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FWIW, the academic literature around Vikings is much poorer in English than in Icelandic or other scandinavian languages. Especially after the extremely thoroug
by semi-extrinsic 4y ago
FWIW, the academic literature around Vikings is much poorer in English than in Icelandic or other scandinavian languages. Especially after the extremely thorough work Sigurður Nordal did throughout his career.
And in the scandinavian countries, we learn about the sagas and the awesome Viking last words in high school. I remember especially we found very funny a scene where a person is murdered as he answers the front door, and his dying words are "hmmm, those broad swords are really getting common these days". (I can't seem to find the exact quote.)
- jdshaffer 4y agoThere are some other great examples in the book as well, like this gem: What Ragnar is supposed to have said as he died in King Ella's snakepit, according to this second version, is: Gnyðja mundu grísir, ef galtar hag vissi. One of the things that has always struck English translators of Norse is that it seems on the surface really rather easy to translate, with words which are unexpectedly familiar. But then one isn't quite sure what they mean. In this case grísir means greasies, little pigs, piggies, while gnyðja is clearly onomatopoeic and means grunt, or even, arguably, "go oink oink". And what Ragnar is saying - grimly, roguishly, perhaps with a nod and a wink - is, "the piggies would grunt if they knew of the old boar's death". He, of course, is the "old boar", and the "piggies" are his sons.