Referents
This site is in progress and should not be referenced in research publications.
(In progress: Baseword kennings (kennings with more than one referent at different levels))
- oddhríðar lœgis log-fágandi
‘flame-custodian of the sea of the point-storm’ = WARRIOR
the point -storm → BATTLE
the sea of the BATTLE → BLOOD
the flame of the BLOOD → SWORD
The custodian of the SWORD → WARRIOR
Edáð Banddr 6I
- Vína vínheims vinar Lopts
‘the Vína of the wine-world of the friend of Loptr’ = POEM
the friend of Loptr. → Óðinn
the wine-world of ÓÐINN → VAT
the Vína of the VAT → POEM
Eskál Vell 11I
- fémildr konungr Hlóðynjar myrkmarkar
‘the generous king of the Hlóðyn = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’) of the dark forest’ = DANISH KING = Haraldr blátǫnn
the Hlóðyn = Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’) of the dark forest → JUTLAND
the generous king of the JUTLAND → DANISH KING = Haraldr blátǫnn
Eskál Vell 26I
- hagbarða hurða hlym-Njǫrðr
‘din-Nirðir of the doors of Hagbarði’ = WARRIORS
the doors of Hagbarði. → SHIELDS
the din of SHIELDS → BATTLE
the Nirðir of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
Eskál Vell 26I
- hagbarða hurða hlymr
‘of the din of the doors of hagbarði’ = BATTLE
the doors of Hagbarði. → SHIELDS
the din of SHIELDS → BATTLE
Eskál Vell 26I
- reynir rauðmána bóga Heðins
‘the tester of the red moon of the arm of Heðinn’ = WARRIOR
the red moon of the arm of Heðinn → SHIELD
the tester of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
Eskál Vell 6I
- Yngvi-Freys meinvinnandi
‘harm-workers of Yngvi-Freyr’ = WARRIORS
the harm of Yngvi-Freyr → BATTLE
for the workers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
Eyv Hál 11I
- ógnarstafr tanna hallinskíða
‘the terror-stave of the teeth of hallinskíði <= heimdallr>’ = GENEROUS MAN
the teeth of Hallinskíði <= Heimdallr>, → GOLD
The terror-stave of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Glúmr Gráf 14I
- Freyr foldar eggjar mækis
‘The Freyr of the land of the blade of the sword’ = WARRIOR
the land of the blade of the sword → SHIELD
The Freyr of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
Glúmr Gráf 3I
- vegnum valþagnar hlymmildingr
‘tumult-bestowers of Valþǫgn’ = WARRIORS
the tumult of Valþǫgn. → BATTLE
the slain bestowers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
Gsind Hákdr 6I
- ǫld barma œgis almdrógar
‘the progeny of the brother of the intimidator of the bow-string’ = Eiríkssynir
the intimidator of the bow-string → WARRIOR = Hákon
the brother of the WARRIORHÁKON → Eiríkr blóðøx
The progeny of EIRÍKR BLÓÐØX → Eiríkssynir
Gsind Hákdr 7I
- barmi œgis almdrógar
‘of the brother of the intimidator of the bow-string’ = Eiríkr blóðøx
the intimidator of the bow-string → WARRIOR = Hákon
the brother of the WARRIORHÁKON → Eiríkr blóðøx
Gsind Hákdr 7I
- hungrþverrir gagl hríðar
‘the hunger-diminisher of the gosling of battle’ = WARRIOR
the gosling of battle → RAVEN/EAGLE
The hunger-diminisher of the RAVEN/EAGLE → WARRIOR
Bkrepp Magndr 6II
- hernenninn Gǫndlar þings gný-Þróttr
‘din-Þróttr of Gǫndul’s assembly’ = WARRIOR
the din of Gǫndul’s assembly → BATTLE
battle-enterprising Þróttr of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
Hskv Útdr 7II
- ǫrgildir hrynbeðs áls fjǫrgynjar
‘to the generous giver of the resounding bed of the eel of Fjǫrgyn [= Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’ = GENEROUS MAN
