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The Scandinavian - UK viking connection

Vardoger

Make mine a 99
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The influence the viking raids had on UK is most apparent in the English language.

Here are a few similar words listed. You may need to change your keyboard language to Norway
to view the Norwegian letters Øø Ææ and Åå.

I've tried to use words that probably existed a thousand years ago.

English - Norwegian

Blue - Blå
Red - Rød
White - Hvit
Green - Grønn
Orange - Oransj
House - Hus
Axe - Øks
Knife - Kniv
Cup - Kopp(as in tea cup)
Cow - Ku
Hen - Høne
Row - Ro
Flame - Flamme
Wind - Vind
Rain - Regn
Snow - Snø
Boat - Båt
Head - Hode
Ear - Øre
Nose - Nese
Way - Vei
Rake - Rake
Tree - Tre
Bush - Busk/e
Skin - Skinn
Priest - Prest
Church - Kirke/Kyrkje
Egg - Egg
Thread - Tråd
Fish - Fisk
Plate - Plate(as in something flat)
Hair - Hår
Hand - Hånd
 
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The words are certainly similar. I don't think it follows therefore that they must have flowed in just one direction. That's just like your opinion, man. For example the french words for red and blue are also similar and I'm not sure the word orange even goes back that far.
 
Don't forget:

Window
North (nordur)
South (sudur)
East (austur)
West (vestur)
Daughter (Dottir)
 
The words are certainly similar. I don't think it follows therefore that they must have flowed in just one direction. That's just like your opinion, man. For example the french words for red and blue are also similar and I'm not sure the word orange even goes back that far.

Normandy got a settlement of vikings called Normans at almost the same time.
 
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Note that all these Norwegian words are also largely-homophonic with Lallans Scots, Doric, Shetlandic, Orcadian, and Northumbrian.

Some (not all, but certainly some) english-speakers tend to smile condescendingly when they hear broad Scots being spoken, considering it to be a slang, inaccurate form of English, not realising that much of both languages comes from common origins, and that Scots is a valid, largely-suppressed linguistic strand.

Swedish_police_car_(Volvo_XC70)_outside_Ekonomikum,_Uppsala,_2009-04-30.jpg

This Swedish Police car would not look out-of-place on the streets of Glasgow...and yet it would generate disproportionate mirth from many sectors of Anglophonia.
 
Police is from Latin. Did the normans have much influence on the french language?
 
To be honest, I had no idea how extensive my knowledge of Old French was (so, presumably, this means Norman French?)

First word AngloSaxon - Second Word Old French

Thinking - Mindful Pensive
Kingly -Royal
Brotherly -Fraternal
Ask, Beseech - Enquire
Lord - Liege
Bring, Bear - Carry
Amaze, Stun - Astound
Fair, Fair-haired - Blond/Blonde
Ghost - Phantom
Uphold, Undergird, Upstay- Support
Smell, Stench - Odor
Hue, Blee - Colour
Blossom -Flower
Help, Bestand, Bestead - Aid, Abet, Assist
Buy - Purchase
Eld - Age
Belief - Faith
Wonder - Ponder
Selfhood - Identity
Sake - Reason, Cause
Weep, Sob - Cry
Knowledge - Science
Lawyer (A.S. lagu < O.N. lag) Attorney
Shirt - Blouse
Deem - Consider, Judge
Harbour - Port
Hosen, Britches - Pants
Sunder - Sever
Answer - Reply, Response
Follow - Ensue
Athel - Noble
Athel - Prince
Fall, Harvest - Autumn
Stound- Hour
Burn - Broil
Leave - Permission
Note- Use, Utility
Seethe, Plae - Boil
Hunt - Chase
Bookstaff, Bookstave- Letter
Wisdom - Prudence / Sagacity
Weird, Fremd - Strange
Behaviour - Manner
Uncouth - Rude
Owndom- Belongings Property
Steven, Reard -Voice
Folk, Lede (Leod) - People
Forgive - Pardon
Darling - Favourite
Worthy - Valuable
Drought, Dearth - Famine
Wish, Will, Yearning, Longing - Desire
Span - Distance
Tumble - Somersault
Drink (noun + verb)- Beverage, Imbibe
Deal - Amount
Freedom - Liberty
Alm - Poor
Haven - Port
Brittle - Frail, fragile
Weak - Feeble, faint
Almighty - Omnipotent
Maidenhead, maidenhood - Virginity
Wild - Savage
Betrothal - Proposal
Kingship - Monarchy
Thorough, thoroughgoing - Exhaustive
Reckless - Intrepid
Awesome - Incredible
Tough - Difficult
Barrow - Mountain
Homesick - Nostalgia
Hopelessness - Despair
Wholesome, healthy, healthful - Salutary, salubrious
Aching - Painful
Daring, boldness - Audacity
Unwilling, loath - Reluctant
Wilful - Deliberate
Wont - Accustomed
Lovely, fair - Beautiful
Anger, wrath- Ire
Angry, wrathful -Ireful
Bloodthirsty - Sanguinary
Woodwork -Carpentery
Frith- Peace
Frithful -Peaceful
Warmongering -Belligerent
Deathly -Lethal, mortal
Forgiving -Indulgent
Ruth - Piety
Weird ' Strange
Stern -Severe
Foe - Enemy
Friendly - Amicable
Inn -Tavern
Woodland -Forest
To rue- To lament, to regret
Rueful -Regretful
Ruthless - Remorseless
Weapon- Arm
Grave -Tomb
Graveyard -Cemetery
Hue -Colour
Outspoken, straighforward -Honest, frank

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_with_dual_French_and_Anglo-Saxon_variations
 
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Police is from Latin. Did the normans have much influence on the french language?
Definitely not as much as in the UK. They almost assimilated into the french society. Though they didn't forget their roots and continued to raid the UK.
 
Some (not all, but certainly some) english-speakers tend to smile condescendingly when they hear broad Scots being spoken, considering it to be a slang, inaccurate form of English, not realising that much of both languages comes from common origins, and that Scots is a valid, largely-suppressed linguistic strand.

Old Wessex (Dorset) dialect words as recorded by William Barnes were also similarly derided but were closer to Anglo-Saxon than 'English' as he himself noted.


Which is why the UK is the home of the cryptic crossword...
 
I'm not sure where this thread is going - or, for that matter, where's it's coming from!

There are hundreds if not thousands of professors world-wide who study the relationships between various languages, and write books and papers on the subject. Are we likely to stumble upon anything that they don't already know?

The Nordic languages and Anglo-saxon (and hence English) all have Germanic roots, and so they have many words in common.

Melvin Bragg presented a good TV series on it a few years ago:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_English
 
As a Northerner I have a tendency to use ta (for the informal thank you), without even thinking about it. Also, round here, ta is pronounced with a harder A, so it comes out a little more like tap without the P, than it does like tar.

I've worked in Scandinavia a few times - and I've done this in places like Copenhagen and Malmo and Oslo and been told by the person I've unconsciously used ta with - that, no, it's tak (or takk or tack), because that's what they've thought I've been trying to say.

So this makes me wonder if ta is actually connected to the Scandinavian languages via the Viking settlements. It makes some kind of sense, because some of the other derivations I've seen don't look very satisfying (although, admittedly, I haven't done the most thorough of searches); even the usually awesome and thorough Chambers has it down as, [Imit of baby talk] - which, quite frankly, looks a bit ridiculous.
 
It's also from the vikings that the UK got the phrase "Hung like a norse". ;)
 
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