Glossary for the Voyage of Ohthere

a adv.: forever, always (23)

ac conj: but, however, but on the contrary, and (4, 23, 27, 28, 31, 39, 50)

ægþer pron, ns: each (54)
ægþer ge . . . ge both . . . and (31)

æghwilc pron. ns: each (one) (54)

æhtum dp: possesions, properties (43)

ælce ism: each (83)

Ælfrede name, ds: (King) Alfred (1)

ænig adj., nsm: any (6, 89)

ær adv, conj: previously; before (23, 95, 99)
ærest adv.: first (85)

agen adj.: own
agnum dsm, dsn: (23, 31, 39)

ambra gpm: measures of one amber (an unknown quantity, but a dry or liquid measure) (54)

ambyrne adj. as: favourable (83)

an adj. ns: a, an, one, only (20, 31, 54, 81)
anum ds: (83)
nan ne an: not one, nobody, none (23, 81)

Angle dsn: the Angles (93)

ar nsf: honour, worth, property, revenue (50)

æt prep.: at, from (6, 93)

æþele adj. ap: noble, excellent (34)

aþer oððe ... oððe conj: either ... or (60)

bæcbord n ds: left side of a ship, port side, larboard (9, 23, 87, 95, 100)

ban: bone
ban ap: bones (34)
bane ds: bone (51)

be prep.: by, alongside, to the (north, etc.), according to (4, 9, 13, 19, 54)
be norðan prep.: north of (6, 81, 83)

beon, bion v anom.: be (65)
bið pres. 3s: is (34, 38, 51, 85)
beoð pres. 3p: are (39, 45, 51)
is pres. 3s: is (4, 39, 43, 50, 60, 63, 72, 81, 87, 89)
sie, sy subj. 3s: (3 (in reported speech: is), 54 ("to be"))
sint, synd pres. 3p: are (76, 85)
wære pret. subj. 3s in reported speech: was (59, 65)
wæron pret. 3p: were (23, 31, 45)
wæs pret 3s: was (11, 21, 23, 23, 28, 31, 43, 47, 95, 100)

Beormas name, np: Biarmians, a people of what is now part of northwest Russia, about whom we know very little for sure and for whose existence and location at this time the Ohthere story is one of our main sources. They and their land, Bjarmaland, are also mentioned in Norse sagas, as lying near the river Dvina, which does not fit well with the Ohthere account of sailing directions. Possibly they were Karelians, whose language, like that of the Sámi people, is Finno-Ugric and related to Finnish.(27, 31)

berað v.: bear (76)

beran gsm: bear's (54)
berenne adj. as: made of bear skin (54)

bi prep.: near, in, on ,upon, with, along, at, to (21)

betsta supl. ns: best (39)

betux, betuh prep.: between, among (85, 93)

bidan v 1: wait (for) with genitive of object (17)
bad pret 3s: waited (for) (13)

brad adj. ns: broad (65)
brædre, bradre adj. comp. ns: broader (65, 89)
bradost adj. supl. ns: broadest (63)

brohton v. pret. 3p: brought (34)

buan v 3: stay, dwell, live
bude pret. 3s: lived (1, 2, 6, 80, 81)
gebun pp: settled, inhabited (21, 23, 27)
byne pp. as adj.: inhabited (63)
bynum pp. ds: inhabited (60)

bugan v 2: bow down, turn, bend, stoop
beag pret 3s: turned (13, 17)

butan prep.: without, except (23)

buton prep.: without, except, but, only (4, 13, 28)

gebyrdum dpn: birth, rank, condition (54)

byrdesta adj. ns: highest born, highest ranked (54)

cierr m.: turn, change, time, occasion
cirre ds: (6)

cirran v ?: turn, cause to move
cirdon pret. 3p: turned (21)

cludig adj. ns: rocky (60)

cuman v 4: come, approach, get to, attain (27)
cymð pres. 3s: comes (87)
come pret. 3s: came (95)
coman pret. 3p: came (99)

Cwenas npm: a Sámi people (74, 76)
Cwena gp: (72)

cweþan v 5: say
cwæþ pret. 3s: said (2, 65, 81, 83, 93)

cyning m.: king
cyningc as: (44)
cyninge ds: (1, 34)

cyrtel, kyrtel asm: kirtle, coat, tunic (54)

dæg m.: day
dæge is: (83)
dagas np, ap: (9, 95, 100)
dagan dp: (93)
dagum dp: (12, 13, 19, 41, 65)