the eel of Fjǫrgyn [= Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]; → SERPENT
the resounding bed of the SERPENT → GOLD
to the generous giver of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Anon (SnE) 10III
- hrynbeðr áls fjǫrgynjar
‘of the resounding bed of the eel of Fjǫrgyn [= Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]’ = GOLD
the eel of Fjǫrgyn [= Jǫrð (jǫrð ‘earth’)]; → SERPENT
the resounding bed of the SERPENT → GOLD
Anon (SnE) 10III
- Heita blakks hlýrskildir
‘prow-shield-provider of Heiti’s horse’ = SEA-WARRIOR
the prow of Heiti’s horse → SHIP
the shield-provider of the SHIP → SEA-WARRIOR
ESk Øxfl 8III
- fellir fjǫrnets goða flugstalla
‘the preparer of the life-net of the gods of precipice-altars’ = Þórr
precipice-altars → MOUNTAINS
the gods of MOUNTAINS → GIANTS
the preparer of the life-net of GIANTS → Þórr
Eil Þdr 1III
- Heðins reikar skálleikr
‘bowl-game of the hair-parting of Heðinn’ = BATTLE
the bowl of the hair-parting of Heðinn → HELMET
the game of the HELMET → BATTLE
Eil Þdr 12III
- herblótinn hneitir kalfa undirfjalfrs bliku alfheims
‘the people-worshipped vanquisher of the calves of the low hiding-place of the gleam of the elf-world’ = Þórr
the gleam of the elf -world → SUN
the low hiding-place of the SUN → CAVE
the calves of the CAVE → GIANTS
The people-worshipped vanquisher of GIANTS → Þórr
Eil Þdr 21III
- kalfr undirfjalfrs bliku alfheims
‘of the calves of the low hiding-place of the gleam of the elf-world’ = GIANTS
the gleam of the elf -world → SUN
the low hiding-place of the SUN → CAVE
the calves of the CAVE → GIANTS
Eil Þdr 21III
- undirfjalfr bliku alfheims
‘of the low hiding-place of the gleam of the elf-world’ = CAVE
the gleam of the elf -world → SUN
the low hiding-place of the SUN → CAVE
Eil Þdr 21III
- farmr arma meinsvarri
‘the cargo of the arms of the harm-woman’ = Loki
the harm-woman → Angrboða
The cargo of the arms of ANGRBOÐA → Loki
Eil Þdr 3III
- brúðr mága sefgrímnis
‘the bride of the in-laws of sefgrímnir’ = GIANTESS
the in-laws of Sefgrímnir. → GIANTS
the bride of GIANTS → GIANTESS
Eil Þdr 5III
- herði nauðar skafl jarðar hauðr runkykvir
‘the strengthener of the distress of the quickeners of the stream of the land of the snow-drift of the earth’ = Þórr
the snow-drift of the earth, → RIDGE
the land of the RIDGE → MOUNTAIN
the stream of the MOUNTAIN → RIVER
the quickeners of the RIVER → GIANTESSES
the strengthener of the distress of GIANTESSES → Þórr
Eil Þdr 9III
- gildi geðreinar grjótǫld
‘the drink of the mind-land of the rock-people’ = POEM
the rock-people; → GIANTS
the drink of the mind-land of GIANTS → POEM
Refr Þorst 1III
- ægir ógnstǫðvar bǫðgœðir
‘the ocean of the terror-place of the battle-promoter’ = POEM
the battle-promoter; → Óðinn
the ocean of the terror-place of ÓÐINN → POEM
Refr Þorst 2III
- Víðblinda galtar salts svalteigar rafkastandi
‘amber-thrower of the salty, cool meadow of the boar of Víðblindi’ = GENEROUS MAN
the boar of Víð blindi → WHALE
the salty, cool meadow of the WHALE → SEA
the amber of the SEA → GOLD
The thrower of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
HSt Frag 3III
- Víðblinda galtar salts svalteigar raf
‘of the amber of the salty, cool meadow of the boar of Víðblindi’ = GOLD
the boar of Víð blindi → WHALE
the salty, cool meadow of the WHALE → SEA
the amber of the SEA → GOLD
HSt Frag 3III
- Víðblinda galtar salts svalteigr
