𐌸𐍂𐍉𐌳𐌰
"cut repeatedly"
𐍃𐌽𐌴𐌹𐌸𐌰𐌽 - to cut
S-I-𐌲𐌰
GenP ITER
past ag. ind. 3pSG
·
The cook cut the cake with a knife.
𐌱𐌰𐌲𐌼
"tree"
𐌱𐌰𐌲𐌼𐍃 - tree
m. a-stem inan.
acc.
𐌰𐌵𐌹𐌶𐌾𐌰
"with axe"
𐌰𐌵𐌹𐌶𐌹 - axe
f. jō-stem
instr. sg.
𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌺𐌺𐌿𐍅
"we two chopped"
𐌷𐌰𐌺𐌺𐌰𐌽 - to chop
S-VIIc1-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 1pDU
·
We chopped the tree with an axe.
𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰
"with two hands"
𐌷𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌿𐍃 - hand
f. u-stem
instr. dual
𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰̄𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰
"with oneself's"
𐍃𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 - of oneself
a-stem, no weak
f. instr. dual
𐌲𐌰𐌿𐍀𐌰𐌽𐌴𐌹
"open"
𐌿𐍀𐌰𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽 - to open (tr.)
nt. ja-stem
W-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
I ag. imp. 2pSG
·
Open it with your hands.

Examples (means)

𐌼.𐌰𐍂𐌺𐌿𐍃
"Marcus"
𐌼.𐌰𐍂𐌺𐌿𐍃 - Marcus
m. u-stem anim.
nom. sg.
𐍀𐌹𐌿𐍃𐍃𐌰
"with train"
𐍀𐌹𐌿𐍃𐍃 - train
m. i-stem inan.
instr. sg.
𐌲𐌰𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌸
"will come"
𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 - to come
S-IV-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pSG
·
Marcus will come by train.
𐌾𐌰𐌱𐌰̄𐌹
"if"
𐌾𐌰𐌱𐌰̄𐌹 - if
𐌷𐌹𐌶𐌰
"with this"
𐌷𐌹𐍃 - this
irreg.
f. instr. sg.
𐍃𐍄𐌰̄𐌹𐌲𐌰
"with road"
𐍃𐍄𐌰̄𐌹𐌲𐌰 - road
f. ō-stem
instr. sg.
𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌹𐌳𐌰
"suppose you all go"
𐌲𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌰𐌽 - to go
S-VIIc1-𐌲𐌰 suppl.
GenP BASE
I ag. hyp. 2pPL
,
𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌲𐌿𐌸
"to city"
𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌲𐍃 - city
f. sc-stem
all. sg.
𐍈𐌴𐌹𐌻𐌿𐌽𐍃
"hours"
𐍈𐌴𐌹𐌻𐌰 - hour
f. ō-stem
acc. pl.
𐌸𐍂𐌹𐌽𐍃
"three"
𐌸𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃 - three
irreg.
f. acc. pl.
𐌰𐍆𐌰𐍂
"after"
𐌰𐍆𐌰𐍂 - after
𐌰𐍄𐌲𐌰𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌿𐌳𐌰
"in this case you all will arrive"
𐌰𐍄𐍆𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽 - to arrive
S-IV-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
I ag. cond. 2pPL
·
If you take this road, you will arrive to the city in three hours.

2. Instrumental of time

Used to specify when something happened.

