On Mon, Feb 26, 2001 at 11:20:23AM -0000, Óskar Guðlaugsson wrote:
> Heil öll,
> Can any of you describe for me your experience with finding ON
> material?
I found three worthwhile books in a local library (Badische Landesbibliothek
Karlsruhe):
"Altnordisches Elementarbuch" by Friedrich Ranke, Dietrich Hofmann
Introduction with a depiction of the developments before Old Norse
and after it, also a few explanations about lyrical forms (alliterations,
...). Then something about the sounds (incl. Umlauts, assimilations,
consonant developments ...), then the flections (declensions,
conjugations, pronomina, ...). Then there were notes on specialities
found in the text examples, and about developments from ON to
Old Norvegian, Old Svedish, Old Danish, Old Gutnic. Then, the
probably biggest part of the book are sample texts, followed by
a dictionary (that, however restricted to the words used in the
book).
German language book!
W. H. Wolf-Rottkay: "Altnordisch-Isländisches Lesebuch"
A book of Old Norse and modern Icelandic texts.
Gísls þáttr Illugasonar, modern Icelandic by-text to that
Odds þáttr Ófeigssonar
Hrafns þáttr Guðrúnarsonar
Góð Boð
Remarks about the texts, glossary, dictionary (also restricted
to the words used), short table on the strong vocal changes in
Old West Norse
German language (except the Old Norse/Icelandic texts of course)
Snorri Sturluson: Edda, Prologue and Gylfaginning
Ed. by Anthony Faulkes
W/ an introduction, general and textual notes, glossary (all
the words used in the text), index of names
English language (except, of course for the original text)
The rest I found wrt ON resources was online. The advise for this
very list I received just shortly ago on asatru_n_action, some
other resources could be obtained from web directories
(www.dmoz.org, www.yahoo.com), however usually sorted among Asatru
resources, as well as some Asatru pages (Miðnottsol Regintroþ,
for a good example, which hosts for example texts from the Poetic
Edda in ON).
> 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?
Okay. The "Elementarbuch" is more of a reference, the grammar part
is quite short and compact. Not really ideal for learning (especially
compared to the lessons of this very course here!). However, I managed
to learn some bits from that and am still working through the text
examples of that book, and referring back to the grammar part of
it when needed.
The other two I haven't worked too much on yet. As they're "just"
textbooks, they are not intended as an introduction but as reading
*after* you have laid some foundations already.
> 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 :)
As said, I learnt some bits from the "Elementarbuch" where the
knowledge I brought with me here comes from. The rest are
(till now) lessons 1 and 2 from this very course.
> Thanks in advance,
> Óskar :)
Í friði,
Hannah.