Ethnolinguistics. Problems of Language and Culture / Etnolingwistyka. Problemy Jezyka i Kultury, 2022
This article discusses the relationship between the Old Germanic words for ‘a rudder’, Old Norse ... more This article discusses the relationship between the Old Germanic words for ‘a rudder’, Old Norse stýri / stjórn, Old High German stiura, Old English steor, etc., and Old Norse staurr, ‘a (pointed) stake’. These words in all probability stand in an ablaut relation to each other but it is difficult to tell what the cognitive link might be. The standard answer is that a stýri etc. originally was a beam / log / pole, understood as something similar to an oar, used to steer a ship. But it is difficult to steer a ship with a beam, log or pole, and a steering oar does not look much like these things. My suggestion is that a stýri etc. originally was more or less the same as a staurr, namely a pole which goes down into a substance that provides resistance and which thus anchors something. On the earliest depictions of ships with stýris etc. in Northern Europe, which are rowing ships, it seems that the function of the stýri was not to give the ship direction but to prevent it from drifting sideways on the water. On a stjóri, ‘primitive anchor’ (Old Norse), the decisive element is a pointed transverse at the bottom end which digs into the ground. Similarly, a stjóri in Faroese is a rope or fastening whereby people and goods are pulled ashore through the surf. Norwegian stjor(e) also have meanings that are fundamentally similar to this. The essential argument for the proposed understanding is that it allows stýri / stjórn / stiura etc. to have an original meaning close to that of Old Norse staurr, which the etymological relatedness demands. Our semantic complex surrounding to steer, steuern, etc., probably co-evolved with the directional stýri etc. that accompanied the evolution of the Northern European sailing ship during the Merovingian age.
Religions around the Arctic. Source Criticism and Comparisons, 2022
From thirteenth-century Iceland, we have texts that tell us about
a belief in local mountains whe... more From thirteenth-century Iceland, we have texts that tell us about a belief in local mountains where people could go after death. In mainland Scandinavia, the eighteenth-century sources for Sami religion tell us about a similar tradition. In this chapter, I will compare these traditions and argue that they overlapped both in content and geographically, and that they constituted a partly shared tradition. I will compare the textual information about the two traditions, and I will compare the relevant places in the context of the surrounding landscapes. In Sami tradition, the places are in a few cases lakes and rivers rather than mountains.
This paper presents an interpretation of the river name Flokoa near Lillehammer, Norway, on the ... more This paper presents an interpretation of the river name Flokoa near Lillehammer, Norway, on the background of Old Norwegian vowel harmony.
This article provides a critical review and discussion of the literature on the development of th... more This article provides a critical review and discussion of the literature on the development of the spoken language in and around Oslo. Opinions are divided. The key term ‘standard’ is used in various ways and there is disagreement regarding what is happening, what is the majority view on what is happening, which development(s) should be expected, which variety is most prestigious and how the expansive variety in the area should be referred to. At the same time, important questions are not being raised and there are often entirely disparate understandings of the same empirical material, apparently caused by different theoretical and ideological starting-points. On the basis of the data presented in the literature, I attempt here to clarify what is happening and to find out why interpretations vary so greatly. I conclude (with Stjernholm) that what now dominates in Oslo is not a modified variant of one thing or the other, but a compromise, and I argue (building on Sandøy) in favour of referring to this variety as ‘Common East Norwegian’, rather than ‘Standard East Norwegian’, which has caused confusion. The difference in opinions regarding what to expect is, as I see it, caused by considering the developments in Denmark and England as the norm without taking into account the different chronology of the centralisation of speech in these countries.
Old Norse religion in long-term perspectives. Origins, changes, and interactions, 2006
This paper argues that seiðr was about spinning a mind emissary, sending forth such a spun emissa... more This paper argues that seiðr was about spinning a mind emissary, sending forth such a spun emissary, or attracting things or doing other things with such a mind emissary. Further arguments for this view can be read in my dissertation on gand(r). (Gand, seid og åndevind.)
This article presents new explanations for the following names: Godøya on Sunnmøre, Western Norwa... more This article presents new explanations for the following names: Godøya on Sunnmøre, Western Norway; Jomfruland on the Norwegian Skagerrak coast, Jungfrun in Kalmarsund, Sweden; and Landegode, which has been used about three separate Norwegian islands: the mentioned Jomfruland; Svinøya north of Stad, Western Norway; and Landegode near Bodø, Northern Norway. The traditional explanation is that the three Landegode islands together with Jungfrun are particularly dangerous places within the coastal waters and that the names are placating names that were used in order to appease the powers thought to reside there and let sailors pass without any trouble. However, the claim that these islands are dangerous places does not stand up to scrutiny. What distinguishes them, together with the island of Godøya in Sunnmøre, is quite the contrary: They are natural navigation marks surrounded by clear waters, free of skerries and reefs, so that sailors are able to steer towards them in order to avoid any sub-surface dangers. This must have been invaluable in times before sea charts, compass and more advanced navigational aids. My suggestion therefore is that the name Landegode, ‘the good land’, is to be understood literally: The three Landegode islands are places that are good, in the sense of helpful, for sailors. The name Godøya in Sunnmøre, derived from Guðey ‘god-island’, is, I believe, to be understood in a similar way – the difference being that, here, the easy approach from the sea was considered so useful that it was linked to the gods. Regarding Jomfruland ‘Virgin-Land’ and Jungfrun ‘The Virgin’, my suggestion is that a wordplay is at issue: These islands are either flanked or surrounded by clear waters, which in Norwegian and Swedish is expressed as ‘clean waters’, while virgins were said to be ‘clean’ in former times.
