Hi Xeon,

"Heiti" (poetic names) for bows:

Almr, dalr, bogi, (elm, dale, bow)
ýr ok tvíviðr, (yew and two-wood)
sveigr, glær ok þrymr, (bent, sea?, stretch?)
sómr, skálgelmir. (honour/fitness, bowl-?)

"Stinger" might be 'biti' or 'bítr', but these seem to be prefered
for sword names. I don't know if there's a different word
for "arch" that doen't mean "bow" as well, but 'bogi' seems to cover
both. 'Dalr' must be from the curved shape of a valley, and perhaps
by extension other curved things. I've read one theory about the
name Heimdallr that relates it to this, in the sense of "horn"--and
in Hervarar saga, the Huns are said to have horn-bows. So maybe
that's the connection. Sveigr is related to the verb sveigja "bend
[a bow]". Skál is a bowl--could that be a reference to the bow's
curved shape too?

1) bogi/dalr/sveigr inn mikli (inn stóri).
2) undrbiti
3) biti inn efsti

I don't know what -gelmir is. It occurs in a lot of mythological
names. 'Gellr' means "shrieks, twangs" (gjalla "to shriek/twang")
and is the word used for the noise of a bowstring, so maybe you
could include that as one element: Undrgjalli, or something like
that. Careful though: as we found out recently the Icelandic Hobbit
translates Gollum as Gollnir!

Not sure what 'sea' has to do with bows. Could there be a
connection with similar words for "glistening, splendour"
and "amber"?

Llama Nom

--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "xeon_ies" <xeon@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Llama!
>
> I've decided to adopt the names Dugvandill and Harmbrenna for the
> sword names.
> And one more thing in which I'm thinking of giving a name to Ull's
bow
> too. :-D
>
> What does the following words translates to?
>
> 1) "The Great Arch"
> 2) "Wonderous Stinger"
> 3) "Final stinger"
>
> Thanks,
> Xeon.