--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "fjornir" <haukurth@...> wrote:

> >"Now, if we were able to dig deeply into linguistic history,

would

> we find ultimately that there are two elements. 'kona' - 'woman',
> and 'ungr' - 'young', the whole word to mean the young (son) of a
> woman?"
>
> This has been suggested.
>
> *kven-ungr -> konungr
>
> This seems to call for some sort of matrilinear
> cultural element for which there is scant evidence.
>
> The Rígsþula mentions a "Konr ungr" which seems to be
> a folk etymology for the word. ('Konr' is "man".)
>
> The canonical explanation seems to be that the word is
> derived from something akin to 'kyn' meaning "kin" with
> a noun suffix. Thus:
>
> þjóð (people) + -ann = þjóðann (king)
> drótt (people) + -inn = dróttinn (lord)
> kyn (people) + -ungr = konungr (king)
>
> Kveðja,
> Haukur

Hello!

I'm sorry, the etymologies involving /kona/, /Konr/ and /ungr/ are
simply wrong (folk etymologies).
The right one (and the only possible) is from /kyn/.

Kveðja,
Marco