In this article, I discuss whether there is a connection between the Sámi tradition of Stállu and... more In this article, I discuss whether there is a connection between the Sámi tradition of Stállu and the Southern Norwegian tradition of Ståle and Stålesferda. Stállu is a kind of troll in Sámi tradition, but one variant of it, the Juovlastállu ‘Yule Stállu’, is connected to Christmas and greatly overlaps with the Oskoreia / Juleskreia / Julereia tradition of the Wild Hunt, which in the district of Setesdal is called Stålesferda, a name indicating that it is led by Ståle. This, and the fact that Stállu seems to be a loanword because it has an initial consonant cluster, which Sámi in principle does not have, is the basis for a suggestion that the character Stállu and much of the tradition connected to him is a loan from an early Scandinavian Ståle tradition. I agree with this, but argue that the Scandinavian word that has been suggested as the source is implausible. Instead, I suggest a different etymology for Stállu / Ståle and argue that the essence of the tradition of the Juovlastállu / Stålesferda / Oskoreia etc. is the swarming host – of dead spirits, elves, or other, with their riding or draught animals. Therefore, I suggest an Old Norse *stál as the source for Stállu and Ståle. In the Modern Norwegian dialects, this word, stål, is common in meanings such as ‘a compressed mass of live beings; a crowd, flock, school’, which fits very well. Even if the term Stállu and other elements in the Sámi traditions surrounding it seem borrowed from Scandinavian, the Sámi may well have had similar traditions prior to borrowing the term.
HUSTADVIKA Namnet Hustadvika var mykje i nyheitene då cruiseskipet Viking Sky var naer på å forli... more HUSTADVIKA Namnet Hustadvika var mykje i nyheitene då cruiseskipet Viking Sky var naer på å forlise der i uver 23. mars. Hustadvika er ei oppimot to landmil lang kyst strekning som slett ikkje er noka vik, men heller står litt ut. Korleis kan det ha seg at ordet vik dekker eit slikt område i dette namnet? For sjøfarande er det to ting som er spesielle med Hustadvika. For det fyrste er det ei av strekningane på Norskekysten der skipstrafikken ikkje kan gå innanfor eit vernande band av øyar og holmar, men må ut i havet for å koma framom. Derfor er det kanskje rettare å kalle Hustadvika ei havstrekning. Alle strekningar av denne typen er kjende som spesielt farlege; mest kjende er kanskje Stadhavet, Hustadvika, Folla (i Namdalen), Sletta (ved Haugesund) og havet utanfor Lista og Lindesnes. For det andre er det ekstra uroleg sjø i fleire område der. Utanfor Bud blir det ekstra krapp sjø når det er pålandsvind og fallande sjø, slik at vind og bølgjer går imot straumen som kjem ut Julsundet når floa i Romsdals-fjordane skal til havs. Viking Sky naer på å forlise på Hustadvika 23. mars 2019. Foto: KSU.NO I le av den vide Bu(d)agrunnen utanfor Bud og Griptarane utanfor Kristiansund, blir det uroleg sjø når den delen av bølgjene som passerer midt over grunnane blir 79 seinka, medan «fløyene» av bølgjene ikkje blir det, slik at «fløyene» møter seg sjølve i kryss («refraksjonssentern. Den norske los Stad-Rørvik 2018: 34). Dessutan er det ureint på denne strekninga, med mange skjer utanfor landet, og lenger ute mange grunnar som sjøen blir krapp over eller bryt over. Ureint farvatn utanfor øyane er normalt på Norskekysten, men skipsfarten merker det best der det ikkje er rein lei innanfor-altså på strekningar som Hustadvika. Midt på Hustadvika er det ei vik som heiter Hustadbukta (utanfor mellom alderkongsgarden Hustad). Fleire har vore inne på at det opphavleg var denne vika som heitte Hustadvika, før bruken vart utvida til eit større område, slik at sjølv� vika måtte få eit anna namn (Opstad: 10-11, Sandøy 2011: 72). Så seint som i 1704 blir Hustadvig brukt om Hustadbukta på eit kart av Melkior Ramus frå Gossa i Romsdalen. 4 Det kan neppe vera tvil om at det er dette som har skjedd. Men korleis kunne namnet på den vika få ein slik utvida bruk? Granskar ein sjøkartet over Hustadvika (norgeskart.no-> Bakgrunnskart-> Sjøkart), så ser ein at det går leier innanfor skjer og holmar på mesteparten av strekninga vi kallar Hustadvika. Unntaket er dei fem kilometrane forbi dei to vikene Hustadbukta og Breivika, som ligg like på nordsida av Bustadbuk.ta. Berre der er det heilt fritt for skjergard, slik at også småbåtar må over eit ope havstykke. A v desse vikene er Hustadbukta den klårt største, og er denned kjernen i den farlege havstrekninga. Så lenge skipa var så små at dei kunne gå i innanskjerslei nord og sør for Hustadbukta, var det berre Hustadbukta med Breivika som var den farlege havstrekninga. Men dei leiene er både tronge og grunne, og til dels krokete. Då ein fekk skip som var for store til å gå der (ein gong i vikingtida?), måtte dei ut i havet på heile strekninga. Då kunne namnet på den korte farlege havstrekninga lett følgje med over på den utvida farlege havstrekninga. Etter kvart som det vart vanlegare med store skip, må større og større andel av dei som brukte namnet, ha brukt det om den utvida farlege havstrekninga, til dess det var det som var den normale referansen for namnet. Då måtte den opphavlege vika få eit anna namn. Skipsutviklinga har gjort at ein i dag gjer andre vurderingar av kva som er farleg enn ein gjorde den tida trafikken langs mesteparten av Hustadvika gjekk i dei tronge innanskjersleiene. Den gongen alle farkostar var små, og dessutan opne, var den grove sjøen på havet ein så stor fare at folk strekte seg langt for å unngå opne havstykke. Det vitnar mange av stadnamna på drag om, t.d. Drage på Stadlandet, der folk drog båtar fire kilometer over det meir enn 200 m høge eidet 4 Takk til Helge Sandøy for opplysning om dette. Kartet ligg på https://kartverket.no/Kart/Historiske kart/Historiske-kart-galleri/historiske-kart-detaljer/?kartid=amt2_romsdals-amt-2_1704.
This article discusses how we can determine which nouns in the Proto-Scandinavian runic corpus ar... more This article discusses how we can determine which nouns in the Proto-Scandinavian runic corpus are names and which are bynames or appellatives. With regard to making definite distinctions, it seems that the criteria have neither been formulated nor discussed very much. The article presents a critical view of the way in which the problem has been handled hitherto and considers the different criteria that have been applied. Unfortunately, I cannot offer new, better methods for identifying names; my aim is to argue in favour of more explicit criteria and a more careful approach when it comes to pointing out names in the Proto-Scandinavian corpus.
