> 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?

No idea. I guess that theoretically they could have had more sisters and
then only two of them went forth and did X, Y and Z but that seems a
somewhat contrived reading. My first guess would be that the plural is
used in place of the dual there for whatever reason.

Since we no longer make this distinction in the language I don't have any
"máltilfinning" to call upon.

> 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."

You've guessed the answer, as usually. There *is* a masculine word with
the same meaning used in late poetry (rímur and stuff). And it's not in LP
:) This is presumably one of the giveaways that the poem is young.

So Thorpe was right - which he was more often than he had any right to be,
working in the mid-19th century.

Kveðja,
Haukur