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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Þul Trollkvenna 1III/7 — Guma ‘Guma’

Skal ek trollkvenna         telja heiti:
Gríðr ok Gnissa,         Grýla, Brýja,
Glumra, Geitla,         Gríma ok Bakrauf,
Guma, Gestilja,         Grottintanna.

Ek skal telja heiti trollkvenna: Gríðr ok Gnissa, Grýla, Brýja, Glumra, Geitla, Gríma ok Bakrauf, Guma, Gestilja, Grottintanna.

I shall enumerate the names of troll-women: Gríðr and Gnissa, Grýla, Brýja, Glumra, Geitla, Gríma and Bakrauf, Guma, Gestilja, Grottintanna.

readings

[7] Guma: ginna , ‘g[…]ma’ B, guma 744ˣ

notes

[7] Guma: This troll-woman is not mentioned elsewhere, and the meaning of the heiti is obscure. Guma could be a weak f. form of gumi ‘man’ (so Motz 1981, 505); cf. ModSwed. gumma ‘old woman’ (see Hellquist 1970, I, 312). Finnur Jónsson (1934-5, 306) connects it with the weak verb guma ‘make a great fuss about sth., exaggerate’ (cf. ModIcel. gum n. ‘bragging’; ÍO: Guma). According to that interpretation, Guma would mean ‘braggart’, but a connection with the giant-name Gymir (see Note to Þul Jǫtna I 1/8) cannot be excluded. The variant Ginna is most likely related to the weak verb ginna ‘dupe, fool sby’, ‘intoxicate’.

grammar

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