well, without standing up to check the Lexicon, I can tell you that vargur
has a wider meaning than just a wolf, while úlfur is just that. Vargur is,
at least in modern icelandic, used for both foxes and minks, ravens and
other animals that are troublesome to farmers, or eat the carcasses of dead
animals. It's also used for very bad-tempered people.. although that's a
later usage.

Oh. Now this is funny. I did stand up to check the Lexicon, and found it's
reversed there, almost. There vargr is said to mean either wolf or outlaw or
be the latter half of a 'kenning' for swords, but ulfr can mean wolf,
Fenrir, harmful creature, monster or robber, or be a part of a 'kenning' for
war or killings. And then of course Ulfr can be a name. There is a
difference, but not in all instances.

I was going to say that vargr was more than wolf, but now i'll have to say
they're both more than just wolf.

So.. well.. yeah, guess they did have two words for wolf, but neither has
neccessarily to refer to wolves exclusively.

Not very helpful, is it

Berglaug

----- Original Message -----
From: <shibbyhellman@...>
To: "Nordic Fellers" <norse_course@egroups.com>
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 10:02 PM
Subject: [norse_course] Wolves


> Is there any difference in the words ulfr and vargr or did the Icelanders
just have two words for wolf? Just curious. Thanks
>
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