Hi Everyone,

I've got another query. This is from someone with a lot better understanding
of languages in general, who I've been encouraging to join this list. (She's
doing pretty well already teaching herself Old Norse without any kind of
group.)

At any rate, she's trying to understand a passage from the Saga of the Heath
Slayings, where it uses the word óskaplegt. (I think I've got that spelled
correctly; she sent it to me in plain North American text ... no icelandic
characters at all ... and it's not a word I recognize.)

She says it basically means non-fitting, and she's trying to understand
the range of connotations involved. Apparantly one source translated it
as "breach of nature", and others range from "monstrously evil" to "quite
rude". She's wondering what the experts on the list have to say about it.

So, how strong is this expression, generally, and what range of meanings
makes sense? Or rather, what can you tell me about that; I'm presuming that
as with all such questions of past usage, the answer may very well begin
with "it depends ... " or "we don't really know, but ..."

--
Arlie

(Arlie Stephens arlie@...)