cited from MSS. in the Arna-Magn. collection marked Dipl., the Roman numerals denoting fasciculi: there are also cited collections of Libri Datici of the 14th century, viz. Pétrs-máldagi, Auðunnar-máldagi, Jóns-máldagi, and Vilkins-máldagi, all bearing the name of the bishops of the 14th century who made the collection, and cited from MSS. in the Arna-Magn.
- II. Norse:—Diplomatarium Norvagicum, in many volumes, by Unger and Lange, Christiania 1849 sqq.; but as the language of Norway was no longer in a pure state in the 14th and 15th centuries, this large collection is sparingly cited: Björgynjar Kalfskinn, Boldts Jordebog, and Munkalíf are all registers of properties of the Norse cloister, rarely cited.
K. RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS.
- I. Gothic Runes, called by some Old Scandinavian Runes; they are identical with the Anglo-Saxon Runes, but older, and are found only on the very oldest monuments:—The Golden Horn, dug up in Schleswig A.D. 1734, contains an inscription probably of the 3rd or 4th century, explained by Much and finally by Bugge; The Runic Stone at Tune in Norway, edited and explained by Munch, Christiania 1857, specially cited now and then in the introductions to the letters.
- II. Common Scandinavian Runic Inscriptions:—The Swedish Stones, collected in Bautil, vide s.v. bantasteinn; the figures mark the number: Brocman’s treatise upon the Runes at the end of Ingvars Saga, Stockholm 1762. 2. The Danish Runic Stones, edited by Thorsen, De Danske Rune-Mindes-mærker, Copenhagen 1864; Rafn’s collection, Copenhagen 1856. The Manx Stones are edited by Munch along with his edition of the Chronicon Manniae.
☞ As to the authorship of these works, we can only briefly note that most of them are Icelandic, but parts Norwegian or Norse. Parts of A, the whole of B. II, and part of B. III are Norse; F and G are partly Norse and partly Icelandic; H. II and J. II are Norse; K Scandinavian; the rest Icelandic. Some few MSS. under the other letters are Norse, e.g. Fagrskinna; but the works are undoubtedly of Icelandic origin. Again, many of the Norse laws are preserved in Icelandic MSS., and only one of the many MSS. of the Skugg-sjá is Norse.
BY MODERN WORKS are understood the works from the Reformation to the present time, as opposed to the old literature, which may be said to end about A.D. 1400; the following 100 or 150 years are almost blank, at least as far as prose is concerned. The first specimen of modern Icelandic literature is the translation of the New Testament, A.D. 1540, then the rendering of hymns and psalms into Icelandic, and the version of the whole Bible: the middle and latter part of the 16th century was entirely taken up with these subjects. A fresh historical literature, annals and the like, first dawns at the end of the 18th; essays of an economical or especially rich in religious poetry; the Sermons of Jón Vídalín belong to the beginning of the 18th; essays of an economical or political character begin at the middle or end of that century, and periodicals from A.D. 1780. As for this Dictionary, it may be briefly stated that, as to the old literature, every passage is as far as possible given with references; while words and phrases from the living Icelandic tongue, popular sayings, etc. are freely given, but generally without references. No Icelandic Dictionary can be said to be complete that does not pay attention to the present language: the old literature, however rich, does not give the whole language, but must be supplemented and illustrated by the living tongue. The differences in grammar are slight, and the transition of forms regular and gradual, so the change is mostly visible in the vocabulary. But it should be noted that when a word or phrase is given without reference, this means that no ancient reference was at hand: but it does not follow that it is modern; this can only be seen from the bearing of the word, e.g. whether it conveys a notion known to the ancients or not. Of modern works cited the following may be noted:
- I. In Poetry, first, the flower of Icelandic poetry, old as well as modern, the Passíu-Sálmar or Fifty Passion Hymns by Hallgrim Petrsson (born 1614, died 1674), finished 1660, published 1666, and since that time reprinted in thirty editions; the former figure marks the hymn, the latter the verse. The Hymns and Psalms of the Reformation are now and then cited from the Hymn-book of 11619 (called Hóla-bók, cited by its leaves), or the collection of 1742. 2. Of secular poems, Búnaðar-bálkr (marked Bb.), composed 1764, by Eggert Ólafsson (born 1726, died 1768); this poem has always been a great favourite with the people in Iceland: the first figure marks the divisions of the poem. A small collection, A.D. 1852, called Snót, containing small but choice poems of different poets. β. Of rímur or modern rhapsodies, the Úlfars-rímur are cited as the choicest specimen, composed by Þorlak Gudbrandsson, who died in 1707; Tíma-ríma, a satirical poem of the beginning of the 18th century; Núma-rímur by Sigurd Breidfjörd. γ. Njóla, a philosophical poem by Björn Gunnlaugsson, published 1844; Hústafia, a pedagogical poem by Jón Magnusson (born 1601), cited from the Ed. of 1774. δ. The Ballads or Fornkvæði, 1854 sq., vide s.v. danz. ε. Ditties and Songs, never published, but all the better recollected,—the choicest among them are those attributed to Pál Vídalín (born 1666, died 1727), etc. etc. 3. The chief poets are:—Hallgrímr Pétrsson; Stefán Ólafsson (died 1688); Eggert Ólafsson; Jón Þorláksson (born 1744, died 1819), his poems are collected in two volumes, 1842; Benedikt Gröndal (born 1762, died 1825), his poems in a small collection, 1833; Sigurdr Pétrsson (died 1827), his poems collected in 1844; Bjarni Thorarinsson (born 1787, died 1841), his poems published 1847; Jónas Hallgrímsson (born 1807, died 1846), his poems published 1847; Sigurðr Breiðfjörð (died 1846).
- II. In Prose we must first mention, 1. Nýja Testamenti, the New Testament, cited from the text of 1644, in Edd. of 1807 and 1813 (in no case is the new version, London 1866, cited, it being merely a paraphrase, and inaccurate); the text of 1644 here cited is mainly founded on the original version of 1540, which has been duly reckoned among the noblest specimens of Icelandic prose, especially in the Gospels; it is therefore frequently cited. Gamla Testamenti, the Old Testament, is cited more sparingly. The earliest edition of the Bible (Hólum 1584) is called Guðbrands-Biblia, i.e. the Bible of bishop Gudbrand; the next edition (Hólum 1644) is called Þorláks-Biblia, i.e. the Bible of bishop Thorlak, and is a slightly emended text of that of bishop Gudbrand. The Þorláks-Biblia may be called the Icelandic textus receptus; the edition of 1746, called Waisenhús-Biblia, is a reprint of it; as is also the edition of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1813. Whenever the Old Testament is cited (and when Stjórn is not meant), the reference is to one of these three editions of the same version. β. Next we have to notice the Sermons of bishop Jón Vídalín (born 1666, died 1720), called Jóns-bók (not the Jóns-bók above mentioned, B. III) or Vídalíns Postilla, a highly esteemed work; the first edition is of 1718, and ten or eleven editions have since been published: perhaps no Icelandic book is so stocked with popular sayings and phrases of every kind. 2. Of secular literature we have to first mention Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur or Icelandic Stories and Legends by Jón Arnason, Leipzig 1862, 1864, in two volumes; some of them rendered into English by Messrs. Powell and Magnusson; the Icelandic text, however, is always cited. β. Kvöldvökur, a popular book for children, in two vols. 1794 and 1796, by Hannes Finnsson. γ. The publications of the Icelandic Literary Society, Bókmenta-félag, founded A.D. 1816: Árbækr or Annals of Iceland by Jón Espolin (died 1836), published 1821 sqq.: Safn or Contributions towards the History of Iceland, etc. etc. δ. Piltr og Stúlka, a novel, 1850. ε. The beautiful translation of the Odyssey by Sveinbjörn Egillsson, published under the name of Odysseifs-kvæði, in small parts, to serve as school books during the years 1829-1844. ζ. Periodicals:—Félags-rit, a periodical in fifteen volumes, 1780-1795, contains much that is valuable in Icelandic philology; cp. also Ný Félags-rit, a periodical of 1841 sqq. Ármann á Alþingi, a periodical of 1829-1832. Þjóðólfr, a newspaper, Reykjavík 1848-1869.
Ample thanks are due to the excellent reader at the Claredon Press, Mr. Pembrey, for his watchful attention to consistency in spelling and accuracy in punctuation, especially in the Icelandic part of this Dictionary.
G. V.
