I've begun doing what you suggested. However, quite frankly, syllables have never been my specialty. For a word like óhægenda, would I divide syllables like this:
ó/hæ/gen/da
OR
ó/hæg/end/a
or some completely different way?
Well, your suggestion, despite my aforementioned ignorance, has helped me learn that ó is a negative prefix (i.e. 'un-'), which has helped a bit. Hægur is, according to wiktionary (which has proven of invaluable helpfulness), the Icelandic word for 'easy, slow, quiet'. It claims that the Icelandic word is descended from the word hgr which, according to the Icelandic-English Dictionary by Cleasby means 'easy'. Thus, I figure that 'óhægenda' means something along the lines of 'hard' or 'not easy' or, seeing as how the word is in a sentence that has to do with divorce, maybe even 'intolerable'. I'm still looking for a more authoritative translation before I decide once-and-for-all how I'll translate the word before I go on with the rest of the text (Yngvars saga víðförla).
Still, any other strategies for translating will be welcomed!
Also, if I ever get through the first paragraph, expect to see my translation of Yngvars saga víðförla (at least the first few chapters) followed by a desperate plea for feedback, soon.
--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, William Lake <wl9517@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Worf,
>
> I'm really envious of the time and effort you've put into the language so
> far. I finished the basic exercises on the website long ago, but started
> learning Spanish shortly after.
>
> Have you already tried writing words such as "óhægenda" on paper, and
> drawing a line between each syllable? Dividing a world like that might shed
> some light on some of the root words involved as you flip around through the
> dictionary. I know my experience is practically zero in translating rustic
> literature, but this tactic has helped me with other languages.
>
> Good luck!
>
> -Mozilla's Witness
>
> 2011/3/17 startrekdataandworf <heinrichbrun@...>
>
> >
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > As part of my study of Old Norse, I figured that going through some texts
> > and trying to translate them would be beneficial. I've found it quite
> > enlightening. However, there are the occasional words that I cannot find the
> > translation of, no matter how hard I try. I realize that
> > umlaut/transformation has a lot to do with my problem, but even when I
> > account for that (or, rather, think that I have accounted for that), I still
> > cannot find anything that'll bring me any closer to the meaning of the word.
> >
> > This brings me to my question: What do you do? Surely you've much more
> > experience, and thus have come upon a similar quandary in times passed. Do
> > you give up? Skip the word? I've spent an hour - or more - on a single word
> > at times. 'óhægenda', from Yngvars saga Víð örla, has been the most
> > infuriating; I've managed to figure out closely enough the translation of
> > 'átti' (something to do with being married?), though I'm still having
> > trouble with it. However, I must make it clear that I do not want the
> > translation of those words (!!!) I want to do it on my own - I'll never
> > learn if I'm spoonfed the answers - but would desperately like some
> > strategies so that I may do so successfully.
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
> >
> >
>