"Eldst� sver�s ok jar�ar" is perfectly correct
grammatically, but truthfully it looks and sounds
extremely silly. The main reason is, I think, that
the words "eldst�" and "arinn" are not used in the
same way as "hearth" in English, with the extended
meanings of "homestead", or "clan". So what it means
is really "fireplace of sword and earth", and to the
modern Icelander it sort of conjures up an image of
"the kitchen stove of sword and earth", a fairly
ludicrous image, to say the least. After all, "st�"
and "stove" are the same word. I dare say ARINN would
be slighly better.

It can be very difficult to translate modern phrases
into good-sounding ON idiom, sometimes impossible, as
in this case. HEARTH is too pregnant a word in English,
and its semantic relationship with ARINN and ELDST� is
rather confused.

Regards
P.


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