Denamearc nsf: Denmark (95)
Denemearce ds: (100)

Dene apm: the Danes (93)

deor apn: wild beasts, animals (45)
deora gp: (44, 51)

durran pret. pres.: dare
dorston pret. 3p: dared (21, 27)

dyre adj. np: dear, costly (45)

ea f. ns: river (20, 21, 21)
eas gs: (21)

eahta num.: eight (39)

eall adj.: all (21, 23)
ealle asf: (83)
eal nsm: (4, 28, 60)
ealne asm: (9, 23, 87)
ealra gp: (1)

eardian v. II: to dwell
eardiað pres 3p: live (63)
eardodon pret. 3p: lived (99)

east adv.: eastwards (13)
easteweard adj. ns: eastward (63, 65)

eastryhte adv: eastward (13)

elna gp: ell (an historical measure of length, that varied in meaning in different places and times, but here probably translating Latin cubitus and somewhere in the range from 45 to 55 cm.) (38, 39, 54)

emnlange prep.: along (60)

Engle mp: the Angles (99)

erian v. infinitive: to plough (60)
erede pret. 3s: plowed (47)

ettan v. infinitive: to graze (60)

fandian v 2: try, examine, explore, experience, visit (6)

faran v 6: to set forth, go, travel, wander, proceed
faraþ pret 3p: travel, go (11)
for pret 3s: travelled, went (9, 12, 23, 34)

fea adj.: few
feawum dp: (4)

fela pron. many (31, 95)

fell, fel asn, apn: fell, skin, hide (54)
fellum dpn: (51)

feor adv: far (11, 12)
firrest sup.: farthest (11)

feower num.: four (13)

feowertiges num. g: forty (39)

fersce adj. np: fresh (76)

feðra gp: feathers (54)
feðerum dpf: feathers (51)

fif num.: five (19, 54, 93)
fiftyne num: fifteen (54)

fiftiges num. g: fifty (39)

Finn m.: "Finn," but probably actually referring to members of the Sámi aboriginal peoples, whose languages are related to Finnish
Finnas np, ap: (4, 23, 31, 50, 63)
Finnum dp: (45)

fiscere m. fisherman:
fisceras np: (28)
fiscerum dp: (23)

fiscian v 2: fish

fiscaþ m: fishing;
fiscaþe ds: (4)

for prep: for, because of, before (21, 34)

for þæm conj.: because (17, 21, 31, 34, 45)

forþ adv.: forth, forwards, onwards, further (21)

foð v. pres. 3p: take, seize, capture (45)

from, fram prep: from, by (23, 95)

fugela gpm: birds' (51

fugelere m.: fowler, bird-catcher
fugeleras np: (28)
fugelerum dp: (23)

fylð pres. 3s: falls (89)

fyrstum adj. supl. dp: first, most important (47)

gafol nsn: tax, tribute (51)
gafole dsn: (50)

geond prep.: throughout (76)

giet adv.: yet, still (12)

god adj. ns: good (34)

Gotland nsn: Jutland (95)

gyf conj.: if (83)

gyldan v. infinitive: pay, yield (54)
gyldað v. pres. 3p: pay (50)
gylt v. pres. 3s: pays (54)

habban v 3: have, hold
habbað pres. 3p: have (34, 76)
hæfde pret. 3s: had (44, 83)
hæfdon pret. 3p: had (27)
næfde pret. 3s: did not have (47)

æt Hæþum: Hedeby, a trading port on the Baltic Sea side of the Jutland penninsula (now in Schleswig, Germany) (93, 95)

Halgoland nsn: a district of ancient Norway probably more extensive than the modern Norwegian province of Halogaland (80)

ham m., ds: home (23)

hatan v.: order, command, name
hæt pres. 3s: names, calls (81, 93)
hatte v subj. pres. 3s in reported speech: is called (80)
hatað pres. 3p: call (45)

he 3rd pers. pron.: he (1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 6, 9, 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 17, 17, 19, 19, 23, 23, 31, 34, 38, 41, 43, 44, 47, 59, 65, 80, 81, 83, 87, 93, 95)
hie, hi, hy asf, np, ap: her, they, them (21, 21, 27, 31, 34, 45, 74, 76, 99)
him, hym mds or nds or dp: him, to him; them, to them (9, 23, 23, 31, 50, 81, 85, 95, 100)
hira, hiera, hiora, heora, hyra gp: their (27, 31, 34, 43, 50, 76)
his, hys gsm or gsn: his, its (1, 23, 39, 54, 60 ("of it"))
hit na, as: it (4, 31, 65)

