Old Norse orthography
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The orthography of the Old Norse language since the introduction of the Latin alphabet in Iceland is a thorny subject. In particular the names of Old Norse mythological characters often seem to have several different spellings.
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[edit] Manuscript spelling
The original Icelandic manuscripts which are the source of our knowledge of Norse mythology did not employ a unified system of spelling. Thus the same name might be spelled several different ways even in the original manuscripts. In particular the length of vowels was only sporadically marked and various umlauted vowels were often not distinguished from others. Another complication is that several shortcut forms for common words and grammatical endings developed. One example is the use of the rune named maðr (man) for the word maðr. Another is the use of a special glyph for the various r-endings so common in Old Norse. A modified version of the letter Wynn called Vend was used briefly for the sounds /u/, /v/, and /w/.
[edit] Standardized spelling
For various reasons 19th century scholars came up with a standardized spelling of Old Norse which remains in use. It is primarily based on the so called First Grammatical Treatise. This spelling is designed to be phonemically precise rather than representative of the manuscripts. Vowel length is marked and umlauted vowels are unambiguously represented.
The standardized spelling employs a few characters that are not available in the most common electronic character sets. Replacements are often used, particularly in electronic formats, the most important is to use ö instead of o-with-tail (ogonek) ǫ.
[edit] Icelandic spelling
In many modern Icelandic publications of Old Norse works, the modern Icelandic spelling is used. Since it is based on the same basic system the difference is not great. One notable difference is probably the insertion of u before r in many names. Thus the Old Norse name Baldr comes out as Baldur in modern Icelandic. Other differences include vowel-shifts, whereby old Norse ǫ became Icelandic ö, and old Norse œ became Icelandic æ.
One of the advantages of using Icelandic spelling is that all the relevant characters are available in the most common character sets and most fonts. In fact, if it weren't for Icelandic, characters like þ would not be as easily available for writing Old Norse and Old English.
[edit] Anglicized spelling
For the convenience of English writers and readers the Old Norse characters not used in English are commonly replaced with English ones. This can lead to ambiguity and confusion. Here is a sample conversion table:
Another common convention in English is to drop consonant nominative endings:
- Egill → Egil
- Yggdrasill → Yggdrasil
- Gunnarr → Gunnar
- Sveinn → Svein
- Freyr → Frey
- Hildr → Hild
When a name ends with r which is not an ending it is often changed to er or (Modern Icelandic) ur to facilitate pronunciation.
- Baldr → Balder, Baldur
One more convention is to use i instead of j.
- Njáll → Nial
- Freyja → Freyia
Sometimes the j is simply dropped.
- Freyja → Freya
Sometimes the ending i is spelled e (supported by manuscript spelling and mainland Scandinavian custom).
- Loki → Loke
- Bragi → Brage
Other quirks sometimes seen include adding a to the names of goddesses.
- Frigg → Frigga
- Iðunn → Iduna
Obviously the various permutations allow for many possible spellings for a given name.
Some authors, for example, replace þ with th and ð with th, dh or d but keep the accents; others may not replace ǫ with ö but prefer o.
Thus, in addition to the various versions below, the name of Hǫðr could come out as:
- Hoðr, Hödhr, Hödr, Höd, Höð, Hoð
[edit] List of names
A list of some commonly encountered Old Norse names with some of their English versions follows.
[edit] Gods
- Óðinn (Odin, Odhin, Othin, Odinn)
- Þórr (Thor, Thorr)
- Ása-Þórr (Asa-Thor)
- Ǫku-Þórr (Oku-Thor)
- Baldr (Balder, Baldur)
- Hǫðr (Hoth, Hod, Hothr, Hodr, Hoder, Hodhr)
- Freyr (Frey)
- Týr (Tyr, Ty)
- Forseti (Forsete)
- Heimdallr, Heimdalr (Heimdall, Heimdal)
- Vili (Vilji, Vile)
- Vé (Ve)
- Lóðr (Lod, Loth, Lodr, Lothr, Lodhr)
- Hœnir (Honir, Hoenir)
- Bragi (Brage)
[edit] Goddesses
[edit] Giants
[edit] Giantesses
[edit] Animals
- Huginn (Hugin)
- Muninn (Munin)
- Ratatoskr (Ratatusk, Ratatosk)
- Geri (Gere)
- Freki (Freke)
- Jǫrmungandr (Jormungand, Iormungand)
- Miðgarðsormr (Midgardsorm, Midgard Serpent)
[edit] Places
- Ásgarðr (Asgard)
- Útgarðir (Utgards) - the word is plural, from Útgarða (masculine genitive plural) in Útgarða-Loki.
- Niflheimr (Niflheim)
- Hel
- Miðgarðr (Midgard)
- Ginnungagap
[edit] Other
- Æsir (Aesir)
- Vanir
- Hávamál (Havamal)
- Vǫluspá (Voluspa)
- Yggdrasill (Yggdrasil)
- Askr Yggdrasils
- Ragnarǫk (Ragnarok)
[edit] See also
 |
Norse mythology |
|---|---|
| List of Norse gods | Æsir | Vanir | Giants | Elves | Dwarves | Troll | Valkyries | Einherjar | Norns | Odin | Thor | Freyr | Freyja | Loki | Balder | Týr | Yggdrasil | Ginnungagap | Ragnarök | |
| Sources: Poetic Edda | Prose Edda | The Sagas | Volsung Cycle | Tyrfing Cycle | Rune stones | Old Norse language | Orthography | Later influence | |
| Society: Viking Age | Skald | Kenning | Blót | Seid | Numbers | |
| People, places and things |