Examples

𐌷𐌴
"with this"
𐌷𐌹𐍃 - this
irreg.
m. instr. sg. (inan.)
𐌳𐌰𐌲𐌰
"with day"
𐌳𐌰𐌲𐍃 - day
m. a-stem inan.
intr. sg.
𐌱𐍉𐌸𐌰
"shop"
- to write
S-VIId1-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
pres. subj. dub. 3pSG
𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌿𐌺𐌰𐌽𐌰
"it is closed"
𐌻𐌿̄𐌺𐌰𐌽 - to close (intr.)
S-IIb-𐌲𐌰
Past part.: GenP BASE
𐌻𐌿𐌺𐌰𐌽𐍃 - one which closed
a-stem
str. f. nom. sg.
·
The shop is closed today.
𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌴
"with next"
𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 - next
a-stem
str. m. instr. sg. (inan.)
𐌼𐌴𐌽𐍉𐌸𐌰
"with month"
𐌼𐌴𐌽𐍉𐌸𐍃 - month
m. sc-stem inan.
instr. sg.
𐍃𐌺𐌰𐍄𐍄
"money"
𐍃𐌺𐌰𐍄𐍄𐍃 - money
acc. sg.
𐌲𐌰𐍃𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌿𐌽
"they will send"
𐍃𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽 - send
S-III-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
pres. ag. ind. 3pPL
·
They will send money next month.

3. Instrumental of degree

Generally used in comparative constructions to specify the degree of difference.

Examples

𐌷𐌹𐍃
"this"
𐌷𐌹𐍃 - this
irreg.
m. nom. sg.
𐍅𐌹𐌲𐍃
"path"
𐍅𐌹𐌲𐍃 - path
m. a-stem
nom. sg.
𐌸𐌰𐌼𐌹
"by that"
𐍃𐌰 - that
irreg.
m. peg. sg.
𐍄𐍅𐌰̄𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰
"with two"
𐍄𐍅𐌰 - two
a-stem, no weak
nt. instr. du.
𐍇𐌹𐌻𐌿𐌼𐌴𐍄𐍂𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰
"with kilometres"
𐍇𐌹𐌻𐌿𐌼𐌴𐍄𐍂𐌿 - kilometre
nt. u-stem inan.
instr. du.
𐌻𐌰𐌲𐌲𐌹𐌶𐌰
"longer"
𐌻𐌰𐌲𐌲𐍃 - long
an-īn-stem, no strong
m. nom. sg.
+ comparative
·
This way is two kilometres longer than that one.
𐌼𐌹𐌺
"me"
𐌹𐌺 - I
acc.
𐌸𐌹
"by you one"
𐌸𐌿 - thou
peg.
𐌰̄𐌹𐌽𐌴
"with one"
𐌰̄𐌹𐌽𐍃 - one
a-stem, no weak
nt. instr. sg. (inan.)
𐌾𐌴𐍂𐌰
"with year"
𐌾𐌴𐍂 - year
nt. a-stem inan.
instr. sg.
𐌾𐌿𐌲𐌲𐌹𐌶𐌰𐌽
"younger"
𐌾𐌿𐌲𐌲𐍃 - young
an-īn-stem, no strong
m. acc. sg.
·
I am one year younger than you.

4. Price instrumental

Used to mark literal and metaphorical prices paid for something.

Examples

𐌷𐌹𐌾𐌿
"this"
𐌷𐌹𐍃 - this
irreg.
f. acc. sg.
𐍄𐍁𐌰𐌽𐍄𐌿
"backpack"
𐍄𐍁𐌰𐌽𐍄𐌰 - backpack
f. ō-stem
acc. sg.
𐍆𐌹𐌼𐍆
"five"
𐍆𐌹𐌼𐍆 - five
𐌰𐌹𐍅𐍂𐍉𐌼𐍃
"with euros"
𐌰𐌹𐍅𐍂𐍉 - euro
f. ōn-stem
instr. pl.
𐌲𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍇𐍄𐌰
"I bought"
𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 - buy
H-II-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 1pSG
·
I bought this backpack for five euro.
𐌼𐌹𐍃
"to me"
𐌹𐌺 - I
dat.
𐌸𐌴
"with that"
𐍃𐌰 - that
irreg.
nt. instr. sg. (inan.)
𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌴
"with all"
𐌰𐌻𐌻𐍃 - all
a-stem, no weak
nt. instr. sg. (inan.)
𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌲𐌰𐍅𐌰̄𐌹𐍂𐌸
"it costed"
𐌰𐌽𐌰𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍂𐌸𐌰𐌽 - to cost
S-I-𐌲𐌰
GenP BASE
past ag. ind. 2pSG
·
It costed me everything.

