agrada'vel para encontrar-se com o! have you already read any of the saga literature / myths in English (or Portuguese)?
 
it sounds like the types of grammar you will run into in Old Germanic languages will be new to you; SO I would honestly recommend starting with Old English SIMPLY because its a bit easier than Old Norse, but still very similar (example OE "eotun" 'giant, ON 'jotunn' 'giant', OE 'wulf' 'wolf', ON 'ulfr' 'wolf', OE 'theoden' 'prince' ON 'thjothinn' 'prince', OE 'drincan' 'drink' ON 'drekka' 'drink' and so forth). the grammar of OE is a bit simpler, but the vocabulary is very similar to Old Norse.
 
There's alot more learning material out there for OE than ON, and alot of the OE textbooks are easier to use than the ON; ON textbooks are rather old-fashioned and usually written by old German philologists before World War 2.
 
OE also does have alot of great stories, like Beowulf, The Wanderer, The Sea-Farer, the Ruin. Its also a really beautiful language. I think its more beautiful than Old Norse.
 
I'd recommend "First Steps in Old English" by Stephen Pollington, published by Anglo-Saxon Books. Its relatively new, and its meant for people who have never studied languages before.
 
There's also a great dictionary for Modern English-to-Old English so you can look up a word and say it in the ancient language! its called "Word Craft" by Stephen Pollington, publ. by Anglo-Saxon Books. These are pretty fun books to use.
 
Once you understand Old English, Old Norse grammar will be easier and you'll know most of the vocabulary.
 
Boa sorte!-Justin

jay_py012 <jay_py012@...> wrote:
i want to learn old norse for linguistic interest and so that i can
read the legends and myths. as for my language background: my primary
language is a latin one (portuguese) , but i speak almost fluently
english. so, what route should i pursue?

--- In norse_course@ yahoogroups. com, Justin Farwell <chelagil3@. ..> wrote:
>
> no problem!
>
> what things exactly are you pursuing in doing Old Norse (or Old
Germanic in general?) purely linguistic interest, or to read the
literature? and is the poetic/elegiac literature you like, or the
historical documents? or legends? or myths?
>
> there's a lot of different routes to recommend, depending on what
your interest/purpose is!
>
> also, what background do you have in language? in Latin, German,
or Scandinavian skills?
>
> many good wishes, Justin
>
> jay_py012 <jay_py012@. ..> wrote:
> maybe i'll do like you said: learn old english. now that i
think about
> it, it may be a good starter!!! thanks for the advice!!! and thank
> you, N thomsen, for the pdf version of "Zoëga Old Icelandic Dict.".
> i'll make good use of it in further studies.
>
> --- In norse_course@ yahoogroups. com, Justin Farwell <chelagil3@> wrote:
> >
> > hoo hum,
> >
> > you know, sometimes learning another relevant, awesome old
> germanic language can be a good starter! have you thought about first
> learning old english? there are obviously more points at which Old
> English and modern English overlap than Old Norse with modern English
> (though they are all Germanic). there's also alot more pedagological
> material for learning Old English. check out the Northvegr website and
> google books for grammars and primers.
> >
> > unless you can find something that's laid out like a classic
> langauge textbook with exercizes (Bright's Old English Grammar and
> Reader 3rd Edition and Pollington's First Steps in Old English' come
> to mind), you'll have to get used to reading grammars.
> >
> > if you really want to get to norse as quick as possible, many
> people start off learning modern Icelandic (which is almost the same
> as Old Norse/ Old Icelandic). I'd recommend "Learning Icelandic" by
> Mal og Mening, Reykjavik:2001. Most other books are just primers with
> thick grammars like all the other books you will encounter.
> >
> > good luck!
> >
> > jay_py012 <jay_py012@> wrote:
> > hi,
> >
> > i'm new around here but i'm very enthusiastic with learning old norse.
> > so, can you give some tips that may help my learning? i'd apreciate
> > any kind of help.
> >
> > thanks in advance.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Nu eow is gerymed; gað ricene to us, guman to guþe;
> god ana wat hwa þære wælstowe wealdan note.
> > (Now the way is clear for you; O warriors, hasten to the battle;
> God alone knows how things will turn out)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------ --------- --------- ---
> > Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo!
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>
>
>
> Nu eow is gerymed; gað ricene to us, guman to guþe;
god ana wat hwa þære wælstowe wealdan note.
> (Now the way is clear for you; O warriors, hasten to the battle;
God alone knows how things will turn out)
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------ --------- --------- ---
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Nu eow is gerymed;    gað ricene to us,    guman to guþe;    god ana wat    hwa þære wælstowe    wealdan note.
(Now the way is clear for you; O warriors, hasten to the battle; God alone knows how things will turn out)


Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.