Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Old Norse language

Old Norse language

9.9
A language spoken in Scandinavia and Iceland from about 700 to 1350
  • noun
translation icon : lengua nórdica antigua
  • Many medieval sagas were originally written in Old Norse language.

Examples

  • The influence of the Old Norse language can be seen in many modern Scandinavian place names.

  • The Old Norse language was spoken by the Vikings.

  • He studied runic inscriptions to learn more about the Old Norse language.

  • Scholars study the Old Norse language to understand Viking culture.

  • The sagas written in the Old Norse language provide a unique insight into Viking culture.

  • Scholars study the Old Norse language to understand its influence on modern Scandinavian languages.

  • Many place names in Iceland originate from the Old Norse language spoken by the early settlers.

Synonyms

Old Norse
vsOld Norse language
1 9.9

A language once spoken by Vikings in Scandinavia and Iceland

is the identical language but includes AD in the date range

Surface Forms

Old Norse language singular
Old Norse languages plural

Morphology

old + Norse + language

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'old' (earlier/historical), 'Norse' (Scandinavian), and 'language' (a speech system) combine to mean an earlier Scandinavian language. This is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common naming pattern for historical languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The name Old Norse language shows Old means an earlier form and Norse names the people. These were the 'Vikings' and other people from Norway and nearby lands who carved runes and wrote sagas, so Old Norse language means the old language they spoke long ago.