This article discusses a certain type of ship known from Scandinavian Viking Age and Merovingian ... more This article discusses a certain type of ship known from Scandinavian Viking Age and Merovingian Period iconography. This type of ship has a vertical stem and stern that meet the keel at right angles, sometimes with an extension filling the space under a sloping forefoot and a similar extension at the rear end of the keel. This design seems to be connected with the earliest sailing ships and it has been suggested that the extensions were invented to meet the increased need for lateral resistance when sailing. Additional arguments for this view are explored which suggest that this design was a transitional stage between rowing ships with steering oars at both ends and specialized sailing ships with more sophisticated designs for sideways resistance: the extensions are the steering oars’ anti-leeway properties ‘built into the hull’. The authors also
suggest that this type of ship was referred to in Old Norse as beit, which is a term that seems to date from the Early Viking Age. In Modern Norwegian, lobeit ‘windward beit’ refers to a ship’s ability to avoid leeway and is probably related to the verb beita ‘to sail upwind’, which seems to derive from a comparison of the keel with a cutting tool. This would fit well with the discussed ship type and its extensions.
We are not allowed to upload the whole article. If you want to read it, you have to go to the journal's website or get hold of a printed copy. If you contact me, perhaps I can send you a pdf.
Visions and Traditions. Knowledge Production and Tradition Archives, 2018
The aim of this article is twofold: a) to draw attention to the research
opportunities that will... more The aim of this article is twofold: a) to draw attention to the research
opportunities that will open up when or if the Scandinavian folklore
archives are digitized; and b) to draw attention to the fact that quite
simple digitizing has consequences for the arguments that led to the greatest reorientation in the history of folkloristics/ethnology/cultural studies. The aim is not to discuss digitizing in general, or the technological or ethical challenges and opportunities linked to digitizing, by which I mean the way digitized material can or should be organized or made available. Others have dealt with this, see e.g. Kjus 2013 or Skott 2008 on making material accessible, or the references on the technological aspects under 'Digitizing: a game changer' below. Nor is the aim to criticize others for having digitized too little, nor, in fact, to lobby for digitization. Many others have done this (e.g. the two previous references and Tangherlini 2013a), and it should be obvious to everyone that digitizing is becoming more and more important. - The book is the winner of the 2018 Brenda McCallum Prize for works of excellence and innovation.
Supernatural Encounters in Old Norse Literature and Tradition, 2018
This essay presents a literary interpretation, both intertextual and non-intertextual, of the Ice... more This essay presents a literary interpretation, both intertextual and non-intertextual, of the Icelandic, High Medieval saga Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns. This saga is known for its extensive reuse of myths, especially about Þórr and his encounter with the giants Útgarða-Loki and Geirrøðr. The article argues that the hero’s byname bǿjarmagn (farm crasher) and its supposed derivation — he is so big that he ‘overpowers’ most houses because the doors are too small — is a direct reference to the macho god Þórr’s surprising humiliation at Útgarða-Loki’s. There, Þórr is so small that he can slip in between the bars of the gate. It seems that the author wanted to link his hero and saga directly to this situation, which represents a twist on the usual image of Þórr, and make another twist on it. At Útgarða-Loki’s, Þórr is humiliated because his opponent controls what he sees as part of an attempt to make him appear small and weak. In Þorsteins þáttr, the hero controls what is seen and therefore is able to crush his opponents in a humiliating way, in spite of his being a dwarf in comparison to them. During a feast similar to the one at Útgarða-Loki’s, he makes himself invisible, thereby staving off humiliation. Then, he blinds his adversaries, thus becoming able to kill/humiliate them in a sexually symbolic way. The motif ‘invisible hero manipulates royal feast’ seems to be taken from an elf queen legend that is probably reused as an exemplum in the first adventure of the saga, the journey to the world of elves. This legend seems to be a key to how the medieval author worked with his material, although it is not recorded until the nineteenth century. The interrelations between the legend and the elf adventure in the saga, as well as the internal logic of these narratives, indicate that the saga version is based upon a medieval version of the oral legend. If correct, this implies that the saga in combination with the nineteenth-century legend versions represent an overlooked source for elf traditions in the Middle Ages.
If you want a pdf of the article, you can contact me, eldar.heide@hvl.no.
This article argues that the Icelandic legendary saga Áns saga bogsveigis was written as a comple... more This article argues that the Icelandic legendary saga Áns saga bogsveigis was written as a complementary Egils saga with an alternative outcome, one in which it is not the aggressive tyrant who wins, but the farmers. To achieve this, the author uses an option that Egill's family did not have, because it was humiliating: The hero plays the wretched fool; consequently , he is not taken seriously, and therefore he can build up power in secret until he is able to defeat the king. At the same time, Áns saga seems to be a twist on Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns, which seems to be a twist on the myth of Þórr's visit to Útgarða-Loki. In the myth, the superhumanly strong hero is unexpectedly humiliated, because his opponent controls what he sees. In Þorsteins þáttr, the hero turns the tables, because he controls what his opponent sees. In Áns saga, the herculean hero chooses to be humiliated, and this is why he unexpectedly wins.
Artikkelen vart 19.02.2018 publisert her: https://forskning.no/historie-kulturhistorie-sprak/2018... more Artikkelen vart 19.02.2018 publisert her: https://forskning.no/historie-kulturhistorie-sprak/2018/02/2000-ars-sprakendring-utloyst-av-pest-og-velstand 2000 års språkendring – utløyst av pest og velstand Norsk talemål er inne i den største og raskaste endringa på eit halvt tusen år. Dei periodane norsk talemål har endra seg mest er 5-600-talet, seinmellomalderen, og tida vi lever i no. I dei to fyrste periodane kom språkendringane etter pest og samfunnssamanbrot. Situasjonen no er motsett, men likevel er det faktisk dei same prosessane som verkar.
