4 ms·

The etymology isn't mysterious. The primary sources clearly indicate that the first appearance was the Anglo-Saxon word "wicing", meaning "pirate." The Wikipedi

The etymology isn't mysterious. The primary sources clearly indicate that the first appearance was the Anglo-Saxon word "wicing", meaning "pirate." The Wikipedia references to the other names are from the Middle Ages, a time period that almost entirely post-dated the Viking era. It is unsurprising that the word Viking should originate from Anglo-Saxon, since the Anglo-Saxons are the source of the vast majority of written records about the vikings. The Norse did not keep written records of themselves unless you count runes, which wouldn't have contained such a word. Indeed, the earliest written records of the Viking "skalds" (poems), in the Codex Regius, were written some time in the 1200's. The Vikings really do deserve their "out sized" influence, though. They were an incredible lot, ranging geographically further than any human civilization until the Portuguese discovered Australia. They could be found at various times in present day Canada, Turkey, Russia, and parts of Africa.

thaumasiotes 6y ago
> The etymology isn't mysterious. The primary sources clearly indicate that the first appearance was the Anglo-Saxon word "wicing", meaning "pirate." Sure, if you believe that the act of writing something down in one place retroactively causes it not to have happened in another place, this is an argument that makes sense. Though even then, you haven't actually made a case that the etymology isn't mysterious. Where did the Anglo-Saxons get their word from?
- staticautomatic 6y ago
  They weren't writing it down "retroactively" but contemporaneously. The first priests on the British isles who escaped being slaughtered in their monasteries by Vikings straight away wrote down that the perpetrators were "pirates" and promptly sent notice out to the rest of what was then England. We aren't talking about where the Anglo-Saxon word for "pirate" came from. We're talking about where the word "Viking" came from. It clearly came from the Anglo-Saxon word, "Wicing."
  - thaumasiotes 6y ago
    > We aren't talking about where the Anglo-Saxon word for "pirate" came from. We're talking about where the word "Viking" came from. It clearly came from the Anglo-Saxon word, "Wicing." They appear to be the same word. That's not an answer. I could tell you that the modern word "laser" came from the older form LASER, but that would be stupid. You're trying to terminate the question before it's even begun. Note that in fact the modern word "Viking" is not obviously related to the Old English "wicing"; that term died out. Modern "Viking" is taken directly from later Norse by modern historians. Unless you're claiming the Norse borrowed it from the British? > They weren't writing it down "retroactively" but contemporaneously. You are simultaneously arguing that 1. The British referred to Norse pirates using a term that looks like "Viking", which we know because they wrote it down at the time. 2. The Norse, hundreds of years later, also had a term that looks like "Viking". 3. We know the Norse didn't use that term at the time the invaded Britons were using it, because they didn't write it down. ("The primary sources clearly indicate that the first appearance was...") 4. In fact, interesting side note, the Norse of the time didn't write anything down. I could go on to conclude that they couldn't speak. Or I could conclude that the primary sources don't have anything to say about where this word first appeared, because it is closely related to an almost entirely illiterate culture.
    - staticautomatic 6y ago
      There is no primary evidence that the word Viking originated from some word other than the Anglo -Saxon word. If you’ve found some feel feel to share.
      - thaumasiotes 6y ago
        I mean, I can refer you to https://www.etymonline.com/word/Viking https://www.etymonline.com/word/Viking : > Scandinavian pirate, 1801, vikingr, in "The History of the Anglo-Saxons" by English historian Sharon H. Turner; he suggested the second element might be connected to king: But this later was dismissed as incorrect. The form viking is attested in 1820 The word "wicing" of Old English has no modern descendant; it was not used for the period of several centuries between then and 1800. This is well known. As noted in the entry, in modern use it first appears with the Norse nominative -r suffix included! What kind of primary evidence were you thinking of?
stakkur 6y ago
No, viking didn't originate with Anglo-Saxon; the term's origin is not certain, but it goes something like this: from Old Norse víkingr, from vík ‘creek’ or Old English wīc ‘camp, dwelling place’. There are Norse grave markers that use the term víkingr as a verb and a name, for example. More information: https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking
- staticautomatic 6y ago
  What date? It’s eminently possible that they adopted the Anglo word for themselves.
  - stakkur 6y ago
    What date for what? Here's more information: https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking
    - staticautomatic 6y ago
      The date of the appearance of “vikingr.” The fact that the old norse word "vic" meant inlet or bay doesn't establish that vikings called themselves vikings prior to the appearance of "wicing." If it did, the literature would just say that they called themselves "vikings" from the word "vic" and point to some primary record of it.