healf f.: half, side
healfe ds: (21, 72)

hergiað v. pres. 3p: ravage, plunder, raid (74, 76)

hider adv.: hither, here (99)

hlaford m.: lord, master
hlaforde ds: (1)

hranas apm: reindeer (45)
hranes gsm: reindeer's (54)

horsan apn: horses (47)

horshwælum dp: walruses (literally, "horse-whales") (34)

hryðera gpn: cattle (47)

hu adv.: how (6)

hund num.: (a) hundred (44, 92)

hunta m.: hunter
huntan np: (28)
huntum dp: (23)

huntian v 2: hunt

huntoþ m: hunting
huntoþe ds: (4)

hwæl ns: whale (referring to the "horse-whale" or walrus, 38)
hwales, hwæles gs: whale's (51, 54)
hwalas np: whales (38)

hwælhunta m. : whalehunter
hwælhuntan np: (11)

hwælhuntað ns: whale-fishing (39)

hwæt pron. ns: what (31)

hwæþer conj.: whether (6)
hwæþer pron: which (of two) ( 13, 17)

hwene adv.: a little, somewhat (65)

hwile asf: time, while (83)
hwilum dp: sometimes (74)

hwon adv.: a little (13)

hyd ns: hide (34)
hyde ds: (51, 54)

hyrð in on pres. 3s: belongs to (93)
in . . . hyrað pres. 3p: belong to . . . (100)

igland npn: islands (85, 100)
iglanda gp: (95)

in prep.: in, into (13, 17, 20, 21, 89, 92, 93, 100)

Iraland nsn: Ireland (possibly in error for Iceland) (85)
Iralande ds: (85)

land n. as, ns, ap: land, country (3, 6, 9, 13, 17, 17, 20, 21, 23, 23, 27, 28, 59, 63, 72, 76, 87, 92, 99)
lande ds: (2, 9, 13, 19, 31, 39, 47, 60, 72, 81, 83, 85)
landes gs: (34)
lond as: (13, 89)
landum dp: (31, 99)

lang adj. asn: long (3, 54, 59)
lange npm: (39)
lengra adj.comp. ns: longer (38)

læssa adj. comp. ns: less, smaller (38)

lætan v 7: let, allow
let pret. 3s: let (be), kept (9)

leohte adj.: light (76)

licgan v 5: lie, extend
læg pret. 3s: lay (20)
læge subj. 3s: might lie (6)
licgað pres. 3p: lies (60)
lið pres. 3s: lies, extends, runs (60, 92)

longe adv: long, for a long time, far (6)

lytle adj. as: little (47, 76)

mænig adj. ns: many (92)

ma comp. adv: more (47)
mæst adj. supl. most (50)
mæstan adj. apm: largest (39)

magan pret. pres.: be able, can, be competent
mæg pres. 3s: can, may (60, 65)
mæge pres. 3s: can, may (89)
meahte pret. 3s: might (12, 13)
mehte pret. 3s: might (19)
mihte subj. 3s: might (65, 83)

mann m.: person, man
mon, man ns: (6. 43, 81, 89, )
man, mon ns as indefinite pronoun: one (60, 65, 81, 83,93)
mannum dp: men (47

mearðes gsm: marten's (54)

meras npm, ap: meres, lakes, seas (76)

metan v 1: meet, encounter
mette pret. 3s: came across (23)

micel adj, asf: great, large, much (20)
micle adv: much (38); adj, npm: large (76)
mycel nsn: large (89)

mid prep: with, among (45, 47)
middeweard adj. ns: towards the middle (65)

mila gpf: miles (65, 92)

monðe dsm: month (83)

mor nsm, as: moor, mountainous region (65, 74)
moras ap: (60, 76)
more ds: (65)
mores gs: (72)
morum dp: (63)

nan adj, asn: none, not one, not any, no (23)

ne adv., conj.: not, nor (21, 23, 27, 31, 38. 81, 83)

neah adv.: near, almost, nearly (31)

niht asf: night (83)

norþ adv.: north (3, 11)
norþmest adv. sup.: northmost (1)

norþan adj.: northerly; from the north (13)

be norþan prep.: to the north of (6)

norðor adv. comp: more northerly, north, northwards, in the north (63)

