The Deorhord: An Old English Bestiary

An entertaining tour of Old English words for animals, from the author of The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English

Many of the animals we encounter in everyday life, from pets and farm animals to the wild creatures of field and forest, have remained the same since medieval times. But the words used to name and describe them have often changed beyond recognition, starting with the Old English word for “animal” itself, deor (pronounced DAY-or). In The Deorhord, Hana Videen presents a glittering...