Viking Language 2: The Old Norse Reader

by Jesse L Byock

Overview

Viking Language 2: The Old Norse Reader (Book 2 in The Viking Language Old Norse Icelandic Series) is a language workbook built around a treasure trove of old Scandinavian lore. Designed for beginners to those more advanced, this dynamic book includes translation exercises that immerses the learner in Old Norse sources and runes. Read complete sagas, myths, creation stories, and runic inscriptions with passages and poems about Scandinavian gods, monster-slayers, dwarves, giants, warrior kings, and queens. This book takes the reader deep into the world of the Vikings. The book also offers a large vocabulary, special chapters on Eddic and Skaldic poetry, and a full reference grammar. NOW AVAILABLE: Old Norse - Old Icelandic: Concise Introduction to the Language of the Sagas and Supplementary Exercises for Old Norse - Old Icelandic. LEARN MORE AT oldnorse.org and juleswilliampress.com about related books, answer keys, sample audio, and instructional resources.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781953947062
Publisher:	Jules William Press
Publication date:	03/16/2021
Series:	Viking Language Old Norse Icelandic , #2
Pages:	370
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.77(d)

About the Author

Jesse Byock (Ph.D., Harvard) is Professor of Old Norse and Medieval Studies in the Scandinavian Section at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he teaches the language, history, runes, archaeology, and saga literature of early Scandinavia. A professor at UCLÁs Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, he specializes in Viking archaeology focusing on Iceland, where he directs the Mosfell Archaeological Project (MAP). This project has excavated a chieftain's longhouse, pagan and Christian burials, worship sites, and a major harbor from the first centuries of Iceland's Viking Age settlement. Jesse Byock is also a professor at the University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands) in the Department of History where he is affiliated with the Medieval Icelandic and Viking Studies Programs. More information at oldnorse.org & juleswilliampress.com.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1a, Readings from the Family Sagas (Íslendinga­sögur)

Chieftains (goðar) and Families (ættir) from Njáls saga (Njáls saga)

A Gift in Njáls saga, Gunnar's Faithful Hound: Four Sample Translations

King Harald Fairhair (Haralds saga ins hárfagra)

Egil's Bones - Saga and Archaeology (Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar)

Chapter 2, Creation of the World: Ymir, Yggdrasill, and Ásgarðr

Creation: Ymir, Auðhumla, and Óðinn

The Norse Cosmos and the World Tree (Yggdrasill)

Chapter 3, Ragnarok: The Battle at the World's End

The Doom of the Gods (Ragnarøkr)

Chapter 4, Gods and Goddesses

Óðinn the All-Father

Goddesses and Supernatural Women

Frigg and the Goddesses

Loki

Chapter 5, Þórr and the Giant Útgarða-Loki

Þórr Reaches the Giant's Stronghold

Útgarða-Loki Reveals the Truth

Chapter 6, Otter's Ransom: The Dwarves' Gold and the Ring

Why is Gold Called Otter's Ransom (Otrgjǫld)?

Sigurðr the Volsung, the Dragon Fáfnir, and the Ring (Andvaranaut)

Chapter 7, Settling the North Atlantic: Ísland

Sailing Routes

Explorations West over the Atlantic

Iceland Settled

Chapter 8, Grœnland and Vínland

Greenland and Vinland Discovered

Seafaring in the North Atlantic

Chapter 9, The Tale of Auðunn from the West Fjords

Auðunar þáttr vestfirzka (The Complete Tale)

Chapter 10, Hrafnkel's Saga

Hrafnkels saga Freysgoða (The Complete Saga)

Chapter 11, Runes (Rúnar) in Viking and Medieval Times

Two Runestones from the Parish of Klepp

Runes in Egils saga Skalla-Grímssonar

Medieval Runes

Bryggen Love Runes

Chapter 12, Eddic Poetry

Eddic Verse and Its Sources

Eddic Tradition - Long Lines and Half Lines

Chapter 13, Eddic Meters

The Four Principal Eddic Meters

Eddic Examples from Mythic Poems

Chapter 14, The Lay of Thrym (Þrymskviða)

Poetic Devices

Poetic Grammar

Chapter 15, Runes and Eddic Meter from Sweden (Svíþjóð)

Two Bällsta Runestones (From Uppland, Sweden)

A Suggested Translation

Chapter 16, Skaldic Poetry

Skaldic Composition

Heiti and Kennings

Chapter 17, The Karlevi Runestone: A Skaldic Poem Carved in Runes on a Baltic Island

Editorial Reviews

"Jesse Byock's Viking Language Series consists of two printed volumes. The first, Viking Language 1: Learn Old Norse, leads you into the language. The second, Viking Language 2: The Old Norse Reader, has longer selections up to the entire saga of "Hrafnkel Priest of Frey". Two download audio albums found on iTunes and Amazon Music accompany Viking Language ... These are all anyone needs for a thorough knowledge of Old Norse and runes, with the considerable bonus of acquiring a natural modern native-speaker pronunciation. Byock's course is a delight on every level. It will surely far increase Old Norse students and satisfy a widely felt demand. It is the biggest reinforcement to philological studies, combining language and literature, since Tolkien. Both Tolkien and his friend Gordon would be delighted to see it, hear it and use it... If only such a work had existed, when this reviewer was struggling. Modern students have every reason to be grateful."

-Prof. Tom Shippey, author of The Road to Middle Earth and Beowulf, the Critical Heritage.

"Teaching Old Norse with Viking Language 1 and 2 by Jesse Byock is a real joy, and students love them. Impressive in breadth and depth. The reference grammar will be thoroughly worn out by all readers. A masterful work. I cańt praise it enough."

-Prof. Robert Bjork, Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies

"An absolutely wonderful book! Definitely not a traditional language-learning book. I bought it and so glad I did. I've always wanted to learn Old Norse. Well, this Series is the answer, providing best of both worlds. I get to learn Old Norse, so that I can read my beloved sagas in their original language, and I get to learn modern Icelandic at the same time! But the proof is in the pudding: In less than a week I've been able to read and understand some text from sagas, and I have a good understanding of Old Norse-Icelandic grammar and syntax."

-Musica Nova

From the Publisher