Norðmen npm, ap: Northmen; Norwegians (74, 76)
Norþmonna, Norðmanna gp: (1, 59)

norþryhte conj: northwards; to the north (6, 9, 12)

norðeweard adj. ns: northward (65, 72)
norþweardum adj. ds: northern, northward, northerly (2, 72)

Norðweg ns: Norway (87)

of prep: of, from, among, concerning (31, 51, 54, 93)

ofer prep: over, across (74, 76, 89)

oferferan v. infinitive to traverse (65)

Ohthere name, ns: Ohthere (1, 80)

ofsloge v. pret. 3s: killed (41)

on prep.: on, onto, upon, in ,into, against (2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 9, 9, 12, 13, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 23, 34, 39, 41, 43, 47, 50, 51, 60, 63, 65, 72, 74, 76, 80, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 92, 93, 95, 99, 100)

ond, and, & conj.: and (4, 9, 13, 13, 23, 23, 23, 23, 31, 34, 39, 47, 51, 54, 60, 63, 65, 76, 83, 85, 87, 93, 95, 100)

oþ conj.: until, up to, as far as (72, 87)

oþer adj., pron.: other, another, next, remaining
oþre dsf: (21, 38, 72)
oþrum dp: (12)
oþer . . . oþer . . .correl. conj.: either . . . or . . . (54)

oþþe conj.: or (6, 13, 17, 28, 28, 54, 65)

port nsm: port, harbour (81)
porte ds: (93)

ryhtnorþanwind m.: a wind from the north
ryhtnorþanwindes gs: (17)

sæ fns: sea (4, 13, 17, 60, 89, 92)

sceapa gpn: sheep (47)

sceawunge ds: seeing, surveying (34)

sculan pret. pres.: must, ought to, have to, shall
sceolde pret. 3p: had to (17)
sceal pres. 3s: shall (83)
sceall pres. 3s: must, is supposed to (54)

sciprapas apm: ship-ropes, cables (here, ones twisted from walrus-hide ) (54)
sciprapum dp: (34, 51)

scir nsf: shire, district, division (80)

Sciringesheal asm:Skiringssalr, identified by a recent archaeological team as the trading port excavated at Kaupang, Norway (link *here* to the project Web site, unfortunately only in Norwegian) (81,89)
Sciringesheale ds: (93)
Scirincgesheale ds: (87)

scypu apn: ships (76)
scypa apn: (76)

se dem. pron.: the, that (38, 39, 54, 65, 93)
seo nsf: (13, 17, 80, 89, 92)
þa fas, np, ap: (2, 9, 11, 21, 27, 31, 39, 45, 50, 60, 74, 76, 83, 85, 100)
þæm dsm, dsn, dp: (2, 6, 9, 12, 17, 21, 21, 31, 34, 43, 47, 50, 51, 60, 63, 65, 72, 81, 93, 99)
þære gsf, dsf: (4, 21, 21)
þæs gsm, gsn: (31, 34, 72)
þæt nns, nas: (3, 6, 9, 9, 9, 13, 13, 17, 17, 20, 21, 23, 23, 23, 43, 47, 51, 59, 60 ("what"; "that which"), 63, 72, 85, 87, 89, 92, 95, 100)
þara dp: (28, 41 "of those", 45)
þone asm: (44, 74, 81, 89)

Seaxum dpm: the Saxons, Saxony (93)

seoles, sioles gsm: seal's (51, 54)

Sillende ns: Zealand (95)

sohte v. pret. 3s: sought, searched for (44)

secgan v 1: say, tell
sæde pret. 3s: said (1, 3, 6, 41, 59, 80)
sædon pret. 3p: said (31)

self pron. ns: self, himself (31)

seon v. infinitive: to see, look (89)
geseah v. pret. 3s: saw (31)

siglan v 1: sail (21)
seglian inf: sail (83)
gesiglan v 1: sail (12, 13, 19)
geseglian inf: sail (83)
siglde pret 3s: sailed (13, 19)
seglode pret. 3s: sailed (93, 95)

siþþan conj. or adv.: after, since, when; afterwards (23, 65)

smæl adj. ns: small, narrow (59)
smælre adj. comp. ns: narrower (63)
smalost adj. supl. ns: narrowest (65)

soþes gs: truth (31)

speda np: successes, riches (43)
spedig adj. ns: prosperous, rich, powerful (43)

spella gp: stories, fables (31)

spræcon v pret. 3p: spoke (31)

stælhranas npm: decoy reindeer (45)

