--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, Victor Hansen
<victor_akl_nz@...> wrote:

>
> Thanks, I have received all replies. I'm not sure but "Thingmen"

sounds quite gender specific and I am looking for a term that rather
focuses on the warlike aspect. I was looking to find more
information on the term vikinge-lag, which is a bit vague to me at
the moment but I believe the Jomsvikings were such a group as this.
I also have,


I've just found the word 'vikingalag' in a modern Swedish
translation of Örvar-Odds saga (Arrow Odd's Saga) [
http://runeberg.org/sverhist/1/0084.html ], where the original Old
Norse has 'félag' "partnership" [
http://www.heimskringla.no/original/fornaldersagaene/orvaroddssaga.ph
p ]. Is 'víkinga-lag' attested in Old Norse? 'víkinga-lið' is
a "band of vikings".

>
> Fylking

An army drawn up for battle, a battle formation (svín-fylking,
literally "swine-formation", was a sort of spearhead formation used
for punching through the enemy shield-wall). Also used in a poem
called Hlöðskviða (and the section of Hervarar saga based on the
poem) as a technical term for a military grouping, like a brigade.

> Herlid

Yes, that's a word for 'troops' too. I don't know if it differs at
all in meaning from the simple 'herr' and 'lið' which seem to be
more common, at least in the things I've read. They're both used of
a force of armed men, including a full sized army. I'm not sure
what their minimum size would be though.

> Hrafn-Faedir

"raven-feeder", a kenning (poetic word) for warrior. From Google it
looks as if this is also the adopted surname of someone in the
Society for Creative Anachronism.

> Ofridr Bond

ófriðr "hostilities", literally un-peace.
bönd "bonds", figuratively a confederacy. But I don't know if
that's just the relationship/pact, or if it can also apply to the
confederates themselves. I don't understand the grammar of putting
these two words together like this. Looking in Zoega's dictionary,
I see there is a compound 'ófriðar-flokkr' "a hostile band". I
don't know if *ófriðar-bönd is ever used. That's another word, by
the way: 'flokkr' "group". Also 'hópr' "troop, flock,
crowd". 'sveit' "body of men, a small detachment; community".