pron. (3rd pl. poss. (predicative))
'theirs, their affairs' (Modern English theirs)
PGmc Ancestor
*þaizō-
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
þeira 'their'
(ONP þeir (CV))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
early runic þaiʀa, þeʀa, Far teirra, Norw deira, OSw þer(r)a, þaira
OE Cognate
þāra ‘of those’
Phonological and morphological markers
ON /ei/ < PGmc */ai/
Summary category
A1*
Attested early in the N/EM (from Orrm) and a variety of dial by late ME. On the medieval distribution of the Norse-derived third person pronouns (and their variant spellings), see esp. Samuels 1972: 70–2, Ritt and Morse-Gagne. On the use of þayr and þayres in Gaw see also Dance 2013: 55–6.
Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus
Gaw 1019; Cl 1527