Denne artikkelen problematiserer forholdet mellom norskopplæringa sitt mål om at innlærarane skal... more Denne artikkelen problematiserer forholdet mellom norskopplæringa sitt mål om at innlærarane skal bli kommunikative og integrerte i samfunnet og fokuset på bokmål og standardspråk i læremidla. På bakgrunn av at mange norskinnlærarar er frustrerte over lite samsvar mellom daglegtalen og språket dei møter i opplæringa, ser eg på korleis den store variasjonen i norsk blir handtert i læreplanar, lærebøker og faglitteratur. Det viser seg at læreverka stort sett formidlar bokmål med normert austnorsk uttale, eventuelt nynorsk normalmål, medan dialekt har svært liten plass. Vidare presenterer eg forsking som tyder på at dialektbruk fremjar integrering og peikar på at det er semje om at språk må øvast i autentiske situasjonar. Då er det eit paradoks at dialekt har så liten plass. Forenkling i ulike former er pedagogisk nødvendig, men må balanserast mot eksponering for språket slik det er. Skjermar vi innlærarane mot variasjonen i språket, kan det gje truleg dei eit handikap, trass i gode intensjonar. Som avslutning drøftar eg årsakene til dagens praksis og korleis variasjonen i språket kan koma sterkare inn i andrespråksopplæringa.
Review of the book: Nyman, Eva, Jörgen Magnusson og Elzbieta Strzelecka (red.), 2014: Den heliga ... more Review of the book: Nyman, Eva, Jörgen Magnusson og Elzbieta Strzelecka (red.), 2014: Den heliga platsen. Handlingar från symposiet Den heliga platsen. Härnösand 15-18 september 2011. Skrifter i humaniora vid Mittuniversitetet 1. Sundsvall: Mittuniversitetet. ISBN: 978-91-86694-95-1.
Ethnolinguistics. Problems of Language and Culture / Etnolingwistyka. Problemy Jezyka i Kultury, 2022
This article discusses the relationship between the Old Germanic words for ‘a rudder’, Old Norse ... more This article discusses the relationship between the Old Germanic words for ‘a rudder’, Old Norse stýri / stjórn, Old High German stiura, Old English steor, etc., and Old Norse staurr, ‘a (pointed) stake’. These words in all probability stand in an ablaut relation to each other but it is difficult to tell what the cognitive link might be. The standard answer is that a stýri etc. originally was a beam / log / pole, understood as something similar to an oar, used to steer a ship. But it is difficult to steer a ship with a beam, log or pole, and a steering oar does not look much like these things. My suggestion is that a stýri etc. originally was more or less the same as a staurr, namely a pole which goes down into a substance that provides resistance and which thus anchors something. On the earliest depictions of ships with stýris etc. in Northern Europe, which are rowing ships, it seems that the function of the stýri was not to give the ship direction but to prevent it from drifting sideways on the water. On a stjóri, ‘primitive anchor’ (Old Norse), the decisive element is a pointed transverse at the bottom end which digs into the ground. Similarly, a stjóri in Faroese is a rope or fastening whereby people and goods are pulled ashore through the surf. Norwegian stjor(e) also have meanings that are fundamentally similar to this. The essential argument for the proposed understanding is that it allows stýri / stjórn / stiura etc. to have an original meaning close to that of Old Norse staurr, which the etymological relatedness demands. Our semantic complex surrounding to steer, steuern, etc., probably co-evolved with the directional stýri etc. that accompanied the evolution of the Northern European sailing ship during the Merovingian age.
Religions around the Arctic. Source Criticism and Comparisons, 2022
From thirteenth-century Iceland, we have texts that tell us about
a belief in local mountains whe... more From thirteenth-century Iceland, we have texts that tell us about a belief in local mountains where people could go after death. In mainland Scandinavia, the eighteenth-century sources for Sami religion tell us about a similar tradition. In this chapter, I will compare these traditions and argue that they overlapped both in content and geographically, and that they constituted a partly shared tradition. I will compare the textual information about the two traditions, and I will compare the relevant places in the context of the surrounding landscapes. In Sami tradition, the places are in a few cases lakes and rivers rather than mountains.
This paper presents an interpretation of the river name Flokoa near Lillehammer, Norway, on the ... more This paper presents an interpretation of the river name Flokoa near Lillehammer, Norway, on the background of Old Norwegian vowel harmony.
This article provides a critical review and discussion of the literature on the development of th... more This article provides a critical review and discussion of the literature on the development of the spoken language in and around Oslo. Opinions are divided. The key term ‘standard’ is used in various ways and there is disagreement regarding what is happening, what is the majority view on what is happening, which development(s) should be expected, which variety is most prestigious and how the expansive variety in the area should be referred to. At the same time, important questions are not being raised and there are often entirely disparate understandings of the same empirical material, apparently caused by different theoretical and ideological starting-points. On the basis of the data presented in the literature, I attempt here to clarify what is happening and to find out why interpretations vary so greatly. I conclude (with Stjernholm) that what now dominates in Oslo is not a modified variant of one thing or the other, but a compromise, and I argue (building on Sandøy) in favour of referring to this variety as ‘Common East Norwegian’, rather than ‘Standard East Norwegian’, which has caused confusion. The difference in opinions regarding what to expect is, as I see it, caused by considering the developments in Denmark and England as the norm without taking into account the different chronology of the centralisation of speech in these countries.
Old Norse religion in long-term perspectives. Origins, changes, and interactions, 2006
This paper argues that seiðr was about spinning a mind emissary, sending forth such a spun emissa... more This paper argues that seiðr was about spinning a mind emissary, sending forth such a spun emissary, or attracting things or doing other things with such a mind emissary. Further arguments for this view can be read in my dissertation on gand(r). (Gand, seid og åndevind.)
This article presents new explanations for the following names: Godøya on Sunnmøre, Western Norwa... more This article presents new explanations for the following names: Godøya on Sunnmøre, Western Norway; Jomfruland on the Norwegian Skagerrak coast, Jungfrun in Kalmarsund, Sweden; and Landegode, which has been used about three separate Norwegian islands: the mentioned Jomfruland; Svinøya north of Stad, Western Norway; and Landegode near Bodø, Northern Norway. The traditional explanation is that the three Landegode islands together with Jungfrun are particularly dangerous places within the coastal waters and that the names are placating names that were used in order to appease the powers thought to reside there and let sailors pass without any trouble. However, the claim that these islands are dangerous places does not stand up to scrutiny. What distinguishes them, together with the island of Godøya in Sunnmøre, is quite the contrary: They are natural navigation marks surrounded by clear waters, free of skerries and reefs, so that sailors are able to steer towards them in order to avoid any sub-surface dangers. This must have been invaluable in times before sea charts, compass and more advanced navigational aids. My suggestion therefore is that the name Landegode, ‘the good land’, is to be understood literally: The three Landegode islands are places that are good, in the sense of helpful, for sailors. The name Godøya in Sunnmøre, derived from Guðey ‘god-island’, is, I believe, to be understood in a similar way – the difference being that, here, the easy approach from the sea was considered so useful that it was linked to the gods. Regarding Jomfruland ‘Virgin-Land’ and Jungfrun ‘The Virgin’, my suggestion is that a wordplay is at issue: These islands are either flanked or surrounded by clear waters, which in Norwegian and Swedish is expressed as ‘clean waters’, while virgins were said to be ‘clean’ in former times.
