; its traditional name in English is still ash. It was also used in Old Swedish before being changed to ä. Today, the International Phonetic Alphabet uses it to represent a short «a» sound (as in «cat»).As you read through the novels of the Vikingverse, you will no doubt stumble upon many words that are unfamiliar or difficult to pronounce. Old English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, was a language spoken by the Angles and the Saxons, Germanic tribes who settled the British Isles—a language that forms the basis for the Angle-ish we speak today. It shares a common ancestry with the tongues of other tribes of northern Europe. Old Norse was one of those related languages.
The journey towards modern English began with the Norman invasion of 1066, which brought a new elite of French speakers to English shores. The church added to this development, introducing words with Latin or Greek origin. But, in the worlds of the Vikingverse, this progression is interrupted. By removing or marginalizing the effect of Christianity, northern Europe is left with a Germanic linguistic foundation for a lot longer.
Even today, when you know where to look, the Old Norse rót is still apparent among the tangle of Anglo-Saxon, French and Latin branches. The language of the Vikings may have become subdued over the centuries but make no mistake about it—from byrðr(birth) until we deyja (die)—the raw energy of the Norse shapes many of our words. Just look at a Viking the rangr way, and he might þrysta a knifr into your skulle. Even the word Kindle comes from the Norse kynda!
Eth (uppercase: Đ, lowercase: ð) is a letter used in Old and Middle English, as well as Icelandic, Faroese and Elfdalian. It was also used in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages but was subsequently replaced with dh and later d. It is often transliterated as d, although in Icelandic, ð is the same as the th in English that. For example, Iðunn is anglicized as Idunn or Ithun, so choose whichever pronunciation works best for you!
Thorn or þorn (Þ, þ) is a letter in the Old English, Gothic, Old Norse, Old Swedish, and modern Icelandic alphabets, as well as some dialects of Middle English. The letter originated from the rune in the Elder Fuþark and was called thorn or thurs in the Scandinavian rune poems. In modern Icelandic, it is pronounced similar to th in the English word thick.
Æ (æ) is a letter in the alphabets of some languages, including Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faroese. As a letter of the Old English Latin alphabet, it was called æsc («ash tree») after the Anglo-Saxon futhorc rune ; its traditional name in English is still ash. It was also used in Old Swedish before being changed to ä. Today, the International Phonetic Alphabet uses it to represent a short «a» sound (as in «cat»).
Aðaliz – Old Norse form of the name Alice.
Ægir’s daughters – in Norse mythology, the goddess Rán and the jötunn Ægir both personify the sea, and together they have nine daughters who personify waves.
Alfadóttir – elf daughter.
Ālim – in Islam, the ulama, singular Ālim, are scholars, literally “the learned ones,” guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge.
Alpandill – elephant.
Arshimīdis – Arabic name for Archimedes, a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer.
Bandruí – woman-druid.
Banū Mūsa – “Sons of Moses,” pre-eminent scholars who worked in astronomical observatories established in Baghdad.
Baṭlumyus – the Arabic name for Claudius Ptolemy, a Greek mathematician, astronomer, geographer, and astrologer.
Bilād Fāris – Lands of Persia.
Boru – Qormusata Tngri “King of the Gods,” the Mongolian sky god with the crow and the wolf as his “faithful agents.”
Brynja – mail shirt, armour.
Butescarls – a professional soldier, but one who fought on a ship, as marines did in the 18th century English navy.
Chenoo – Skraeling term for person possessed by an evil spirit or who committed a terrible crime.
Dellingr – (Old Norse “the dayspring”) is a god in Norse mythology, a personification of a dawn.
Dhimma contract – the notional contract that governs relations with Christians in classical Islamic law.
Dhira – an Arabic unit of measurement, approximately 60 cm or 24 inches.
Doppelsöldner – “double-mercenaries” or “double-pay men”; originally Landsknechte in 16th-century Germany who volunteered to fight in the front line, taking on extra risk, in exchange for double payment.
Dreki – dragon.
Drengskapr – bravery, manliness.
Einmánuður – the sixth month of the year in the old Nordic calendar and the last winter month.
Eldjötnar – a particularly ruthless race of fire giant who lived in Muspelheim.
Englismaðr – Englander.
Félagi – Old Norseword for fellow, partner, companion, comrade.
Franj – Arabic term for Franks.
Frísir – a native of Frísland, modern day Netherlands.
From Fehu to Othala – phrase meaning from “A to B,” using the Futhark instead of the Latin alphabet.
Funafugl – flamingo.
Furðustrandir – the Wonderstrands, a stretch of coastline mentioned in the Icelandic Eiríks saga, located on the coast of Labrador.
Galdrkind – “magical creatures,” composed from spell songs.
Gambanteinn – a “magic” wand, staff of office.
Garðariki/Garðaveld – Old Norse term used in medieval times for the states of Kievan Rus.
Grikkir – people of Greek descent.
Gulrstein Caldera – Yellowstone Caldera, a volcanic caldera and supervolcano.
Gyðingar – people of Jewish descent.
