n., v. (pl.)
(1) 'fortunes'; (2) 'runs'; (3) 'was'
Interpretations of the second element of byrþ-whateʒ in Pe vary, in part depending on whether it is read as a compound n. or a n. followed by a v., although the broad sense is evident in context (see further EVG 1041n): 'Uchon in scrypture a name con plye/ of Israel barneʒ, folewande her dateʒ,/ þat is to say, as her byrþ-whateʒ:/ þe aldest ay fyrst þeron watʒ done.' (1039-42). (1) Most plausibly, Goll (citing OE hwæt, augurium (1891; 87.9n), and glossing 'omens, fortunes' and for the compound (1041n) 'birth omens'), EVG and MED derive it from OE hwatu 'omen' (cp. ?OIcel hvǫt 'incitement') and interpret the whole compound as refering to fortunes, and thus order, of birth (Gordon and Onions 1933: 186-7). (2) McGee (381) cautiously raises Goll's alternative suggestion that it could derive from the ON v. represented by OIcel hvata 'to hasten, speed' (derived from the adj. *xwata- (< st. v. *xwētan-), cp. OIcel hvatr, OE hwæt, OS hwat), in which case the phrase would mean 'as their birth runs'. (3) Earlier commentators (Morris, Osgood), read it as a form of the 'to be' verb, but this spelling would be extremely unlikely.
PGmc Ancestor
(1) *xwat-; (2) *xwata-
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
(2) hvata 'to hasten, speed'
(ONP (2) hvata (vb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
(2) hvata
OE Cognate
(1) hwatu 'omen'
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
DD2
(1) MED has citations from a1225(?a1200) Trin.Hom. (Trin-C B.14.52) in a variety of texts and dial. Now obsolete. (2) This would be the only instance of an ME v. < ON hvata. (3) <watʒ> occurs for 'was' (e.g. Pe 45), but not <whateʒ>.
Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus
Pe 1041
On the sense, see Etymological Discussion. Hulbert (1927: 119) and Tuttle (1920: 298) both suggest emendation to hateʒ.