Chapter VI: Linguistic Influences

(_a_) Loan-words from Old Norse in Irish.

The large number of loan-words from Old Norse which occur in Old and Middle Irish indicate clearly the extent and character of Scandinavian influence in Ireland. They are therefore interesting from an historical point of view, for they confirm, and sometimes supplement, the evidence of Irish and Icelandic sources, that the relations existing between the two peoples were largely of a friendly character.

As the subject has already been fully dealt with by Celtic scholars,[163] only the more important loan words are given here:--

I. DRESS[164] AND ARMOUR.

O. Ir. _at-cluic_, also _clocc-att_ ‘a helmet.’ _att_ = O.N. _hattr_,
‘a hat,’ while _cluic_ = M. Ir. _clocenn_, ‘a head.’

M. Ir. _allsmann_; O.N. _halsmen_, ‘a necklace.’

M. Ir. _boga_; O.N. _bogi_, ‘a bow.’

M. Ir. _bossan_; O.N. _púss_, ‘a small bag or purse
hanging from the belt.’

M. Ir. _cnapp_; O.N. _knappr_, ‘a button.’

M. Ir. _elta_; O.N. _hjalt_, ‘a hilt’ (of a sword).

M. Ir. _mattal_; O.N. _möttull_, ‘a cloak.’

M. Ir. _mergge_; O.N. _merki_, ‘a flag’ or ‘banner.’

M. Ir. _sceld_; O.N. _sköjldr_, ‘a shield.’

O. Ir. _scot_, lin _scoit_; O.N. _skaut_, ‘a cloth,’ or ‘sheet.’

M. Ir. _starga_; O.N. _targa_, ‘a shield.’

II. HOUSEBUILDING.

M. Ir. _bailc_; O.N. _bálkr_, ‘a beam.’

M. Ir. _fuindeog_; O.N. _vindauga_, ‘a window.’

M. Ir. _garda_; O.N. _garthr_, ‘a garden.’

M. Ir. _halla_; O.N. _höll_, ‘a hall.’

M. Ir. _sparr_; O.N. _sparri_, ‘a rafter.’

M. Ir. _stóll_; O.N. _stóll_, ‘a stool.’

III.

Other interesting loan words are:--

O. Ir. _armand_, _armann_; O.N. _ármathr_, ‘an officer.’

M. Ir. _callaire_; O.N. _kallari_, ‘a herald.’

M. Ir. _gunnfann_; O.N. _gunnfáni_, ‘a battle standard.’

O. Ir. _erell_; M. Ir. _iarla_; O.N. _jarl_, ‘an earl.’

M. Ir. _lagmainn_;[165] O.N. _lögmenn_, plural of _lögmathr_,
‘a lawman.’

M. Ir. _Pers_;[166] O.N. _berserkr_.

M. Ir. _sráid_; O.N. _straeti_, ‘a street.’

M. Ir. _sreang_; O.N. _strengr_, ‘a string.’

M. Ir. _tráill_; O.N. _thraell_, ‘a slave.’

M. Ir. _trosg_; O.N. _thorskr_, ‘codfish.’

O. Ir. _ustaing_; O.N. _hústhing_, ‘an assembly.’

Certain old Norse words and phrases which are to be found in Irish texts also go to show the familiarity of the Irish with the Norse language. They may be mentioned here, although they are not loan-words, but rather attempts on the part of the Irish authors to reproduce the speech of the foreigners:--

_cing._[167] O.N. _konungr_, or possibly A.S.
_cyning_.

_conung_ (_Three Fragments of
Annals_, pp. 126, 194, 228). O.N. _konungr_, ‘a king.’

“_Faras Domnall?_” (_War of “_Hvar es Domhnall?_” “Where
the Gaedhil with the Gaill_; is Domhnall?”
p. 174).

“_Sund a sniding_,” was the O. Ir. _sund_, “here.”
reply. O.N. _nithingr_, “here, rascal.”

fíut (_Book of Leinster_, 172,
a, 7). O.N. _hvítr_, ‘white.’

_Infuit_, a personal name; O.N. _hvítr_, ‘white.’
_War of the Gaedhil with
the Gaill_, p. 78.

_litill_ (_ibid._, p. 84). O.N. _lítill_, ‘little.’

_mikle_ (_Three Fragments of O.N. _míkill_, ‘much.’
Annals_, p. 176).

_nui, nui_ (_ibid_, p. O.N. _knúe_, from _knýja_, ‘to
164).[168] advance.’

_roth._[169] O.N. _rauthr_, ‘red.’

(_b_) Gaelic Words in Old Norse Literature.[170]

Considering the close connection between Ireland and Iceland, especially in the tenth and eleventh centuries, it is surprising that so few Gaelic words found their way into Old Norse literature. The only Norse words that can be said, with any certainty, to be derived from Irish, are the following:--

_bjannak_ (_Ynglingasaga_, Ir. _bennacht_, ‘a blessing.’
_Heimskringla_, ch. 2):

_erg_ (_Orkneyinga Saga_, Ir. airghe, (1) ‘a herd of cattle.’
ch. 113) (2) ‘grazing land.’

_gelt_;[171] Ir. _geilt_, ‘a madman.’

_varth at gjalti_, to become
mad with fear. Cf. _Eyrbyggja
Saga_, ch. 18.

_ingian_; Ir. _inghean_, ‘a girl.’

_kapall_ (Fornmanna Sögur II., Ir. _capall_, ‘a horse.’
p. 231);

_kesja_; Ir. _ccis_, ‘a spear.’

_korki_ (Snorres Edda, II., Ir. _coirce_, ‘oats.’
493);

_kross_; Ir. _cros_, ‘a cross.’

_kuaran_; Ir. _cuaran_, ‘a shoe’ (made of skin).

_kúthi_;[172] ? Ir. _cuthach_, ‘fierce.’

_male diarik_;[173] Ir. _mallacht duit, a rig_, ‘a curse
upon you, O king.’

_minnthak_;[174] Ir. _mintach_, ‘made of meal.’

_ríg_ (in _Rígsmál_); Ir. _ri(g)_, ‘a king.’

_tarfr_ (_Eyrbyggia Saga_, ch. Ir. _tarbh_, ‘a bull.’
63, etc.)

(_c_) Irish Influence on Icelandic Place-nomenclature.

A number of the place-names mentioned in the _Landnámabók_[175] contain a Gaelic element which, with one or two exceptions, is present in the form of a personal name. Among these Icelandic place-names we may note the following:--

_Personal Name._

_Bekkanstathir_; Ir. _Beccán_.

(1) _Branslackr_, (also (2) Ir. (1) _Bran_, (2) _Brian_.
_Brjamslackr_);

_Dufansdalir_; Ir. _Dubhan_.

_Dufthaksholt_; Ir. _Dubhthach_.
also _Dufthakskor_; etc.

_Kalmansá_; Ir. _Colmán_.
also _Kalmanstunga_.

_Kjallakshöll_, Ir. _Ceallach_.
_Kjallaksstathir_;

_Kjaransvík_; Ir. _Ciarán_.

_Kylansholar_; Ir. _Culen_ (Marstrander).

(1) _Lunansholt_ or Ir. (1) _Lon-án_ (2) _Lommán_.
(2) _Lumansholt_;

_Minnthakseyr_; Ir. _mintach_, ‘made of meal.’

_Papýli_, _Papey_; Ir. ‘papa,’ ‘an anchorite.’

_Patreksfjörthr_; Ir. personal name _Patraic_.