In this article, I discuss whether there is a connection between the Sámi tradition of Stállu and... more In this article, I discuss whether there is a connection between the Sámi tradition of Stállu and the Southern Norwegian tradition of Ståle and Stålesferda. Stállu is a kind of troll in Sámi tradition, but one variant of it, the Juovlastállu ‘Yule Stállu’, is connected to Christmas and greatly overlaps with the Oskoreia / Juleskreia / Julereia tradition of the Wild Hunt, which in the district of Setesdal is called Stålesferda, a name indicating that it is led by Ståle. This, and the fact that Stállu seems to be a loanword because it has an initial consonant cluster, which Sámi in principle does not have, is the basis for a suggestion that the character Stállu and much of the tradition connected to him is a loan from an early Scandinavian Ståle tradition. I agree with this, but argue that the Scandinavian word that has been suggested as the source is implausible. Instead, I suggest a different etymology for Stállu / Ståle and argue that the essence of the tradition of the Juovlastállu / Stålesferda / Oskoreia etc. is the swarming host – of dead spirits, elves, or other, with their riding or draught animals. Therefore, I suggest an Old Norse *stál as the source for Stállu and Ståle. In the Modern Norwegian dialects, this word, stål, is common in meanings such as ‘a compressed mass of live beings; a crowd, flock, school’, which fits very well. Even if the term Stállu and other elements in the Sámi traditions surrounding it seem borrowed from Scandinavian, the Sámi may well have had similar traditions prior to borrowing the term.
HUSTADVIKA Namnet Hustadvika var mykje i nyheitene då cruiseskipet Viking Sky var naer på å forli... more HUSTADVIKA Namnet Hustadvika var mykje i nyheitene då cruiseskipet Viking Sky var naer på å forlise der i uver 23. mars. Hustadvika er ei oppimot to landmil lang kyst strekning som slett ikkje er noka vik, men heller står litt ut. Korleis kan det ha seg at ordet vik dekker eit slikt område i dette namnet? For sjøfarande er det to ting som er spesielle med Hustadvika. For det fyrste er det ei av strekningane på Norskekysten der skipstrafikken ikkje kan gå innanfor eit vernande band av øyar og holmar, men må ut i havet for å koma framom. Derfor er det kanskje rettare å kalle Hustadvika ei havstrekning. Alle strekningar av denne typen er kjende som spesielt farlege; mest kjende er kanskje Stadhavet, Hustadvika, Folla (i Namdalen), Sletta (ved Haugesund) og havet utanfor Lista og Lindesnes. For det andre er det ekstra uroleg sjø i fleire område der. Utanfor Bud blir det ekstra krapp sjø når det er pålandsvind og fallande sjø, slik at vind og bølgjer går imot straumen som kjem ut Julsundet når floa i Romsdals-fjordane skal til havs. Viking Sky naer på å forlise på Hustadvika 23. mars 2019. Foto: KSU.NO I le av den vide Bu(d)agrunnen utanfor Bud og Griptarane utanfor Kristiansund, blir det uroleg sjø når den delen av bølgjene som passerer midt over grunnane blir 79 seinka, medan «fløyene» av bølgjene ikkje blir det, slik at «fløyene» møter seg sjølve i kryss («refraksjonssentern. Den norske los Stad-Rørvik 2018: 34). Dessutan er det ureint på denne strekninga, med mange skjer utanfor landet, og lenger ute mange grunnar som sjøen blir krapp over eller bryt over. Ureint farvatn utanfor øyane er normalt på Norskekysten, men skipsfarten merker det best der det ikkje er rein lei innanfor-altså på strekningar som Hustadvika. Midt på Hustadvika er det ei vik som heiter Hustadbukta (utanfor mellom alderkongsgarden Hustad). Fleire har vore inne på at det opphavleg var denne vika som heitte Hustadvika, før bruken vart utvida til eit større område, slik at sjølv� vika måtte få eit anna namn (Opstad: 10-11, Sandøy 2011: 72). Så seint som i 1704 blir Hustadvig brukt om Hustadbukta på eit kart av Melkior Ramus frå Gossa i Romsdalen. 4 Det kan neppe vera tvil om at det er dette som har skjedd. Men korleis kunne namnet på den vika få ein slik utvida bruk? Granskar ein sjøkartet over Hustadvika (norgeskart.no-> Bakgrunnskart-> Sjøkart), så ser ein at det går leier innanfor skjer og holmar på mesteparten av strekninga vi kallar Hustadvika. Unntaket er dei fem kilometrane forbi dei to vikene Hustadbukta og Breivika, som ligg like på nordsida av Bustadbuk.ta. Berre der er det heilt fritt for skjergard, slik at også småbåtar må over eit ope havstykke. A v desse vikene er Hustadbukta den klårt største, og er denned kjernen i den farlege havstrekninga. Så lenge skipa var så små at dei kunne gå i innanskjerslei nord og sør for Hustadbukta, var det berre Hustadbukta med Breivika som var den farlege havstrekninga. Men dei leiene er både tronge og grunne, og til dels krokete. Då ein fekk skip som var for store til å gå der (ein gong i vikingtida?), måtte dei ut i havet på heile strekninga. Då kunne namnet på den korte farlege havstrekninga lett følgje med over på den utvida farlege havstrekninga. Etter kvart som det vart vanlegare med store skip, må større og større andel av dei som brukte namnet, ha brukt det om den utvida farlege havstrekninga, til dess det var det som var den normale referansen for namnet. Då måtte den opphavlege vika få eit anna namn. Skipsutviklinga har gjort at ein i dag gjer andre vurderingar av kva som er farleg enn ein gjorde den tida trafikken langs mesteparten av Hustadvika gjekk i dei tronge innanskjersleiene. Den gongen alle farkostar var små, og dessutan opne, var den grove sjøen på havet ein så stor fare at folk strekte seg langt for å unngå opne havstykke. Det vitnar mange av stadnamna på drag om, t.d. Drage på Stadlandet, der folk drog båtar fire kilometer over det meir enn 200 m høge eidet 4 Takk til Helge Sandøy for opplysning om dette. Kartet ligg på https://kartverket.no/Kart/Historiske kart/Historiske-kart-galleri/historiske-kart-detaljer/?kartid=amt2_romsdals-amt-2_1704.
