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Ransacking the wordhord. The stylistic use of Old English lexical borrowings in Viking Age skaldic poetry

Abstract:
This chapter assesses the use of a small selection of Old English loanwords in Viking Age skaldic verse (hearra/harri, heretoga/hertogi, sāwol/sála, godfæder/goðfaðir). Drawing on modern sociolinguistic and stylistic theory, it argues that the perceived "Englishness" of these lexical borrowings is less interesting than the way they were used creatively in performance to elicit certain artistic, cognitive and ideological effects.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1484/M.SEM-EB.5.141350

Authors


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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Department:
English
Role:
Author

Contributors

Role:
Editor
Role:
Editor
Role:
Editor


Publisher:
Brepols Publishers
Host title:
The Legacy of Medieval Scandinavian Encounters with England and the Insular World
Pages:
141-166
Series:
Studies in the Early Middle Ages
Series number:
34
Place of publication:
Turnhout, Belgium
Publication date:
2025-04-17
Edition:
1
DOI:
EISSN:
2294-835X
ISSN:
1377-8099
EISBN:
9782503607719
ISBN:
9782503607702


Language:
English
Subtype:
Chapter
Pubs id:
1147364
Local pid:
pubs:1147364
Deposit date:
2020-12-01

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