--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Gerald Mcharg"
<Gerald.Mcharg@...> wrote:

> Thanks to Haukur and Marco for the replies. (I got an e-mail

from 'fjornir' with Haukur's name at the bottom. Are you one and the
same or is my computer having a nervous breakdown?)

>
> Bang goes my beautiful theory, but I would sooner be wrong and

certain than hopeful and uncertain. However, though you have given me
etymologies for 'kona', I am no wiser about the origins of 'ungr'
and 'ing'. If their underlying meaning has nothing to do with 'young'
or 'child of', are there any alternatives?'

> Cheers
> Jed

Hello!

This -ing- / -ung- is a quite common suffix found in any Germanic
language. Often it forms patronymics: Sagas are full with similar
names of families ending in -ingar (pl.) and derived from the name of
a common ancestor. We find similar denominations for folks in Gothic,
Vandalic, Longobardic (Greotungi, Tervingi, Hasdingi, etc...)
It has nothing to with /ungr/ "young" which comes from /jung-/ and
has initial /j-/ regularly disappeared.

Regards

Marco