Geirr Bassi

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Dating Geirr Bassi

March 2004 - appropriate up to c1100

#158Iror the Insane. Name. "Iror is documented as an Old Norse masculine given name in Geirr Bassi (p. 12). As such, it is undated but appropriate for up to approximately 1100. " http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2004/03/04-03lar.html

November 2003 - c. 1100 or earlier

#147Anna allrasystir Úlfsdóttir. Name. "Submitted as Anny__a __Allrasystir Úlfsdóttir, the submitted name combines a 16th C Russian given name with a pair of Old Norse bynames (appropriate for c. 1100 or earlier)..." http://heraldry.sca.org/loar/2003/11/03-11lar.html

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Geirr Bassi Errors

hákr:

Geir Bassi defines <hákr> as "hake, fish".

Njáls saga says: "Var hann fyrir því kallaðr Þorkell hákr að hann eirði hvártki í orðum né verkum við hvern sem hann átti." (http:books.google.com/books?id=dsIXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA283) [He was called Thorkel foulmouth, because he spared no one with whom he had to do either in word or deed. (http:sagadb.org/brennu-njals_saga.en#118)]

Finnur Jónnson says "hákr bet. en 'voldsom, uforskammet' person, der er dygtig til at bruge mund." [hákr has the sense of 'a violent, rude' person skilled in insults (http://books.google.com/books?id=KWkSAAAAYAAJ orhttp:heimskringla.no/wiki/Tilnavne_i_den_islandske_oldlitteratur)]

HÁKR, m., the proper sense may have been some kind of fish, cp. Engl. hake; the word is seldom used but in compds; mat-hákr, a glutton; orð-hákr, foul mouth: a nickname, hann var fyrir því kallaðr Þorkell hákr at hann eirði öngu hvárki í orðum né verkum, Nj. 183.

In modern Norwegian, "å hakke" ("å" is the infinitive marker) means 'to hack/chop' also in the sense of verbally pecking at/chiding someone and it can be done over a long period and mercilessly.

þrymr:

Geirr Bassi defines <þrymr> as "loud noise, alarm"

Finnur Jónsson (http://books.google.com/books?id=KWkSAAAAYAAJ orhttp:heimskringla.no/wiki/Tilnavne_i_den_islandske_oldlitteratur) gives the bynames <þrymr>, <þrumr> and also the prefixed bynames <þrym-> and <Þrum-> and defines this as "calm and silent".

Geirr Bassi got his definition from the Cleasby-Vigfusson Old Icelandic dictionary (http:www.ling.upenn.edu/~kurisuto/germanic/oi_cleasbyvigfusson_about.html, see p.747), which has some related terms that appear to have led GB astray:

● þrymr (masc. noun) "an alarm, noise" ● þrymr (adjective) "glorious" ● þryma (fem. noun) "an alarm, noise" ● þruma (fem. noun) "a thunderclap" ● þruma (verb) "to rattle, to thunder"

However, one must be aware that these words some front mutation of the back vowel "u" to the front vowel "y", hence the various spellings. Old Norse "u" and "y" both have similar sounds. E.V. Gordon (An Introduction to Old Norse) says:

● as in French <roux> ● <ú> as in droop ● <y> as in French <tu> ● <ý> as in French <pur>

(Are there better English words to illustrate the sounds for which Gordon uses French examples?)

Armed with this knowledge, and going back to Cleasby-Vigfusson, sure enough:

● þrumr (masc. noun) "a slow person, moper" used as a nickname: "hann var þógull ok fálátr, þvi var hann kallaðr Þrym-Ketill" [He was silent and aloof, so he was called Þrym-Ketill] ● þrymja, þrumði = þruma (verb) "to sit fast, mope" ● þruma (verb) "to mope, tarry, stay behind, loiter"

See also: Sveinbjörn Egilsson. Lexicon Poëticum Antiquæ Linguæ. Copenhagen: J.D. Qvist & Co. 1860. @http://books.google.com/books?id=YpAVAAAAYAAJ

Finnur Jónsson. Lexica Poetica at Septentrionalia. Copenhagen: S.L. Møllers. 1931. @http://www.septentrionalia.net/lex/index2.php?book=d&page=-3&ext=png

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