This article discusses how we can determine which nouns in the Proto-Scandinavian runic corpus ar... more This article discusses how we can determine which nouns in the Proto-Scandinavian runic corpus are names and which are bynames or appellatives. With regard to making definite distinctions, it seems that the criteria have neither been formulated nor discussed very much. The article presents a critical view of the way in which the problem has been handled hitherto and considers the different criteria that have been applied. Unfortunately, I cannot offer new, better methods for identifying names; my aim is to argue in favour of more explicit criteria and a more careful approach when it comes to pointing out names in the Proto-Scandinavian corpus.
This article discusses a certain type of ship known from Scandinavian Viking Age and Merovingian ... more This article discusses a certain type of ship known from Scandinavian Viking Age and Merovingian Period iconography. This type of ship has a vertical stem and stern that meet the keel at right angles, sometimes with an extension filling the space under a sloping forefoot and a similar extension at the rear end of the keel. This design seems to be connected with the earliest sailing ships and it has been suggested that the extensions were invented to meet the increased need for lateral resistance when sailing. Additional arguments for this view are explored which suggest that this design was a transitional stage between rowing ships with steering oars at both ends and specialized sailing ships with more sophisticated designs for sideways resistance: the extensions are the steering oars’ anti-leeway properties ‘built into the hull’. The authors also
suggest that this type of ship was referred to in Old Norse as beit, which is a term that seems to date from the Early Viking Age. In Modern Norwegian, lobeit ‘windward beit’ refers to a ship’s ability to avoid leeway and is probably related to the verb beita ‘to sail upwind’, which seems to derive from a comparison of the keel with a cutting tool. This would fit well with the discussed ship type and its extensions.
We are not allowed to upload the whole article. If you want to read it, you have to go to the journal's website or get hold of a printed copy. If you contact me, perhaps I can send you a pdf.
Visions and Traditions. Knowledge Production and Tradition Archives, 2018
The aim of this article is twofold: a) to draw attention to the research
opportunities that will... more The aim of this article is twofold: a) to draw attention to the research
opportunities that will open up when or if the Scandinavian folklore
archives are digitized; and b) to draw attention to the fact that quite
simple digitizing has consequences for the arguments that led to the greatest reorientation in the history of folkloristics/ethnology/cultural studies. The aim is not to discuss digitizing in general, or the technological or ethical challenges and opportunities linked to digitizing, by which I mean the way digitized material can or should be organized or made available. Others have dealt with this, see e.g. Kjus 2013 or Skott 2008 on making material accessible, or the references on the technological aspects under 'Digitizing: a game changer' below. Nor is the aim to criticize others for having digitized too little, nor, in fact, to lobby for digitization. Many others have done this (e.g. the two previous references and Tangherlini 2013a), and it should be obvious to everyone that digitizing is becoming more and more important. - The book is the winner of the 2018 Brenda McCallum Prize for works of excellence and innovation.
Supernatural Encounters in Old Norse Literature and Tradition, 2018
This essay presents a literary interpretation, both intertextual and non-intertextual, of the Ice... more This essay presents a literary interpretation, both intertextual and non-intertextual, of the Icelandic, High Medieval saga Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns. This saga is known for its extensive reuse of myths, especially about Þórr and his encounter with the giants Útgarða-Loki and Geirrøðr. The article argues that the hero’s byname bǿjarmagn (farm crasher) and its supposed derivation — he is so big that he ‘overpowers’ most houses because the doors are too small — is a direct reference to the macho god Þórr’s surprising humiliation at Útgarða-Loki’s. There, Þórr is so small that he can slip in between the bars of the gate. It seems that the author wanted to link his hero and saga directly to this situation, which represents a twist on the usual image of Þórr, and make another twist on it. At Útgarða-Loki’s, Þórr is humiliated because his opponent controls what he sees as part of an attempt to make him appear small and weak. In Þorsteins þáttr, the hero controls what is seen and therefore is able to crush his opponents in a humiliating way, in spite of his being a dwarf in comparison to them. During a feast similar to the one at Útgarða-Loki’s, he makes himself invisible, thereby staving off humiliation. Then, he blinds his adversaries, thus becoming able to kill/humiliate them in a sexually symbolic way. The motif ‘invisible hero manipulates royal feast’ seems to be taken from an elf queen legend that is probably reused as an exemplum in the first adventure of the saga, the journey to the world of elves. This legend seems to be a key to how the medieval author worked with his material, although it is not recorded until the nineteenth century. The interrelations between the legend and the elf adventure in the saga, as well as the internal logic of these narratives, indicate that the saga version is based upon a medieval version of the oral legend. If correct, this implies that the saga in combination with the nineteenth-century legend versions represent an overlooked source for elf traditions in the Middle Ages.
If you want a pdf of the article, you can contact me, eldar.heide@hvl.no.
This article argues that the Icelandic legendary saga Áns saga bogsveigis was written as a comple... more This article argues that the Icelandic legendary saga Áns saga bogsveigis was written as a complementary Egils saga with an alternative outcome, one in which it is not the aggressive tyrant who wins, but the farmers. To achieve this, the author uses an option that Egill's family did not have, because it was humiliating: The hero plays the wretched fool; consequently , he is not taken seriously, and therefore he can build up power in secret until he is able to defeat the king. At the same time, Áns saga seems to be a twist on Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns, which seems to be a twist on the myth of Þórr's visit to Útgarða-Loki. In the myth, the superhumanly strong hero is unexpectedly humiliated, because his opponent controls what he sees. In Þorsteins þáttr, the hero turns the tables, because he controls what his opponent sees. In Áns saga, the herculean hero chooses to be humiliated, and this is why he unexpectedly wins.
