The Vikings and the English Language

Why England?

Scandanavia

British Isles

Viking Influence on England

The Danelaw

Viking Influence on Literature

Viking Influence on Language

Viking Sounds• sk- as in skin, sky, skirt• hard g and k- as in

grass, give, go, and kid, cart, castle

• th- as in thought, both, the, this

Viking LoanwordsNouns—bank, birth, egg, husband, leg, root, skinAdjectives—awkward, flat, happy, ill, loose, low, oddVerbs—nag, clip, crawl, cut, die, drown, gasp, givePronouns—both, same, they, them, their

In Old England, Scandinavians were called “Vikings”

They were also called “Danes,” and “Norsemen” or “Normans”

Viking influence on people

Thought shall be the harder, the heart the keener, courage the greater, as our strength lessens. Here lies our leader all cut down, the valiant man in the dust; always may he mourn who now thinks to turn away from this warplay. I am old, I will not go away, but I plan to lie down by the side of my lord, by the man so dearly loved.”—Byrhtnoth, Battle of Maldon

The Battle of Maldon

http://imaginationlane.net/backroads/?p=120

What do you want to know?http://www.battleofmaldon.org.uk/

Fought in 991AD when the Vikings raided the Essex coast.

The First Ten LinesThen he ordered each of his warriors his horse to looseFar off to send it and forth to go,To be mindful of his hands and of his high heart.

Then did Offa's Kinsman first knowThat the earl would not brook cowardice,Loosed he from his hands his darling to fly,His Hawk to the wood, and to the battle strode.From that one could tell that the chieftain would neverWeaken in the warfare - when he his weapons seized.

brocen wurde. Het þa hyssa hwæne hors forlætan, feor afysan, and forð gangan, hicgan to handum and to hige godum.

þa þæt Offan mæg ærest onfunde, þæt se eorl nolde yrhðo geþolian, he let him þa of hand on leofne fleogan hafoc wið þæs holtes, and to þære hilde stop; be þam man mihte oncnawan þæt se cniht nolde