Posted on 03/09/2007 11:37:30 AM PST by blam
Hello friends. Haraldr harðráði in old Icelandic means Harald Hard-buttocks. Yes, you've got that right. harðráði is a perjorative in some texts for a mean ruler and just as today it is in reference to a man's hind quarters.
First remember that in the development of language "l" and "r" are liquid vowels and can replace each other. So change the Greek "l" to an "r" and you are close to abra kedabra.
Also, words of power inscribed like this were often meant so that letters were read in reverse.
That is definitely an anchor in my opinion - I have seen a number of others including one up in Deeside on Pictish Christian carvings on megaliths.
This noble woman was of extraordinary importance to have this.
I neglected to say that there would likely be a deliberate mis-spelling of the word of power so that neophytes and the unwashed could not read it.
My favorite on is Halvdan den Milde Og Matille Øysteinsøn(The Generous & Food Miserly), because it's rather baffling. His father was Øystein "Fretr" Halvdansson (the Fart), a name that is sure to bring glee to any young boy.
I think it's possible she may have been a Goth (Wulfila Bible was a 4th century translation) or possibly a Nun, who'd been collected during a raid.
I should have said you can find the perjorative use of harðráði in the Sagas. Of course, this is a rare double entendre ... the "radt" as parliament is featured in a number of northern European languages...
My bet would be on a woman the Vikings brought back during their raids through Kievan Rus' during the Viking river invasions through what is modern day Russia, Ukraine etc.
I actually took Icelandic for a semester, and my Icelandic dictionary says: "ráða (ræð; réð; ráðinn) v.t. advise; recommend; ráða e-m áð gera e-ð, advise s.o. to do s.t.; with dat. rule, govern." Nothing about bottoms anywhere.
It seems an obvious cognate with the Anglo-Saxon ræd and Middle English rede, all meaning the same thing - counsel or advice. I would think the Icelandic for the hinder parts would be a cognate of the A/S "buttuc" which means what it sounds like.
Nope. Njalsaga.
Burnt Njal?
Normally in Norse you see the word "ars" employed or its variations. One of the older variations is "ard" and sometimes with a prefix "r".
Right. Brennu-Njáls saga or as the Icelandic of today calls it Njála.
I know Harald Fairhair is in there, but isn't Harald Hardrada a lot later?
Oh, its not used with reference to Haraldr or as a proper name in the Njála -- I just cite it for reference on the use of the word.
I recall that you are a speaker of Scots Gaelic. Do you get anything out of the inscription?
Is it Atli?
The Christian amulet may also been booty - a pretty trinket given a women to make her smile.
Depending on the manuscript, you find it used in reference to Atli and also Gunnar -- and a very cunning play on it in one manuscript referring to Hallgerda.
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