Falconsword@... wrote:

> I am almost unable to answer questions
> like this so I went and asked my mother:)
> She didn't recognise "ben" so it must
> qualify as archaic.
>
> It's a perfectly good word for poetry;
> though. It's even in the Sjúrðarkvæði:

Is this the Føroy-an "Sigurdskvad" that
you mentioned before? I think Lockwood quotes it too.

> Ormurin er skriðin av gullinum,
> langt ger hann skrið,
> Sjúrður trívur um benjarkolv,
> hann býr sítt svörðið til.
>
> The worm has crawled off the gold,
> he does a long crawl,
> Sjúrður grasps his staff of wounds (benjar-kolvur)
> he prepares his sword.

How about:
"The worm has slid off his gold"
(or maybe 'slithered? aka Bob Dylan)
(isn't skriða also used for skiing?)

And "kolv" would that be like a golf-club?
I also thought the form "sítt svörðið" was odd.
I see accusative neuter there. Am without
dictionary now. But wouldn't it go something
like this? (sverð sverð sverði sverðs; sverð sverð sverðum sverða)?
(I am just making a guess - if I make an error someone will correct
me - live dangerous! [ly]) But svörðið [sverðit?] seems
like a definite form (=the sword, acc sg n). And sítt [sitt?]
possessive pronoun (< sinn) *also* acts like a determinative.
i.e. "his sword" is already definite, just like "the sword".
You don't say "the his sword".

> The same kenning, "benja-kólfur" occurs in
> something by Bólu-Hjálmar, I'll let you know
> if I find it.

Please send it. It sounds interesting!
Kveðja, Ketill.