This is an entry I found in a dusty academic database tome. Old Norse and Icelandic skaldic poetry is one of my hobbies, so I got to thinking about "Immunlaukr" as it sounded familiar and sure enough: It appears here in an entry in The Sword in Anglo-Saxon England: Its Archaeology and Literature by Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson. I'm shocked I remembered it, as it really only gets a footnote in a section about Kennings, which are basically nicknames or codenames given to people and weapons.

Imunlaukr

https://preview.redd.it/vzdminrya4861.png?width=401&format=png&auto=webp&s=604cbcec4715915156b3559239bcdff46355de9b

The most interesting thing about Immunlaukr, or ímunlauks as it is also written is that it basically means 'god-sword' or just 'sword. It's a direct reference to the god Ullr who we know very little about, and what scant information we do have is from Snorri Sturluson whose recordings of the Poetic Edda have been called into question in recent times due to the fact that he was a Christian Lawyer of his time and likely put a spin on the myths he recorded to further his own agenda. That said, this is what is recorded: He's said to be the god of Skiing and archery and to be very handsome, the Step-son of Thor and the son of lady Sif. Sif was famous for her beauty and unique golden hair*, said to be inherited by her children so... that's interesting.*

You can read the whole poem and its translation here, thought I couldn't find much about it that might be terribly relevant to Genshin's Imunlaukr aside from the meaning itself: Interestingly enough in the only text we have using the name, there is mention of GOLD. HMM,

https://pennyspoetry.fandom.com/wiki/KenningAnd here: https://skaldic.abdn.ac.uk/m.php?p=wordtextlp&i=86627

https://preview.redd.it/qlgott92b4861.png?width=888&format=png&auto=webp&s=de138cac572d0480f75f835c6d5fe722b75d3163

Another mention gives us a little more insight from a book published in 1899 about the same poem:

THE HOME OF THE EDDIC POEMS The Home of The Eddic Poems WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE HELGI-LAYS BY Sophus Bugge , 1899

I know this is a lot of heavy text, but I think it's interesting to have more context

This may be a stupid question, but I'll admit that I'm quite uneducated when it comes to certain critical aspects of Norse mythology, and my question is one that Google has failed to answer for me. I'm reading through my copy of "Poems of the Elder Edda", and I notice that many of the titles have the word "lay" in them, i.e. "The Lay of Volund", "The Lay of Hymir", etc. What is the meaning or significance of the word? Does it simply mean "poem" or "story"? Or does it declare that particular piece as a certain type of work, one that has certain characteristics in a manner analogous to certain film genres having certain tropes or conventions? I'm not sure if this is the best place to ask, but, judging by the content I've seen here, I thought it would be worth a shot.

https://www.academia.edu/4661868/The_Poets_Vision_An_Overview_of_the_Kenning_in_Anglo-Saxon_and_Old_Norse-Icelandic_Poetry

A good read esp if you're digging into the Poetic eddas or want to enjoy the ancient art form of poetic wordplay. One way to have fun with these is to play a riddle version of I spy with someone but they guess from your kennings what you see.

excerpt:

"Simple kennings are easy enough. The following are Anglo-Saxon kenningsfrom Beowulf, all found at the Beowulf Translations website. As I noted before, all of these are simple kennings:

• burston bane-locan - "burst bone-locks" = ligaments

• Hrodgar mathelode helm Scyldinga - "Hrothgar spoke, "helm of the Shield-Danes" = king

• heath-stapa - "heath dancer" = deer beado-leoma -

• "battle flame" = sword

• rodores-candel - "sky candle" = sun

• wael-rapas - "water ropes" = icicles

However, by the 13th century, poetry became more complex. Snorri’s other types tvíkennt (doubled), and rekit (chased or driven) occur exclusively in Old Norse & Icelandicpoetry. Here are examples of kennings by type (all from the Skaldic Project website):

Kennings:

•Hrafnvíns - "raven's wine" = blood

•svartan svan hjaldrs - "black swan of battle" = raven

•már sveita - "seagull of gore"= raven

•hagli brodda - "hail of arrows" = battle

•malm hrið - "metal gale" = battle

•baugness – "braceleted headland" = arm

•haukbroðs - "hawk table" = arm

•orms alnar - "serpent of the elbow" = arm-ring

Tvikennt:

•varnt ọlðr vitns - "the warm ale of the wolf" = blood

•sogns sara ma = "seagull of the fjord of sores" = bird of prey/eagles

•arma benja tármútaris - "hawk of the tear of warm wounds" = "hawk of blood" = raven

•glyggs blóðiss - "storm of the blood-ice" = "storm of wounds" = battle

Rekit:

•bjór hórka vals Haddingja - "liquor of the rooks of the chosen of the Haddings" =blood

•hvelegi farms galga - "cauldron-liquid of the burden of the gallows" = "mead of Odin"= poetry

•Þeim brynflagð*a Þing - "assembly of the trolls of mailcoat" = "meeting of warriors" =battle

•hjalmskoeð hrið Hamðis klæða - "helmet-harming storm of Hamdirs clothing" = battle

•hlaupsildr gaupna Egils - "leaping herrings of the palms of Egil" = "flying things of yew trees" = arrows – reki

I was looking for a way to practice my Old Norse and keep it sharp besides reading the sagas and since I am quite fond of poetry (especially Old Norse poetry), I thought about composing some. However, I am aware that translating things into Old Norse can be a really controversial topic, but does it also apply to composing in Old Norse? To summarize: do you think composing in Old Norse would be a foolish idea and would be ineligible, or do you think I should compose in Old Norse and if so, should I post it on this subreddit

Sandra Baliff Straubhaar, Old Norse Women’s Poetry: The Voices of Female Skalds. (The Library of Medieval Women.) Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2011. Pp. xi, 145. ISBN: 9781843842712. doi:10.1017/S0038713413001395

E.g. you got

• Reykjavík, from reykja, genitive plural of reykr (“smoke”) + vík (“bay”).
• York from Norse Jórvík meaning "wild-boar bay"
• London. Lundenwic, where one source says: “Wic” itself means “trading town” and was derived from the latin word Vicus.
• Norwich. Here I found “Northwic ("North Farm")” and “named from Old English north 'north' + wic 'trading center', 'harbor'”, which would point to the bay idea again.

Edit: found this, when looking up Viking:

“The word is a historians' revival; it was not used in Middle English, but it was reintroduced from Old Norse vikingr "freebooter, sea-rover, pirate, viking," which usually is explained as meaning properly "one who came from the fjords," from vik "creek, inlet, small bay" (cognate with Old English wic, Middle High German wich "bay," and second element in Reykjavik).

But Old English wicing and Old Frisian wizing are almost 300 years older than the earliest attestation of the Old Norse word, and probably derive from wic "village, camp" (large temporary camps were a feature of the Viking raids), related to Latin vicus "village, habitation" (from PIE root *weik- (1) "clan").

The connection between the Norse and Old English words is still much debated.”

https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking

You could imagine that something from Christianity, for example, would have replaced those names through the years.

I was playing god of war and was wondering if any of the mythology in the game is accurate. Does anyone have any good introduction books about any mythology or symbols and runes. I keep trying to search things up and learn but then I just go down a rabbit hole and get confused. Im extremely interested if anyone can mention some books. I’m also not sure if I should start with culture or history or mythology. If someone can also give me a good starting point that would be very appreciated.

Pretty much what the title says. I’ve been considering attempting to learn either language to deepen my understanding and connection to this way of life, but I’m on the fence about it mostly because I don’t know if I can realistically squeeze learning a language into my busy life. If nothing else, I’d like to learn pronunciation so to not butcher words/names at least. Any opinions?

I study Old Norse and these are some of my favourite names that were used at the time! All used in the time period 800-1350 AD. Some of these names are still common in Scandinavia today, some are more obscure.

Alfine

Alvhild

Alvrun

Arla

Bera

Berglot

Bodil

Dagny

Eidunn

Eira

Eiril

Elfi

Elva

Embla

Freja

Frøya

Hedda

Hedvig

Idun

Liv

Odel

Odine

Runa

Solaug

Sølvi

Thora

Toril

Tova

Vår

Vårin

Viel

Vivil

I wanna learn old Norse but have zero time for classes between work and home life. Is there any good apps or audio learning??

