Do you speak Viking?

Unless you come from the Scandinavia countries, you might not think that the language you speak has anything to do with the Vikings. Well, if you speak English you may be in for a big surprise! Many words in English are descended directly from words used by the Vikings. In Irish, German, Dutch, and even French, Viking words are still in use. Maybe in other languages as well. Check your own language for Viking words and tell us about them. Even more exciting, you might find that some of the local words you use (local dialect words) are descended from Viking words.

The language of the Vikings is very much alive today and has a future!

The Vikings spoke a language very similar to the language spoken in Germany and the Netherlands at the time. When the Vikings landed their longships in Britain, they had no problems understanding the language of their cousins the Anglo-Saxons.

The Vikings settled on several of the islands in the North Atlantic, among them the Faeroe Islands and Iceland. Here they still talk the original Viking language almost unchanged!

More about language and placenames

bulletComplete listing
bullet
Corresponding Family Names of Scandinavian Origin in Normandy and Yorkshire
Dialektene i  Yorkshire og Normandie har noe spesielt felles - vikingene!
Do you speak Viking?
Eboracum - Eoforwic - Jorvik - York
Eboracum - Eoforwic - Jorvik -York
England and The Danelaw
Irish words which have come from Old Norse
Levende vikingeord  i engelsk og fransk
List of Yorkshire dialect words of Old Norse origin
List of Yorkshire dialect words of Old Norse origin
Normandy, Channel Islands and the 'ligne Joret'
Norrøne familienavn i Normandie og Yorkshire
Norrøne landskapsnavn i Danelagen
Norrøne ord i den normanniske dialekten
Norrøne ord i Yorkshiredialekten
Norrøne stedsnavn i England
Norrøne stedsnavn i Russland
Old Norse words in the Norman Dialect
Ord i moderne standard-engelsk med tilknytning til Skandinavia 1- Handlinger og tilstander
Ord i moderne standard-engelsk med tilknytning til Skandinavia 2- - TING
Ord i moderne standard-engelsk med tilknytning til Skandinavia 3 - Diverse
Place-names in The Danelaw
Samples of Viking language
Scandinavian terms for landscape features in the Danelaw
Scandinavian-named settlements around Jorvik
Scandinavian-named settlements around Jorvik
Skandinaviske stedsnavn i i Jorvik (York) - regionen
Some Family names based on the craft of the Metalworking Smith
Standard English words which have a Scandinavian Etymology
Standard English words which have a Scandinavian Etymology
Standard English words which have a Scandinavian Etymology: Miscellaneous
Standard English words which have a Scandinavian Etymology: Miscellaneous
Stedsnavn i Danelagen
Stedsnavn med et norrønt personnavn som en del av navnet
The Danelaw - population, culture and heritage
The Viking Linguistic Heritage in England
The Viking Linguistic Heritage in England
The Viking Network: England og Danelagen
The Viking Network: Standard English words which have a Scandinavian Etymology
The Viking Network:The Danelaw - Befolkning, kultur og arven etter vikingene
The Vikings in Normandy: Density of Scandinavian place names
The Vikings in Normandy: Norman family names of Viking origin
The Vikings in Normandy: Normanniske familienavn av norrønt opphav:
The Vikings in Normandy: Place names derived from the Old Norse words for landscape features and other descriptions
The Vikings in Normandy: Place names, based on a Scandinavian personal name element
Viking Given Names
Viking Given Names
Viking Linguistic Heritage
Viking place names and language in England
Viking Placenames
Viking Placenames in Ireland
Viking Placenames in Orkney
Viking Placenames in Russia
Yorkshire dialect words of Old Norse origin
Yorkshire dialect words of Old Norse origin
Yorkshire dialect words of Old Norse origin
 
- 14. august 2004 -