Old Norse: The Language of Vikings How to Learn It

Let us understand the main subject – Old Norse was the language of the Vikings

Let us begin with knowing about what is a “Old Norse”?

What is a Old Norse?

Old Norse was the language of the Vikings during the Viking period and was spoken with little variation in Northern Western Europe during the Viking period. it was one of several branches emerging from the Indo-European language tree at least 3000 years old.

Old Norse, the language was very similar from Greenland in the West to the Baltic countries in the East, and although there were some different languages ??people in the area could easily understand each other. By the 11th century, It was widely spoken in Europe. The region was large and contained all the Nordic states, settlements in Scotland, Ireland, England in Wales, the Isle of Man, Normandy, Vinland (USA) and Volga (Russia) and other central areas.

So, now let’s get into more details and look at some few English words from Old Norse.

Old Norse by Vikings in Nordic Countries

The Old Norse developed into a variety of languages ??that we can find in the Nordic countries today. It was well-spoken in the 14th century and by the 15th century, many of the available Latin and vernacular can be found. In many ways, we can say that modern Norse contains the languages ??we find in the Nordic countries today. Although they have gone in different directions it still sounds good to the people living in this region, but it is not easily understood as it was understood by their Viking ancestors.

Old Norse

It is a member of a family of German languages, including English, German, and many other widely spoken languages ??today. During the first centuries of the Common Era, the northern Proto-Germanic (common ancestral German) dialect was developed in Scandinavia, which gradually spread to Proto-Norse.

Just to be clear, however, when you receive the book “Old Norse,” it is almost always Old Icelandic because Iceland is the country that produced most of the manuscripts left in it. I have never seen a textbook that teaches other languages, but they are probably there somewhere.

Examples of Old Norse English Words

Let us now work on the following few English words, the language spoken by the Vikings.

1. Anger

A strong feeling of displeasure, hostility or antagonism towards someone or something, usually combined with an urge to harm.

From Old Norse angr?ngr (“affliction, sorrow”)

Example: You please check your anger.

2. Bag

A flexible container made of cloth, paper, plastic, etc.

From Old Norse baggi

Example: The bag is full with painting kit.

3. birth

The process of childbearing; the beginning of lif;, a beginning or start; a point of origin.

From Old Norse burðrbyrd

Example: Margarate gave birth to a boy child.

4. cake

A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.

From Old Norse kaka.

Example: We will cut a cake on your birthday.

5. die

To stop living; to become dead.

Example: The person died with sudden heart attack.

6. egg

An approximately spherical or ellipsoidal body produced by birds, reptiles, insects and other animals, housing the embryo during its development.

From Old Norse egg

Example: Let us have eggs in the breakfast today.

7. fog

A thick cloud that forms near the ground; the obscurity of such a cloud.

From Danish fog.

Example: He couldn’t drive due to dense fog.

8. get

To obtain; to acquire.

From Old Norse geta.

I’m going to get a computer tomorrow from the discount store.

9. husband

The master of a house; the head of a family; the opposite of wife.

From Old Norse húsbóndi

Example: Your husband made a good food today.

10.knife

A utensil or a tool designed for cutting.

From Old Norse knífr.

Example: Cut the bread with a knife.

11.mistake

To understand wrongly, taking one thing or person for another; to commit an unintentional error; to do or think something wrong.

From Old Norse mistaka

Example: Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.

12. skirt

An article of clothing, usually worn by women and girl that is hang from the waist and cover the lower part of the body.

From Old Norse skyrta

Example: She was wearing a beautiful skirt this evening.