Words Derived from Old Norse in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight An Etymological Survey

The most rigorous description ever undertaken of the Scandinavian influence on the vocabulary of a major Middle English text, and a new model for the collection and analysis of Norse loans in any English source.

• A new survey of the etymological evidence for nearly 500 words in one of the most famous and important Middle English poems
• Conducted in accordance with a groundbreaking new system of etymological classification, and with references to all relevant previous scholarship going back to the nineteenth century
• Contains new insights into the etymologies, forms, meanings and textual interpretation of hundreds of Middle English words
• Includes a new introduction to the scholarly study of the Old Norse influence on English vocabulary, including a detailed discussion of methodologies

Richard Dance is Reader in Early English in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic in the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of St Catharine’s College.  He is the author of a number of books and articles about the language and literature of the Old and Middle English periods, and is especially interested in vocabulary, etymology and the language of early English poetry.

Acknowledgements iv

Abbreviations and conventions vi

Introductory essays

1. Introductory remarks 1

1.1 Backgrounds 1

1.2 About this book 6

1.3 Sir Gawain and the ‘Scandinavian Element’ 9

1.4 The identification of Old Norse input 25

1.4.1 Assumptions and interpretations 26

1.4.2 On evidence 34

1.5 Types and uses of structural evidence 39

1.5.1 Systematic formal evidence: Type A 39

1.5.2 Other structural categories: Types B, C and D 44

1.6 Circumstantial evidence 49

1.6.1 Germanic distribution 50

1.6.2 Dialect distribution in England 54

1.7 Categories and probabilities: other labels in the Survey 63

1.8 The Survey: inclusions and exclusions 65

1.9 The entries: format and conventions 68

2. Type A and Formal Criteria 76

2.1 Type A 76

2.1.1 Summary lists 76

2.1.2 Further remarks 79

2.1.2.1 Germanic distribution 81

2.1.2.2 Distribution in England 81

2.2 Formal Criteria 82

2.2.1 Phonological features 84

2.2.1.1 Vowels 84

2.2.1.2 Consonants 92

2.2.2 Morphological features 110

3. Type B 114

3.1 Summary lists 115

3.2 Further remarks 117

3.2.1 Germanic distribution 119

3.2.2 Distribution in England 119

3.2.3 Probability of ON input 121

4. Type C 127

4.1 Type C1 130

4.1.1 Summary list 130

4.1.2 Further remarks 132

4.1.2.1 Types of structural evidence at issue 135

4.1.2.2 Probability of ON input 137

4.2 Type C2 144

4.2.1 Summary list 144

4.2.2 Further remarks 145

4.2.2.1 Types of structural evidence at issue 147

4.2.2.2 Probability of ON input 150

4.3 Type C3 154

4.3.1 Summary list 154

4.3.2 Further remarks 155

4.3.2.1 Types of structural evidence at issue 158

4.3.2.2 Probability of ON input 160

4.4 Type C4 165

4.4.1 Summary list 165

4.4.2 Further remarks 166

4.4.2.1 Types of structural evidence at issue 166

4.4.2.2 Probability of ON input 167

4.5 Type C5 169

4.5.1 Summary list 169

4.5.2 Further remarks 170

4.5.2.1 Types of structural evidence at issue 171

4.5.2.2 Probability of ON input 172

4.6 Type C: Circumstantial evidence 174

4.6.1 Germanic distribution 174

4.6.2 Distribution in England 175

4.6.3 Other circumstantial evidence 177

5. Type D 178

5.1 Type D1 180

5.1.1 Summary list 180

5.1.2 Further remarks 182

5.1.2.1 Proposed ON etyma and their Germanic filiations 186

5.1.2.2 Distribution in England 188

5.1.2.3 Probability of ON input 190

5.2 Type D2 200

5.2.1 Summary list 200

5.2.2 Further remarks 203

5.2.2.1 Proposed ON etyma and their Germanic filiations 209

5.2.2.2 Distribution in England 212

5.2.2.3 Probability of ON input 214

6. Concluding remarks 228

6.1 Some impressions 229

6.2 Further study 234

6.3 Coda: The Gersum Project 237

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