Can any of you describe for me your experience with finding ON
material? I've heard lots of it before, and I have the general
impression of it (of there being an acute lack), but I need my memory
refreshed. Like, what were the books like, that you have managed to
find, and how easy/difficult was it to obtain them. What's with the
dictionary issue? (I haven't been paying attention to it, I admit) Is
there really just one ON-English dictionary, that dusty old
Cleasby-Vigfússon thing? You would do great aid to the course if you'd
help me with this, by telling your "story" (of your career in ON),
either privately or on-list. Let's just say I need the information for
something which can mean alot for the course :)
Thanks in advance,
Óskar :)
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Heill Óskar!
It's been an exercise in frustration for me from day one. I've been actively
searching for material for the last year. I have only found a few other
dictionaries besides Zoëga's but all of them have been out of print. Except
for Gordon's book the same is true of beginning primers in Old Norse. I have
Gordon's book. Actually I have had it for almost a year but I could never
make anything out of it. I have some experience learning other languages, I
studied Latin, but I could not make anything of Gordon's book. It seemed to
me to be more geared to someone who had MUCH experience in learning a
language which I did not have. I had checked on Vigfusson's dictionary and
Zoëga's dictionary and even if I was lucky enough to find one it would have
cost quite a bit of money. So I have been doubly thrilled, first when I
found your course, and found that I could actually understand the concepts
presented; the concepts I had previously not been able to understand in
Gordon's book and secondly when Zoëga's dictionary became available.
Basically anything to do with Old Norse, in America, you are going to run
into what seems like endless walls. The small amount of material that is
there is very very hard to get a hold of. At least when I get finished,
Zoëga's dictionary will not be hard to get hold of if you have internet
access.