LN:

>> In st. 7, `oss um véla' is translated "deceive us both". Is the
>> plural often used in place of the dual in Old Norse, or would the
>> plural normally be a sure sign that more than two people are
>> referred to?

Haukur:

> Hmm. The plural is sometimes used instead of the singular when the

poets are speaking. I'm not sure how best to interpret this case.



Similarly in Valagaldur Kráku, only two hawks are mentioned, but the
plural is used. And in Grottasöngr st. 11, the plural 'vér' is used
(definitely for more than one person), but elsewhere in the
poem 'vit'. I think this is referring to the two giantesses Fenja
and Menja, unless other unmentioned subterranean playmates are
implied?



Query about Gunnarsslagr st. 9. Do you think might be "spears",
pl., that are seen in the dream, rather than just one spear (i.e.
davr = dörr)? But then if so, why not 'roþin'? Is there a
masculine 'dör(r)' attested anywhere else? I don't see one in
Lexicon Poeticon.

Davr sá ek þínom Lanceam vidi tuo A lance I saw
dreyra roþinn cruore rubefactam red with thy blood

The Latin matches Thorpe's translation near enough: "A lance I saw
reddened with thy blood."

http://www.hi.is/~haukurth/utgafa/gunnarsslagr.html
http://sagnanet.is/saganet/?
MIval=/SinglePage&Manuscript=101013&Page=1879&language=icelandic