steorbord n ds: starboard, right hand side of a ship (9, 23, 85, 95)

stent pres. 3s: stands (93)

stow f.: place
stowum dp: places (4, 60, 65)

styccemælum adv.: in pieces, bit by bit, piecemeal, here and there (4)

suþryhte adv.: southwards (17, 19)

suðweardum adj.: southward (72, 81)

sum adj.: some, a certain (41)
sume asm: (34)
sumum dsm, dp: (6, 60, 65)

sumor m.: summer
sumera ds: (4)

swa . . . swa correl. adv and conj.:so . . . as; as . . . as; so much the more . . . so much the more; (11, 12, 63, 65, 65)
swa swa: conj.: so as; as much as (13, 19)

Sweoland country, nsn: Sweden (72)

swiþe, swyðe adj: very, exceedingly (3, 27, 34, 43, 45, 59, 60, 76, 89)
swiþost adv.: especially, most (34)

swyna gpn: swine, hogs (47)

syfan num: seven (38)

symle adv: ever, always (63)

syx num: six (44, 45, 65)

syxa sum as one of six (i.e. with five others) (41)

syxtig num: sixty ( 54, 65); sixty [walruses] (41)

tamra adj. gp: tame (44)

Terfinna gp: the Ter Sámi, aboriginal inhabitants of the Kola Penninsula(28)

teð ap: teeth (34)
toþum dp: teeth (34)

to prep.: to, at, for, (adv.) too (34, 87, 93, 95)
to eacan conj.: in addition to (34, 65)

toemnes prep.: alongside (72)

twam num. dp: two (41, 65)
twegen apm: two (54, 95, 100)

twentig num: twenty (47)

tyn num: ten (54)

þa conj.: then, at that time, when (9, 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 34, 44, 45, 95)
þa gyt adv.: still (44)

þe rel. part.: that, which (31, 43, 50, 51, 80, 85, 93, 100)

þeah adv.: however, yet (3, 47, 60)

þær adv, conj: there, where (13, 13, 17, 17, 20, 28, 65, 76)

þæron adv.: therein (27)

þæt conj.: that, so that (1, 2, 3, 6, 13, 41, 47, 65, 80, 81, 83, 93)

ðider adv.: thither, there (34, 83)

þiderweard adv.: thitherwards, to that place (95)

þis dem. pron. nsn, asn: this (87)
þissum dem. pron. dsn: (85)

geþeode as:language (31

þrie, þry num.: three (9, 95)
þreora num. gp: three (65)
þrim dp.: three (12)

þritig num.: thirty (65)

þonan, þanon adv.: from that time or place, away (3, 19, 76)

þonne adv.: then, when: comp: than (38, 47, 72, 81, 85, 87, 89)

þuhte v. pret. 3s: seemed (31)

unbebohtra adj. gp: unsold (44)

unfriþ m.: breach of peace, enmity, war
unfriþe ds: (21)

up adv.: up (20, 21, 89, 92)

weg m as: way, direction (9, 23, 87)

wel adv.: well (27)

weste adj.; nsn, asn: waste, barren, desolate, uninhabited, empty (4, 9, 23, 28)

Westsæ f: Western Sea (2)

westan adj: from the west (13)

westen m,n: desert, wilderness
westenne ds: (6)

wician v 2: dwell, lodge, camp
gewicodon pret. 3p: camped (28)
wicode pret. 3s: put in to shore and anchored the ship for the night (83)
wiciaþ pres. 3p: camp (4)

widsæ f as: open sea, ocean (9, 23, 95)

wildan adj. ap: wild (45)
wilde adj. apm: (60)

wildrum dp: wild beasts (here, especially reindeer) (43)

will v anom.: wish, desire, will
wolde subj. 3s: wanted to (6)

gewyrcan v: to make, produce, create
geworht pret. 3s: made (51, 54)

wind m.: wind (83)
windes gs: (13)

Winedum dpm: the Wends (93)

winter m.: winter
wintra ds: (4)

witan pret. pres.: to know, to understand, to be aware of
nysse, nyste = ne wisse, pret 3s: did not know (13, 17, 31)
wisse pret 3s: knew (13)

wiþ prep. : against, along, in return for, from, with (2, 60, 89)
wiþ eastan prep: to the east (60)
wið uppon prep: above (60)
wiþ suðan prep.: to the south of (89)

wucum dpf: weeks (65)

ymb . . . utan adv.: about, around, by (31)

yterenne adj. asm: made of otter skin (54)