“Þorsteinn hét maðr.”: A Socio-Onomastic Analysis

• The Íslendingasögur provide a great wealth of personal names, both of historical and possibly fictional nature, which allows for an examination of historical and literary name-giving practices before and during the saga-writing age. Prosoponyms – personal names – in Old Norse sources have only been studied to a limited extent and very rarely in the context of the Íslendingasögur, which is surprising given the sheer amount of personal names mentioned in the Sagas.Personal names do not only function as identifiers for individuals but also serve as mirrors of the society and culture using them. Personal names are reflections of the community that gives these names to individuals. As such, these personal names can express family ties and affiliations to a certain group of people, and both individual and communal identity. It is therefore worth examining the personal names in the Íslendingasögur from the perspective of socio-onomastics to explore the social, cultural and identity related implications of name-giving traditions and practices, especially in the context of Icelandic identity. The Íslendingasögur often denote an elusive difference in Scandinavian/Norwegian and Icelandic identity and naming traditions are not to be forgotten as a contributing factor of these differences in perceived identity. A socio-onomastic analysis of the personal names mentioned in the Íslendingasögur has not only the potential for further insight into the sense of community and Icelandic identity during the saga-writing age but also furthers the advancement of historical and literary socio-onomastics in the field of Old Norse Studies. 

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Litteraturstudier (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- Specific Literatures (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Studier av enskilda språk (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- Specific Languages (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Socio-Onomastics

Personal Names

Icelandic Family Sagas

Icelandic Identity

Scandinavian Languages

nordiska språk

Linguistics

lingvistik

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

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