I don't know if I'm being too stubborn, but
perhaps Snorri purposely used *old" -r
(-rsh)pronunciation for L�tr below.

--- Haukur Thorgeirsson <haukurth@...> wrote:

> Snorri says (I'm quoting from memory) that this
> line has six syllables:
>
> "L�tr s�s H�kon heitir"

Actuall, the *very fact* that he held it
necessary to mention that the line had six
syllables indicates that he was telling his
fellow Icelanders of his period that the number
of syllables in the line *was not obvious*.
Otherwise, why would one need to tell fellow
speakers of the language how many syllables there
were in a line in their own common language?

It seems more like Icelanders of Snorri's time
would have otherwise assumed the line had seven
syllables, if not for Snorri going to the trouble
to point out to them that it had only six *when
pronounced traditionally*.

The context of Snorri's text would need to be
examined more closely to tell.

- DS


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