So I have made a bookmark but I want to write the word “book” in runes. I found that the old norse word for “book” is “bók” but don’t know what the “ó” would translate to in Younger Futhark. I think it would become “ᛒᚢᚴ” but I would like to know if I’ve used the wrong rune.

Thanks in advance!

I read recently that, just as Tolkien used Old English to represent the language of Rohan, he also used Old Norse to represent the language of Dale.

But, as the title says, 'Dale' and 'Bard' are English words, not Old Norse words. What's going on there?

I'm very fascinated with trying to learn this so does any odd have any good sources?? Thank you!

I’m reading The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton, which is an epic poem that follows King Alfred the Great and his battles against the Great Heathen Army. I was wondering if there is any poetry from the Norse people about the same events.

Hello, someone can tell/translate all of the characters' names from Beowulf into old Norse equivalent?

like Circe or Song of Achillies. Any suggestions?

After watching some of Jackson Crawfords videos on pronouncing ON words and Comparing the language with Old English, I have begun to wonder at which point in history it’s phonology shifted and altered the pronunciation of /w/.

An good example of this given by Jackson Crawford in textbook Old Norse (12th Century) is the word ‘vǫndr’, which means “Wand”. However, during the period when speakers of ON and OE first came into contact with one another (9th Century), it would probably have been rendered as something like ‘wandr’ in Old East Norse (Old Danish), pronounced with /w/ rather than /v/.

For those here with a good understanding of Old Norse, at what point do we think this shift took place, and did it occur differently in the regional dialects of the language (Old East vs Old West Norse)?

https://www.academia.edu/4661868/The_Poets_Vision_An_Overview_of_the_Kenning_in_Anglo-Saxon_and_Old_Norse-Icelandic_Poetry

A good read esp if you're digging into the Poetic eddas or want to enjoy the ancient art form of poetic wordplay.

excerpt:

"Simple kennings are easy enough. The following are Anglo-Saxon kenningsfrom Beowulf, all found at the Beowulf Translations website. As I noted before, all of these are simple kennings:

• burston bane-locan - "burst bone-locks" = ligaments

• Hrodgar mathelode helm Scyldinga - "Hrothgar spoke, "helm of the Shield-Danes" = king

• heath-stapa - "heath dancer" = deer

• beado-leoma -"battle flame" = sword

• rodores-candel - "sky candle" = sun

• wael-rapas - "water ropes" = icicles

However, by the 13th century, poetry became more complex. Snorri’s other types tvíkennt (doubled), and rekit (chased or driven) occur exclusively in Old Norse & Icelandicpoetry. Here are examples of kennings by type (all from the Skaldic Project website):

Kennings:

•Hrafnvíns - "raven's wine" = blood

•svartan svan hjaldrs - "black swan of battle" = raven

•már sveita - "seagull of gore"= raven

•hagli brodda - "hail of arrows" = battle

•malm hrið - "metal gale" = battle

•baugness – "braceleted headland" = arm

•haukbroðs - "hawk table" = arm

•orms alnar - "serpent of the elbow" = arm-ring

Tvikennt:

•varnt ọlðr vitns - "the warm ale of the wolf" = blood

•sogns sara ma = "seagull of the fjord of sores" = bird of prey/eagles

•arma benja tármútaris - "hawk of the tear of warm wounds" = "hawk of blood" = raven

•glyggs blóðiss - "storm of the blood-ice" = "storm of wounds" = battle

Rekit:

•bjór hórka vals Haddingja - "liquor of the rooks of the chosen of the Haddings" =blood

•hvelegi farms galga - "cauldron-liquid of the burden of the gallows" = "mead of Odin"= poetry

•Þeim brynflagð*a Þing - "assembly of the trolls of mailcoat" = "meeting of warriors" =battle

•hjalmskoeð hrið Hamðis klæða - "helmet-harming storm of Hamdirs clothing" = battle

•hlaupsildr gaupna Egils - "leaping herrings of the palms of Egil" = "flying things of yew trees" = arrows – reki