4. Base-word
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All the above examples of extended kennings have sub-kennings which function as the determinant of the kenning. This allows for the simple modification of the hierarchical structure into the series of referents as shown in §1-3. However, in some cases it is the base-word of a kenning that is a sub-kenning, so the formatting of referents as shown in §1-3 is not appropriate. Instead, the referent of the base-word sub-kenning should be placed next to the sub-kenning:
a. {{hund {hrynsæva
hræva}} {ǫl-Gefnar}} — (Þjóð Haustl 11)
b. {{the
dog {of the roaring seas of corpses}} [BLOOD > WOLF] {of the ale-Gefn
<= Freyja>} [= Iðunn]} [= Þjazi]
c. the
dog of the roaring seas of corpses [BLOOD > WOLF] of
the ale-Gefn <= Freyja> [= Iðunn] [= Þjazi]
The last two referents, Iðunn and Þjazi, are not within the same brackets. This is to indicate that the referent of the base-word sub-kenning (‘wolf’) is required to understand how ‘Þjazi’ derives from the determinant ‘Iðunn’. This type of kenning tends to be the subject of much debate. See §1-6 for another example.