Formation

Strong nouns

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. a-stem -𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌰𐌼𐍃
m. a-stem -𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌰𐌼𐍃
f. ō-stem -𐌰 -𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐍉𐌼𐍃
nt. ja-stem -𐌾𐌰 -𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌾𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌾𐌰𐌼𐍃
m. ja-stem -𐌾𐌰 -𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌾𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌾𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌾𐌰𐌼𐍃
f. jō-stem -𐌾𐌰 -𐌾𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌾𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌾𐍉𐌼𐍃
nt. wa-stem -𐍅𐌰 -𐍅𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍅𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍅𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐍅𐌰𐌼𐍃
m. wa-stem -𐍅𐌰 -𐍅𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍅𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍅𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐍅𐌰𐌼𐍃
f. wō-stem -𐍅𐌰 -𐍅𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍅𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐍅𐍉𐌼𐍃
nt. i-stem -𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌹𐌼𐍃
m. i-stem -𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌹𐌼𐍃
f. i-stem -𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌹𐌼𐍃
nt. ji-stem -𐌾𐌰 -𐌾𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌾𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌾𐌹𐌼𐍃
nt. u-stem -𐌿 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃
m. u-stem -𐌿 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃
f. u-stem -𐌿 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃

In non-u-stem singulars instrumental has its standard singular suffix -𐌰, while in u-stems it has a suffix -𐌿.

Weak nouns

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. an-stem -𐌹𐌽𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌰𐌼𐍃
m. an-stem -𐌹𐌽𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌰𐌼𐍃
f. ōn-stem -𐍉𐌽𐌰 -𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐍉𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐍉𐌼𐍃
nt. in-stem -𐌿𐌽𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌹𐌼𐍃
m. in-stem -𐌿𐌽𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌹𐌼𐍃
f. īn-stem -𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰 -𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌴𐌹𐌼𐍃
nt. un-stem -𐌰𐌽𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃
m. un-stem -𐌰𐌽𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃
f. ūn-stem -𐌿̄𐌽𐌰 -𐌿̄𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿̄𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿̄𐌼𐍃

Singular weak nouns are ablauted and take standard ending -𐌰 after the 𐌽 in all genders and declensions.

In instrumental (as well in other regular cases), in weak plurals, paucals and standard duals the "𐌽" is dropped, but the initial ablaut is preserved.

Consonant stems

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. ct-stem -by𐌰 -ax𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -by𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -cy𐌿𐌼𐍃
m. ct-stem -by𐌰 -ax𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -ax𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -by𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -cy𐌿𐌼𐍃
f. ct-stem -by𐌰 -ax𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -by𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -cy𐌿𐌼𐍃
nt. d-ct-stem -by𐌰 -ax𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -ax𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -by𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌹 -cy𐌹𐌼𐍃

This table uses the generalized consonant stem notation.

Instrumental case as a core oblique is ablauted and uses a singular oblique grade vowel before the consonant. All singular consonant stems have an instrumental ending -𐌰 after their consonant.

Duals and plurals use -𐌿- instead of a thematic vowel before the non-singular regular case cluster.

Static consonant stems

Singular Dual in. Dual an. Paucal Plural
nt. sc-stem -𐌿𐌸𐌰 -𐌿𐌸𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌸𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌸𐌿𐌼𐍃
m. sc-stem -𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃
f. sc-stem -𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌿𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌿𐌼𐍃
m. nd-stem -𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌹𐌼𐌶𐌰 -𐌰𐌼𐌶𐌹 -𐌰𐌼𐍃

All static consonant stems end in standard instrumental -𐌰 in singular.

Static consonant stems proper, like the normal consonant stems, use -𐌿- instead of a thematic vowel in duals, paucals and plurals. Meanwhile, nd-stem nouns use the vowel -𐌰-.

Neuter consonant stems have an -𐌿𐌸- infix in all forms.