Hādīth – the record of the words, actions, and the silent approval of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
Hājib – court title for chamberlain.
Hálogi – “High Flame,” a fire giant, the personification of fire.
Hamingja – a guardian spirit, the personification of the good fortune or luck of an individual or family.
Hamr – form or appearance, that which others perceive through sensory observation.
Haugbui and kattakyn – mound-dwellers and demons.
Helhest – a three-legged horse associated with death and illness in folklore.
Heljarblý – Plutonium, named after the Nordic equivalent of the name Pluto
Hjúki and Bil – a brother and sister pair of children who follow the personified moon, Máni, across the heavens, akin to Jack and Jill from the English nursery rhyme.
Hrafn – raven.
Hrímfaxi – the horse of Night.
Huldufólk – hidden folk.
Hvalros – walrus.
Imārat Qurṭuba – Emirate of Cordoba.
Islendingr – native of Iceland.
Karkadann – the “Lord of the Desert,” a mythical creature said to have lived on the grassy plains of India and Persia.
Khalīfah – leader of a Caliphate.
Khitai – Chinese.
Kjálkagálkn – crocodile.
Knattleikr – an ancient ball game played in Iceland.
Kornbretaland – Cornwall.
Kvaðrilljón – a large number, millions.
Læknir – doctor.
Landvaettir – spirits of the land in Norse mythology that protect and promote the flourishing of the specific places where they live, which can be as small as a rock or a corner of a field, or as large as a section of a country.
Líf and Lífthrasir – two humans who are foretold to survive the events of Ragnarök.
Ljósmóðir – literally Lightmother, in modern Icelandic used to refer to a midwife.
Madīnat as-Salām – the City of Peace, Baghdad.
Mother Jörð – in Norse myth, mother of the thunder god Thor, and the personification of earth.
Muhatasibs – a supervisor of bazaars and trade in the medieval Islamic countries.
Majūsiyya – a female pagan/queen.
Mordvargr – murderers.
Morguneyjar – Japanese (literally “morning isles”).
Morior invictus – a Latin phrase that means “Death before defeat”; the literal translation is “I die undefeated.”
Mundilfari – in Norse mythology, the father of Sól, the sun.
Mushrik – an idolater, a heathen.
Muwalladan – Neo-Muslims of Spanish origin.
Muya-hidīn – the term for one engaged in Jihad (literally, “struggle”), used in the period to mean the faithful of Islam.
Namsborg – Nantes.
Nasrani – Arabic name for Christians.
Ormr inn Langi – the Long Serpent; the original 10th century ship was built for the Norwegian King Olav Tryggvason and was the largest and most powerful longship of its day.
Ortug – unit of measurement, an ounce.
Qarāqīr – a type of boat, precursor to the carrack.
Qarlush bin Ludhwig – Arabic name for Charles the Bald, King of the Franks.
Qays’r al-Rûm – Roman Emperor.
Rudhmīr of Jiliqiyya – Ramiro II, Christian King of Galicia in northern Spain.
Rúðu – Roeun.
Rúnamál – runic alphabet.
Sækonungrs – sea-kings.
Sætumálmur – Norse form of chemical element Beryllium. Beryllium-10 is a radioactive isotope.
Sá gamli – the Old Man.
Sahir – witch, black magician.
Seidrkona – witch.
Seimgalir – Semigallians, a Baltic people living in the region of modern Latvia.
Sēnou – River Shannon.
Serkir – people of Arabic descent.
Sessrúmnir – a field where the goddess Freyja receives half of those who die in battle.
Shatranj – Arabic variant of chess.
Shayāṭīn – comparable to demons or devils in Islamic theology.
Skalli Fjall – Sca Fell Pike, the highest mountain in England.
Skjaldborg – shield wall.
Sómaherji – samurai.
Stari – starlings.
Svaðilfari – in Norse mythology, the stallion that fathered the eight-legged horse Sleipnir with Loki.
Sviar – Swedes.
Þráðriða – thread riders, specifically members of the three holy orders.
Þrǫstr – thrush.
Thurse – a giant, a Jötunn.
Til árs ok friðar – a toast, for a good year and frith (peace).
Trelleborg – Viking ring fortress.
Ugla – owl.
Ulfr – wolf.
Ülgen – a Turkic and Mongolian creator-deity, usually distinct from Tengri but sometimes identified with him in the same manner as Helios and Apollo.
Vafþrúðnir – “mighty weaver,” a wise jötunn in Norse mythology.
Vargdropi – outlaw, miscreant; literally “wolf dropping.”
Vesturljós – Western Lights.
Vingull – a horse’s male organ, used in some rituals.
Vísdómsmaðr – sage, soothsayer or prophet.
Visundur – bison.
Vǫlur – collective term for members of the holy orders.
Wazaghah – a type of lizard.
Ya Sharmouta – insult meaning “you bitch.”
Ýmirs eistna – an exclamation: “the testicles of the progenitor giant!”
Zunghar – “the left hand,” one of major tribes of the Mongolian steppe.