thaumasiotes 6y ago

> The etymology isn't mysterious. The primary sources clearly indicate that the first appearance was the Anglo-Saxon word "wicing", meaning "pirate." Sure, if you believe that the act of writing something down in one place retroactively causes it not to have happened in another place, this is an argument that makes sense. Though even then, you haven't actually made a case that the etymology isn't mysterious. Where did the Anglo-Saxons get their word from?

staticautomatic 6y ago
They weren't writing it down "retroactively" but contemporaneously. The first priests on the British isles who escaped being slaughtered in their monasteries by Vikings straight away wrote down that the perpetrators were "pirates" and promptly sent notice out to the rest of what was then England. We aren't talking about where the Anglo-Saxon word for "pirate" came from. We're talking about where the word "Viking" came from. It clearly came from the Anglo-Saxon word, "Wicing."
- thaumasiotes 6y ago
  > We aren't talking about where the Anglo-Saxon word for "pirate" came from. We're talking about where the word "Viking" came from. It clearly came from the Anglo-Saxon word, "Wicing." They appear to be the same word. That's not an answer. I could tell you that the modern word "laser" came from the older form LASER, but that would be stupid. You're trying to terminate the question before it's even begun. Note that in fact the modern word "Viking" is not obviously related to the Old English "wicing"; that term died out. Modern "Viking" is taken directly from later Norse by modern historians. Unless you're claiming the Norse borrowed it from the British? > They weren't writing it down "retroactively" but contemporaneously. You are simultaneously arguing that 1. The British referred to Norse pirates using a term that looks like "Viking", which we know because they wrote it down at the time. 2. The Norse, hundreds of years later, also had a term that looks like "Viking". 3. We know the Norse didn't use that term at the time the invaded Britons were using it, because they didn't write it down. ("The primary sources clearly indicate that the first appearance was...") 4. In fact, interesting side note, the Norse of the time didn't write anything down. I could go on to conclude that they couldn't speak. Or I could conclude that the primary sources don't have anything to say about where this word first appeared, because it is closely related to an almost entirely illiterate culture.
  - staticautomatic 6y ago
    There is no primary evidence that the word Viking originated from some word other than the Anglo -Saxon word. If you’ve found some feel feel to share.
    - thaumasiotes 6y ago
      I mean, I can refer you to https://www.etymonline.com/word/Viking https://www.etymonline.com/word/Viking : > Scandinavian pirate, 1801, vikingr, in "The History of the Anglo-Saxons" by English historian Sharon H. Turner; he suggested the second element might be connected to king: But this later was dismissed as incorrect. The form viking is attested in 1820 The word "wicing" of Old English has no modern descendant; it was not used for the period of several centuries between then and 1800. This is well known. As noted in the entry, in modern use it first appears with the Norse nominative -r suffix included! What kind of primary evidence were you thinking of?

stakkur 6y ago

No, viking didn't originate with Anglo-Saxon; the term's origin is not certain, but it goes something like this: from Old Norse víkingr, from vík ‘creek’ or Old English wīc ‘camp, dwelling place’. There are Norse grave markers that use the term víkingr as a verb and a name, for example. More information: https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking

staticautomatic 6y ago
What date? It’s eminently possible that they adopted the Anglo word for themselves.
- stakkur 6y ago
  What date for what? Here's more information: https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking https://www.etymonline.com/word/viking
  - staticautomatic 6y ago
    The date of the appearance of “vikingr.” The fact that the old norse word "vic" meant inlet or bay doesn't establish that vikings called themselves vikings prior to the appearance of "wicing." If it did, the literature would just say that they called themselves "vikings" from the word "vic" and point to some primary record of it.