The spelling of the word "gothard" may seem confusing, but it can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable, "goth," is pronounced with a voiced fricative sound for the "th" (represented by the symbol /ð/), while the second syllable, "ard," is pronounced with a short "a" sound (represented by the symbol /æ/) followed by a voiced retroflex stop (represented by the symbol /ɖ/). So, the correct spelling is "gothard" with a voiced "th" and a retroflex stop at the end.
The word "Gothard" is a combination of two elements: "Goth" and "hard".
1. Goth: The term "Goth" refers to the ancient Germanic people known as the Goths. The Goths descended from the East Germanic tribes and played a significant role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The name "Goth" itself derives from the ancient Greek word "Gothoi" or "Gut-þiuda", used to describe this particular tribal group.
2. Hard: The word "hard" is a common Germanic suffix that means "strong" or "hardy". It is frequently used in Germanic languages to denote strength or fortitude. It has been widely used as a descriptive element in various names throughout history.
When combined, "Gothard" implies a strong or hardy characteristic associated with the Goths.