‘of the salty, cool meadow of the boar of Víðblindi’ = SEA
the boar of Víð blindi → WHALE
the salty, cool meadow of the WHALE → SEA
HSt Frag 3III
- hristir íss sikulgjarðar
‘shaker of the ice of the sword-belt’ = WARRIOR
the ice of the sword-belt, → SWORD
Shaker of the SWORD → WARRIOR
Hallv Knútdr 2III
- snyrtiherðir Ullar sundviggs
‘splendid strengthener of Ullr’s sea-horse’ = WARRIOR
sea-horse, → SHIP
Ullr’s of the SHIP → SHIELD
Splendid strengthener of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
Hallv Knútdr 3III
- mína jastRín aurgreppa Sýrar fentanna
‘my yeast-Rhine of the mud-men of the Sýr of fen-teeth’ = POEM
fen-teeth; → ROCKS
the mud-men of the Sýr of ROCKS → GIANTS
my yeast-Rhine of the mud-men of GIANTESS of GIANTS → POEM
KormǪ Sigdr 1III
- askr þilju ilja Hrungnis
‘the ash-tree of the plank of Hrungnir’s foot-soles’ = WARRIOR
the plank of Hrungnir’s foot-soles → SHIELD
the ash-tree of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
SnSt Ht 30III
- hlítstyggs farmr arma gunnlaðar
‘of the trust-wary freight of the arms of gunnlǫð’ = POETRY
the arms of Gunnlǫð → LOVER = Óðinn
the trust-wary freight of the LOVERÓÐINN → POETRY
Steinþ Frag 1III
- hlœðir hafreiðar hlunns
‘the loader of the sea-chariot of the slipway roller’ = SEAFARER
the sea-chariot of the slipway roller → SHIP
The loader of the SHIP → SEAFARER
Þdís Saint 1III
- hund hrynsævar hræva ǫl-Gefn
‘the hound of the roaring sea of corpses of the ale-Gefn’ = Loki
the ale-Gefn → WOMAN = Iðunn
the hound of the roaring sea of corpses of the WOMANIÐUNN → Loki
Þjóð Haustl 11III
- dýra móðir döglings dæmistóls sem heims og sólar
‘the glorious mother of the king of the judgement seat as well as of the world and the sun’ = Mary
the king of the judgement seat as well as of the world and the sun → God
the glorious mother of GOD → Mary
Kálf Kátr 47VII
- öllum þessum ástúðigum fagrmynduðum brúðr drottins hallar eingla
‘to all these loving [and] beautifully formed brides of the lord of the hall of angels’ = HOLY VIRGINS
the hall of angels → HEAVEN
the Lord of the HEAVEN → God
To all these loving [and] beautifully formed brides of GOD → HOLY VIRGINS
Anon Mey 59VII
- máttugr stillir þjóðar mána stiettar
‘the mighty prince of the people of the moon’s path’ = God
the moon’s path → SKY/HEAVEN
the people of the SKY/HEAVEN → ANGELS
The mighty prince of ANGELS → God
Anon Mgr 26VII
- móðir lofðungs veldis himna
‘the mother of the ruler of the realm of the heavens’ = Mary
the ruler of the realm of the heavens, → God
the mother of GOD → Mary
Anon Mgr 35VII
- árr orms landa
‘the messenger of the serpent’s lands’ = MAN
the serpent’s lands → GOLD
The messenger of the GOLD → MAN
ESk Geisl 23VII
- dáðreyndr jǫfurr leygs flugreinar svana
‘the deed-proven prince of the flame of the flying-land of swans’ = God
the flying-land of swans → SKY/HEAVEN
the flame of the SKY/HEAVEN → SUN
The deed-proven prince of the SUN → God
Gamlkan Has 44VII
- leygr flugreinar svana
‘of the flame of the flying-land of swans’ = SUN
the flying-land of swans → SKY/HEAVEN
the flame of the SKY/HEAVEN → SUN
Gamlkan Has 44VII
- ástvinr dróttins ýta
‘the dear friends of the lord of men’ = SAINTS
the lord of men; → God
the dear friends of GOD → SAINTS
Gamlkan Has 47VII
- almr skauta ára
‘the elm of the sheets of the oars’ = SEAFARER
the sheets of the oars → SHIPS
The elm of SHIPS → SEAFARER
Anon Brúðv 21VII