English Words with Old Norse Origin
We owe the Vikings and Old Norse very much in the linguistic terms. Specifically, many of our English words that we use daily these days are derived from the Old Norse words.
Days of the Week
We thank the Old Norse language for passing down the days of the week to our generation. Indeed, the days of the week were named after the names of many famous and important figures in Norse mythology. The most obvious Old Norse influence on English was Thursday which, you can guess, came from Thor's Day. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday were the days to honour Tyr, Odin (sometimes known as Woden), and Frigg respectively. Monday and Sunday were for the siblings known as Mani and Sol who rode the chariots carrying the Sun and the Moon through the skies.
War
The thing that made the Viking famous the most was their obsession with war. And they did win overwhelmingly against their enemies. They did not spread death only to the land that they raided, but they brought cool words for war and destruction as well. So if you look at a Viking warrior a rangr (wrong) way, he will þrysta (thrust) a knifr into your skulle
| English | Old Norse | Meaning |
| berserk | berserkr | "bear-skin". The Viking warrior who joined the battles armourless and worshipped Odin (See Viking Berserkers) |
| club | clubb | heavy and blunt weapon |
| gun | gunn | originated from female name Gunnhildr "War and Battle" |
| ransack | rannsaka | to search a house |
| scathe | skaða | to injure |
Society and Culture
| English | Old Norse | Meaning |
| bylaw | bylög | Village-law |
| Hell | Hel | Loki's daughter who presided over the land of the dead |
| husband | húsbóndi | hús (house) + bondi (occupier of the land) |
| skill | skil | distinction |
| steak | steik | to fry |
| thrall | þræll | slave (See Viking Social Structure) |
Emotions
| English | Old Norse | Meaning |
| anger | angr | trouble, affliction |
| awe | agi | terror. Symbol Helm of Awe was also the Aegishjalmur |
| happy | happ | good luck, fate |
| irk | yrkja | to work |
Animals
| English | Old Norse | Meaning |
| bug | búkr | an insect with tree trunks |
| bull | boli | |
| reindeer | hreindyri | |
| skate | skata | fish |
| wing | vængr |
