Kenning

Old Norse Dictionary - kenning

Meaning of Old Norse word "kenning"

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

Old Norse word kenning can mean:kenning

kenning
f. doctrine, teaching, lesson, esp. of preaching, Fms. i. 148; kenna kenningar, to teach, preach, 625. 24, K. Á. 22, Bs. i. 140, n. T., Vídal.; tíðagörð ok k., passim; á-kenning, q. v.; viðr-k., acknowledgment.
kenning
2. a mark of recognition, Grett. 132 A; kenningar-orð, words of admonition, Hkr. iii. 23, Fb. iii. 279; kenningar-maðr = kennimaðr, Rb. 366; kenningar-sveinn, an apprentice, n. G. l. ii. 204.
kenning
II. a poetical periphrasis or descriptive name (see kenna A. v. 2), Edda passim, opp. to ókennd heiti (simple appellatives); a kenning is either simple (kennt), double (tví-kennt), or triple (rekit). The ancient circumlocutions were either drawn from mythology, as to call Thor the son of Earth (Jarðar sunr), and the heaven the skull of Ymir; or from the thing itself (sann-kenning), as to call the breast the mind’s abode: similar phraseology is found in all ancient poetry, but in the old northern poets it was carried farther and was more artificial than in other languages.
kenning
COMPDS: kenningarfaðir, kenningarnafn, kenningarson.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᚴᛁᚾᚾᛁᚾᚴ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements

Abbreviations used:

esp.
especially.
f.
feminine.
l.
line.
q. v.
quod vide.
v.
vide.
L.
Linnæus.
opp.
opposed.
n.
neuter.

Works & Authors cited:

Bs.
Biskupa Sögur. (D. III.)
Fms.
Fornmanna Sögur. (E. I.)
K. Á.
Kristinn-réttr Árna biskups. (B. III.)
N. T.
New Testament.
Vídal.
Vídalíns-Postilla.
Fb.
Flateyjar-bók (E. I.)
Grett.
Grettis Saga. (D. II.)
Hkr.
Heimskringla. (E. I.)
N. G. L.
Norges Gamle Love. (B. II.)
Rb.
Rímbegla. (H. III.)
Edda
Edda. (C. I.)
➞ See all works cited in the dictionary

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