𐌾𐌹𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐍃

Uncertain. Traditionally considered to be derived from a Germanic term related to Proto-Germanic *jehwlą (the Proto-Germanic form, an a-stem neuter, cannot have been a direct ancestor of this Gothic form).

David Landau argues instead that the word was an abbreviated nomen sacrum and that an original pagan meaning would be very improbable, denying a Proto-Germanic origin. The word is, in his view, a loan from Ancient Greek ἰωβηλαῖος (iōbēlaîos), in the Biblical sense of Jubilee, ultimately from Hebrew יוֹבֵל‎ (which may in turn derive from an Indo-European language; see the discussion at jubilee).

• IPA^(key): /ˈjiu̯.liːs/

𐌾𐌹𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐍃 • (jiuleis) m

1. Yule(-month), December
   • Gothic Calendar:

     𐌽𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂[?] [...] 𐍆𐍂𐌿𐌼𐌰 𐌾𐌹𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐍃 ·𐌻·

     naubaimbair[?] [...] fruma jiuleis ·l·

     November[?] [...] first Yule 30

• Due to the text being a poorly-conserved palimpsest and there being no other similar texts with which to compare, the interpretation of the month-line in this manuscript is very unclear. The manuscript text has also been read as a compound 𐍆𐍂𐌿𐌼𐌰𐌾𐌹𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐍃 (frumajiuleis). If read as a compound, the whole may mean "November" instead, but there are arguments against this per Landau. Landau also disputes the interpretation of the first word as naubaimbair (see 𐌽𐌰𐌿𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌼𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍂 (naubaimbair)), claiming it is too illegible to definitively establish that reading (versus the relatively intelligible fruma jiuleis at the end). For a clearer view of the difficulties surrounding this line, refer to the articles below.

• David Landau, 'On the reading and interpretation of the month-line in the Gothic calendar ', Transactions of the Philological Society 104.1 (2006) 3-12.
• David Landau, 'The source of the Gothic month name jiuleis and its cognates', Namenkundliche Informationen 95/96 (2009) 239-248.