Artikkelen vart 19.02.2018 publisert her: https://forskning.no/historie-kulturhistorie-sprak/2018... more Artikkelen vart 19.02.2018 publisert her: https://forskning.no/historie-kulturhistorie-sprak/2018/02/2000-ars-sprakendring-utloyst-av-pest-og-velstand 2000 års språkendring – utløyst av pest og velstand Norsk talemål er inne i den største og raskaste endringa på eit halvt tusen år. Dei periodane norsk talemål har endra seg mest er 5-600-talet, seinmellomalderen, og tida vi lever i no. I dei to fyrste periodane kom språkendringane etter pest og samfunnssamanbrot. Situasjonen no er motsett, men likevel er det faktisk dei same prosessane som verkar.
Denne artikkelen problematiserer forholdet mellom norskopplæringa sitt mål om at innlærarane skal... more Denne artikkelen problematiserer forholdet mellom norskopplæringa sitt mål om at innlærarane skal bli kommunikative og integrerte i samfunnet og fokuset på bokmål og standardspråk i læremidla. På bakgrunn av at mange norskinnlærarar er frustrerte over lite samsvar mellom daglegtalen og språket dei møter i opplæringa, ser eg på korleis den store variasjonen i norsk blir handtert i læreplanar, lærebøker og faglitteratur. Det viser seg at læreverka stort sett formidlar bokmål med normert austnorsk uttale, eventuelt nynorsk normalmål, medan dialekt har svært liten plass. Vidare presenterer eg forsking som tyder på at dialektbruk fremjar integrering og peikar på at det er semje om at språk må øvast i autentiske situasjonar. Då er det eit paradoks at dialekt har så liten plass. Forenkling i ulike former er pedagogisk nødvendig, men må balanserast mot eksponering for språket slik det er. Skjermar vi innlærarane mot variasjonen i språket, kan det gje truleg dei eit handikap, trass i gode intensjonar. Som avslutning drøftar eg årsakene til dagens praksis og korleis variasjonen i språket kan koma sterkare inn i andrespråksopplæringa.
Review of the book: Nyman, Eva, Jörgen Magnusson og Elzbieta Strzelecka (red.), 2014: Den heliga ... more Review of the book: Nyman, Eva, Jörgen Magnusson og Elzbieta Strzelecka (red.), 2014: Den heliga platsen. Handlingar från symposiet Den heliga platsen. Härnösand 15-18 september 2011. Skrifter i humaniora vid Mittuniversitetet 1. Sundsvall: Mittuniversitetet. ISBN: 978-91-86694-95-1.
Place names that guide: names of mountains important for navigation on the west coast of Norway
... more Place names that guide: names of mountains important for navigation on the west coast of Norway
Place names that hide: names of harbours suited for hiding near the shipping lane along the coast of Norway
Paper given at the conference Folklore and Old Norse Mythology, 27th-28th November 2017, Univ... more Paper given at the conference Folklore and Old Norse Mythology, 27th-28th November 2017, University of Helsinki, Finland
This paper approaches the problem of hǫrgr ‘a pagan cultic building / a (cultic) heap of stones /... more This paper approaches the problem of hǫrgr ‘a pagan cultic building / a (cultic) heap of stones / a (cultic?) hill or mountain’ from a new angle. The term and concept of hǫrgr m. (Old Swedish hargher) has received considerable attention from archaeologists in recent years, but it remains uncertain what a hǫrgr was because the Old Germanic textual and onomastic evidence is confusing. This paper will attempt to throw new light on this question by focusing on a part of the material that has not been much studied: the western Norwegian mountains that have hǫrgr names. Scholars who have discussed these names have argued that they only describe the terrain and have no religious significance. However, the mountains and hills in question often have legends or popular beliefs connected to them, or belong to a type that often has; and in addition, hǫrgr mountains are strongly connected with ancient roads, especially across mountain areas. Therefore, closer investigation of the hǫrgr mountains may increase our understanding of the whole hǫrgr complex.
- It is well known that Finno-Ugric peoples, like people further east, had a notion that the pola... more - It is well known that Finno-Ugric peoples, like people further east, had a notion that the polar star was a nail in the top of an invisible world pillar. It is also known that among the Baltic Finns, the mythic object Sampo seems to have been this world pillar, but also the firmament (revolving around the polar star) understood as a gigantic mill, as well as a magic hand mill that grinded out prosperity for its human owner in mythic times. To what extent were such notions shared by the (Germanic) Scandinavian neighbours?
As is well known, the middle, main section of the legendary saga Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns is ba... more As is well known, the middle, main section of the legendary saga Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns is based upon the myth of Þórr and Geirrøðr, known from Medieval manuscripts (containing Þórsdrápa and Snorri’s Edda). In this paper, it is argued that it is also possible to identify a narrative behind another section of the saga, a narrative that we (otherwise) only know from 19th century traditions, namely the Icelandic elf queen legend. The first adventure in the saga corresponds closely to the legend at most points, but differs markedly at some. The relationship is such that the saga narrative can easily be understood as an adaptation of a 13th century version of the legend, whereas it is very difficult to derive the legend from the saga narrative. The second part of the paper is dedicated to a discussion of how the saga writer worked with his material. Why did he choose to re-use these narratives? What did he change and what did he keep? How and why did he change what he changed? How does the re-used material fit together and function in the new context? Most discussions of such questions so far have only taken into account possible raw material that we know from Medieval manuscripts, because it has been widely assumed that only such comparative material is available to us. Þorsteins þáttr bǿjarmagns offers an opportunity to go beyond that limitation.
