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Glite Dictionary
Ulfila

Ulfila

9.9
A church leader who made the Gothic alphabet and translated the Bible into Gothic
  • proper noun
: Ulfila
  • Ulfila, a renowned bishop of the Visigoths, is celebrated for his translation of the Bible into Gothic.

Examples

  • Philostorgius recounts that the Roman emperor enthusiastically sent Ulfila on a mission to the Goths following his consecration by Eusebius of Nicomedia.

    Academic text (2018)

  • For Philostorgius, Ulfila serves as the perfect example of a good bishop whose leadership qualities are valuable to the emperor.

    Academic text (2018)

  • While Ulfila does not convert anyone in the history, his relationship with the emperor and his willingness to go are prominent features of the account.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Yet Philostorgius included an extensive and very flattering portrayal of Ulfila in his work.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Showing the possibilities of fruitful cooperation between ecclesiastical and imperial authority, the bishop Ulfila plays an interesting role in Philostorgius's narrative.

    Academic text (2018)

  • While the emperor clearly possesses the authority to direct Ulfila's actions, he simultaneously relies on the bishop's virtue and leadership qualities to fulfill his own imperial objectives.

    Academic text (2018)

  • The mission narratives of Theophilus the Indian and Ulfila the Goth represent the two most unequivocally positive representations of the cooperation between bishop and emperor in history.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Historians regard Ulfila as a key figure in early Christian missions among the Gothic tribes.

  • The legacy of Ulfila includes his invention of the Gothic alphabet, which greatly influenced Gothic literature.

Synonyms

Wulfila
vsUlfila
1 9.9

A Christian bishop of the Visigoths who created the Gothic alphabet and translated the Bible into Gothic

is the more common modern form used in references
Ulfilas
vsUlfila
9.9

A Christian bishop who translated the Bible into Gothic and created the Gothic alphabet

focuses on the translation act without naming the source language
Bishop Wulfila
vsUlfila
9.9

A Christian bishop from Cappadocia who translated the Bible into Gothic and made the Gothic alphabet

describes the same work but without stressing the source language
Bishop Ulfilas
vsUlfila
9.9

A Christian bishop who translated the Bible into Gothic and made the Gothic alphabet

lists the main achievements without giving personal origin information

Surface Forms

Ulfila main

Etymology

Ulfila comes from an old Gothic root wulf meaning 'wolf' plus the small ending -ila, so the name means 'little wolf'. So think of Ulfila as the 'little wolf' who made the Gothic alphabet and translated the Bible.