4 ms·
The name of Thor's hammer "mjolnir" (as english speakers would see it) did not come through latin though, so the version of the word in germanic languages was i
by yobbo 4y ago
The name of Thor's hammer "mjolnir" (as english speakers would see it) did not come through latin though, so the version of the word in germanic languages was inherited independently.
"Mjolnir" means something like "crusher" and the noun "mjol" (flour) means "having been ground up". For example, it can be combined as vetemjöl (wheat flour) or stenmjöl (ground stone or stone powder).
- denton-scratch 4y ago> the noun "mjol" (flour) means "having been ground up" Ah - "mjol" as flour must be cognate with "meal". I hadn't previously associated meal with mills, but it makes sense.
- hnbad 4y agoAs another data point: meal/flour is "Mehl" in German. Mehl/meal is milled in a Mühle/mill.
- Ichthypresbyter 4y agoFlour was originally only the highest quality grade- the "flower"- of ground grain.
- vidarh 4y agoMeal appears to be a cognate of Old Norse "mál" ("mål", "måltid" - meal, meal time - in modern Norwegian) rather than mjol. Compare also Mehl (flour) vs Mahl (meal) in German.
- yobbo 4y agoBoth meanings exist in English - "stonemeal" or "oatmeal" for example.