Hi Dirk,

Etymology can reveal a lot, but isn't always a sure guide to
translation. What we're trying to convey is how the word was used
and perceived in the particular time and context, and what
associations it might have had. We wouldn't normally translate
Modern German Herr as 'warlord', and Modern English lord
doesn't usually have much to do with protecting bread! That said,
the derivation of hersir isn't insignificant, it just can't tell us
everything about the usage.

According to Cleasby & Vigfusson--which is well worth exploring on
these matters--a hersir before Harald Finehair was a local chief,
perhaps the Norwegian equivalent to an Icelandic goði. As the
etymology suggests, hersar would probably have had the military
responsibility of organising the local defense, but they were also
the legitimate political authority in the place--whereas 'warlord'
for me anyway has connotations of crime, illegitimacy, raiding and
conquest, which might not always be appropriate. Later, though,
with the rise of royal power, hersar became more like feudal barons,
liegemen to the king. The old rank was superceded by, and in
Icelandic writings became synonymous with: lendr maðr 'landed man',
which implied an officer responsible to the king. Foote & Wilson
in "The Viking Achievement" suggest that the same individuals and
families would have generally continued as regional authorities in
this somewhat redifined role.

Höfðingi, I believe derives from höfuð 'head'. He was literally
the 'head man' or 'chief'. It's more general in application than
hersir, and not confined to Norway. It can be a political leader, a
noble (höfðingsmaðr, höfðingskona), or it can refer simply to a
military leader, a captain or commander (e.g. víkinga-höfðingi, hers-
höfðingi). Note also: höfðingja-skipti, n. change of chief or
king. In Väster- & Östergötland, local leaders with legal functions
at assemblies were called Hæraðshöfðingjær 'herred-leaders' (cf.
OIc. hérað, herað 'district', from herr 'army', with reference to
the troops supplied by a district, or a tax paid in lieu of them).
No doubt in heathen times, these head-men would have had religious
duties as well as legal, political and military ones.

So, given all this, I think I was wrong to suggest consistency for
höfðingi--i.e. consistently matching it to one word in English.
I'll stick to the more flexible approach that you recommended, and
continue to use 'leader', 'chief', 'captain', etc. where
appropriate. But maybe reserve 'lord' for the more restricted term
hersir? Not a perfect arrangement (if anything ever is...), because
it doesn't capture all the nuances, and 'lord' could equally apply
to höfðingi in many contexts. But cumulatively a pattern emerges.
What do you reckon?

konungr, KING
jarl, JARL (EARL)
hersir / lendr maðr, LORD, LANDED MAN
höldr (earlier: haulðr = OE hæleð, NHG Held), RICH FARMER
bóndi (earlier: búandi), FARMER
leysingi, FREEDMAN
þræll, THRALL

Llama Nom






--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Dirk Howat" <dirk_howat@...>
wrote:

> The word hofdingi and hersir have different connotations. You are
> right hofdingi is cheiftain whereas hersir is definately related

to

> war, her = war is a very common word and broadly Germanic. So

while

> hofdingi, (hof - temple, abode) would more correlate to POLITICAL
> leader being it is related to more or less geographic

connotations,

> again, hof a place. Whereas, hersir would be translated as

Warlord,

> or Warleader, being her is related to war. This is why, IMO, a
> literal translation is preferable. But other may take a different
> appoach.
>
>