Føredrag halde på Universitetsmuseet i Bergen 15.1.2016. Namn som Helgøya, Helganes og Helgaberg ... more Føredrag halde på Universitetsmuseet i Bergen 15.1.2016. Namn som Helgøya, Helganes og Helgaberg tyder ofte ‘den / det heilage eller ukrenkjelege (også juridisk) øya / neset / berget)’. Dette er altså kulturhistorisk svært interessante stader, men det er til no ikkje gjort noka samla gransking av dei. I dette føredraget skal eg ta for meg stadene med namn på helg- i dei norske Vestlands-fylka. Eg vil vurdere om dei rimelegast kan forklarast ut frå personnamnea Helgi / Helga, eller som kyrkjegods, eller ut frå førkristne førestillingar – og i så fall på kva måte. Særleg vil eg sjå på korleis stadene ligg i landskapet. Eg kjem til å jamføre med helg-og til dels med horg-stader og Birka / Bjarkøya / Bjørkøya elles i landet og elles i Norden. I dei fleste tilfella kan helg-namna setjast i samband med slåande landskapsfenomen. Dei er av mange slag, men dei fleste av dei passar inn i mønster innbyrdes blant helg-namna eller i same mønster som horg-namn eller bjark- / bjørk-namn eller kjende tingstader. Derfor ville det vera svært interessant å få undersøkt ein del av desse stadene arkeologisk.
Bruk gjerne dette lynkurset, men oppgje kjelde: http://eldar-heide.net/ Lynkurs i nynorsk: Konsen... more Bruk gjerne dette lynkurset, men oppgje kjelde: http://eldar-heide.net/ Lynkurs i nynorsk: Konsentrer deg om dei vanlegaste feiltypane Dei aller fleste feila som blir gjorde i nynorsk høyrer til ein av desse kategoriane: 1. Presens 2. Infinitiv 3. Passiv 4. Inkjekjønnsfleirtal Dei fleste får altså mykje att for innsatsen om dei konsentrerer seg om desse tinga.
In this video, I read the passage 'Queen Ragnhild's Dream' from the Old Norse text Heimskringla i... more In this video, I read the passage 'Queen Ragnhild's Dream' from the Old Norse text Heimskringla in three ways: 1. With a reconstructed pronunciation and an Eastern Norwegian intonation, 2. With a reconstructed pronunciation and a Northern Norwegian intonation, and 3. With a Modern Icelandic pronunciation.
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a belief in local mountains where people could go after death.
In mainland Scandinavia, the eighteenth-century sources for Sami
religion
tell us about a similar tradition. In this chapter, I will compare these traditions and argue that they overlapped both in content and geographically, and that they constituted a partly shared tradition. I will compare the textual information about the two traditions, and I will compare the relevant places in the context of the surrounding landscapes. In Sami tradition, the places are in a few cases lakes and rivers rather than mountains.
suggest that this type of ship was referred to in Old Norse as beit, which is a term that seems to date from the Early Viking Age. In Modern Norwegian, lobeit ‘windward beit’ refers to a ship’s ability to avoid leeway and is probably related to the verb beita ‘to sail upwind’, which seems to derive from a comparison of the keel with a cutting tool. This would fit well with the discussed ship type and its extensions.
We are not allowed to upload the whole article. If you want to read it, you have to go to the journal's website or get hold of a printed copy. If you contact me, perhaps I can send you a pdf.
opportunities that will open up when or if the Scandinavian folklore
archives are digitized; and b) to draw attention to the fact that quite
simple digitizing has consequences for the arguments that led to the greatest reorientation in the history of folkloristics/ethnology/cultural studies. The aim is not to discuss digitizing in general, or the technological or ethical challenges and opportunities linked to digitizing, by which I mean the way digitized material can or should be organized or made available. Others have dealt with this, see e.g. Kjus 2013 or Skott 2008 on making material accessible, or the references on the technological aspects under 'Digitizing: a game changer' below. Nor is the aim to criticize others for having digitized too little, nor, in fact, to lobby for digitization. Many others have done this (e.g. the two previous references and Tangherlini 2013a), and it should be obvious to everyone that digitizing is becoming more and more important. - The book is the winner of the 2018 Brenda McCallum Prize for works of excellence and innovation.
If you want a pdf of the article, you can contact me, eldar.heide@hvl.no.
september 2011. Skrifter i humaniora vid Mittuniversitetet 1. Sundsvall: Mittuniversitetet. ISBN: 978-91-86694-95-1.
a belief in local mountains where people could go after death.
In mainland Scandinavia, the eighteenth-century sources for Sami
religion
tell us about a similar tradition. In this chapter, I will compare these traditions and argue that they overlapped both in content and geographically, and that they constituted a partly shared tradition. I will compare the textual information about the two traditions, and I will compare the relevant places in the context of the surrounding landscapes. In Sami tradition, the places are in a few cases lakes and rivers rather than mountains.
suggest that this type of ship was referred to in Old Norse as beit, which is a term that seems to date from the Early Viking Age. In Modern Norwegian, lobeit ‘windward beit’ refers to a ship’s ability to avoid leeway and is probably related to the verb beita ‘to sail upwind’, which seems to derive from a comparison of the keel with a cutting tool. This would fit well with the discussed ship type and its extensions.
We are not allowed to upload the whole article. If you want to read it, you have to go to the journal's website or get hold of a printed copy. If you contact me, perhaps I can send you a pdf.
opportunities that will open up when or if the Scandinavian folklore
archives are digitized; and b) to draw attention to the fact that quite
simple digitizing has consequences for the arguments that led to the greatest reorientation in the history of folkloristics/ethnology/cultural studies. The aim is not to discuss digitizing in general, or the technological or ethical challenges and opportunities linked to digitizing, by which I mean the way digitized material can or should be organized or made available. Others have dealt with this, see e.g. Kjus 2013 or Skott 2008 on making material accessible, or the references on the technological aspects under 'Digitizing: a game changer' below. Nor is the aim to criticize others for having digitized too little, nor, in fact, to lobby for digitization. Many others have done this (e.g. the two previous references and Tangherlini 2013a), and it should be obvious to everyone that digitizing is becoming more and more important. - The book is the winner of the 2018 Brenda McCallum Prize for works of excellence and innovation.
If you want a pdf of the article, you can contact me, eldar.heide@hvl.no.
september 2011. Skrifter i humaniora vid Mittuniversitetet 1. Sundsvall: Mittuniversitetet. ISBN: 978-91-86694-95-1.
Place names that hide: names of harbours suited for hiding near the shipping lane along the coast of Norway