Similarities between Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and modern Icelandic (with German and Norwegian added for comparison
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A page from a skin manuscript of Landnáma in the Árni Magnússon Institute in Reykjavík, IcelandThe Icelandic Wikipedia has a page on Old English / Anglo-Saxon (called Fornenska in Icelandic) that includes a number of words compared to modern Icelandic that show how much more similar the two languages used to be. This is just a small list but a book has also been published on how the two languages were probably mutually comprehensible. I still haven't gotten around to buying that book.
Here are the words the Icelandic Wikipedia gives with Norwegian and German added for comparison:
| Enska (English) | Fornenska (Old English) | Íslenska (Icelandic) | Norwegian | German |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| age | ealdor | aldur | alder | Alter |
| appearance | onsyn | ásýnd | utseende | Anschein |
| art | list | list | list (kunst) | Kunst, List |
| bow | boga | bogi | bue | Bogen |
| commander | heretoga | herforingi | befalhavende | Befehlshaber |
| embrace | fæðmian | faðma | omfavne | umarmen |
| entry | ongong | inngangur | inngang | Eingang |
| happiness | sæl | sæla | lykke | Glück |
| know | cunnan | kunna | kjenne | kennen |
| neck | hals | háls | hals | Hals |
| peace | frið | friður | fred | Freide |
| whale | hwæl | hvalur | hval | Wale / Walfisch |
5 comments:
One thought:
know - cunnan - kunna - kjenne - kennen
Don't you think the word "Could (can)" could be the correct Modern English word? Then the Norwegian would turn out similar as well:
Can - cunnan - kunna - kunne -kennen
Hey, looks like you're right about that:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=can&searchmode=none
can (v.)
O.E. 1st & 3rd pers. sing. pres. indic. of cunnan "know, have power to, be able," (also "to have carnal knowledge"), from P.Gmc. *kunnan "to be mentally able, to have learned" (cf. O.N. kenna "to know, make known," O.Fris. kanna "to recognize, admit," Ger. kennen "to know," Goth. kannjan "to make known"), from PIE base *gno- (see know).
Fascinating blog entry as usual Mithridates, I'm browsing the old archives!
Could you give a link to that book on amazon please, I would love to read it!
Thanks!
Sure, it's right here:
http://www.amazon.com/Comparative-Syntax-Old-English-Icelandic/dp/3039102702
That reminds me that I still haven't gotten around to buying it. Maybe you (whoever you are) could write up a short review after you read it?
Can - cunnan - kunna - kunne -kennen
In Scots its still "ken."
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