A seal bath, fish home, swan road or whale way. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A non-Germanic analogue is the Homeric epithet —e.g., “rosy-fingered dawn.”. A non-Germanic analogue is the Homeric epithet—e.g., “rosy-fingered dawn.” See also skaldic poetry. All the neighboring peoples across … ... Swan-road Whale-road Battle Storm of swords Queen Peace-bringer among nations As a result, a kenning is a good device for an epic poem such as Beowulf, which is all about being larger than life. A kenning (Old Norse: kenning, Modern Icelandic pronunciation: Template:IPA-is) is a type of literary trope, specifically circumlocution, in the form of a compound (usually two words, often hyphenated) that employs figurative language in place of a more concrete single-word noun. English [] Etymology []. Have you ever wondered about these lines? The sea was also called the swan road and the whale road in Old English poetry. Finally, Anglo-Saxon poetry depended heavily on alliteration, and some kennings provided additional alliteration. These phrases, …poetic vocabulary employed periphrases, or kennings, of such complexity that the poetry resembles riddles: the phrase. : a metaphorical compound word or phrase (such as swan-road for ocean) used especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry First Known Use of kenning Noun (1) Learn a new word every day. -ring giver gold giver 1 See answer Answers roietemillena Ambitious; Wealthy person, or a generous person 4.2 22 votes 22 votes Rate! It comes from Old Norse, a.k.a. Here are some examples: swan-road (the sea) helmet bearers (warriors) battle sweat (blood) giver of gold (king) light of battle (sword) earth-hall (burial mound) Another way to think of the definition is this: a kenning is a metaphor which describes everyday objects in colorful language and is made up of compound words or the union of two separate words. A kenning is commonly a simple stock compound such as “whale-path” or “swan road” for “sea,” “God’s beacon” for “sun,” or “ring-giver” for “king.”. Many kennings are allusions that become unintelligible to later generations. From whale +‎ road, after Old English hranrād.. Noun []. Start studying Beowulf Kennings and Epithets. But there's something odd about it. Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse and later Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon poetry. Here is a list of Anglo-Saxon Kennings: They are common in Old Norse, Icelandic, and Old English (Anglo-Saxon) poetry, and usually use either a hyphen (e.g. What is a kenning? Apparently one kenning per symbolic item wasn't enough. Kennings in Beowulf. Kenning: Translated: Meaning: geardagum: Year's days (Literally the days of past years) days gone by: weorðmyndum: mind's worth: honour: fyrenðearfe: fire need: comfort: hron-rād: whale-road: the sea: seġl-rād: sail road: the sea: hwæl-weġ: whale's way: the sea: swan-rād: swan-road: the sea: heofon-candel: sky-candle: the sun: heofones ġim: sky's jewel: the sun Listed below are some modern kennings. The poet uses the kenning sail-road for sea because it was like a road that ships would sail on. Battle-sark = armor. : a metaphorical compound word or phrase (such as swan-road for ocean) used especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry merriam-webster.com Example sentences for Kenning noun (2) Definition of kenning (Entry 2 of 2) : a metaphorical compound word or phrase (such as swan-road for ocean) used especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. A kenning is commonly a simple stock compound such as “whale-path” or “swan road” for “sea,” “God’s beacon” for “sun,” or “ring-giver” for “king.”. Comitatus "bro-code" pay allegiance to a leader to get something worthwhile in return. 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). What does it mean when it says that Beowulf "unlocked his word hoard"? Kennings are a compound expression in Old English and Old Norse poetry with metaphorical meaning. A kenning also allows the scop some variety, so words don’t become overused. the language of the Vikings. In line 10 of the epic Beowulf, the sea is called the hronrāde or 'whale-road'. Flashcards for studying any subject. What is the meaning of these kennings ? What is the "swan's road"? What made you want to look up kenning? Heaven's candle. : a perceptible but small amount. Matching game, word search puzzle, and hangman also available. “swan’s road” as a term for sea). “Kenning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kenning. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Updates? See the separate page List of names of Odin for more Odin kennings: N: Odin: Hanged god: Odin hung on the Tree of Knowledge for nine days in order to gain wisdom. Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way. Post the Definition of kenning to Facebook, Share the Definition of kenning on Twitter. Build a city of skyscrapers—one synonym at a time. Delivered to your inbox! ... A symbol is a metaphor that is come to have a specific meaning across a culture. Anything could be described using a kenning. A woman is a peace-weaver , a traveller is an earth-walker , a sword is a wolf of wounds , the sun is a sky candle , the sky is the curtain of the gods , blood is battle sweat or battle icicle . whale-road (plural whale-roads) (obsolete, poetic) The sea, the ocean.1907, John Gibb, on Beowulf, published in The Children's Hour, volume 4, page 3: […] and his name was called Scyld.He grew to man's estate, and became a mighty king, and subdued the peoples under him. open kenning. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! See also skaldic poetry. Swanrad, the swan-road, as the context makes clear, is a kenning for the sea, much like the better known hronrad, the whale-road (Beowulf 10). A kenning (Modern Icelandic pronunciation: [cʰɛnːiŋk]) is a figure of speech in the type of circumlocution, a compound that employs figurative language in place of a more concrete single-word noun.Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English poetry. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In Beowulf, one of the most famous examples of a kenning is "whale-road." For example, if \ship" was a \horse of the sea" and the sea was the \whale-road", then a ship became a \horse of the whale-road". kenning (n.1) "periphrastic expression in early Germanic poetry" (such as swan-road for "sea," sky-candle for "sun"), 1871, a modern learned word from Old Norse kenning in a special sense "poetical periphrasis or descriptive name" (it also meant "teaching, doctrine; preaching; mark of recognition"), from kenna "to know, to recognize, to feel or perceive; to call, to name (in a formal poetic metaphor)," from … A kenning is a literary device in which a poetic phrase substitutes for a noun. possessive kenning. For example the sea in Old English could be called seġl-rād 'sail-road', swan-rād 'swan-road', bæþ-weġ 'bath-way' or hwæl-weġ 'whale-way'. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? swan-road(the sea) stout-hearted(brave) battle sweat(blood) light-of-battle(sword) helmet bearers(warriors) giver of gold(king) earth-hall(burial mound, barrow) dwelling place(home) When we translate these kennings from Anglo-Saxon, they lose some of their poetic quality. kenning up to a new level of sophistication.6 The type of phrase that resulted, to be called a \compound kenning", might be described as a \kenning within a kenning". What is the meaning of the Kenning Swan Road? the sea. Corrections? Middle English, sight, view, from gerund of kennen. Label the examples of alliteration and kenning in parentheses right after the example you create. Accessed 24 Dec. 2020. Beowulf is a veritable kenning buffet. Anything could be described using a kenning. Instead of blood, we get battle - sweat. For instance, if I say "My love is a rose," and I asked you what color it is, you would probably say "Red." Kenning, concise compound or figurative phrase replacing a common noun, especially in Old Germanic, Old Norse, and Old English poetry. Kennings are metaphoric terms used in place of nouns. Kenning--a picturesque metaphoric compound in Old English that stands for a simple noun. Here are examples: sky-candle (the sun) swan-road (the sea) stout-hearted (brave) battle sweat (blood) light-of-battle (sword) helmet bearers (warriors) Omissions? ... the first letter of right what is the answer Language is the vehicle through which we create our understanding the world meaning. The term is a derivative of the Old Norse kenna, “to perceive,” “to know,” or “to name.”. Kenning is a term in poetry which can be found at Wikipedia.org, or the word kenning in certain contexts may be the simple expansion of the word 'ken', meaning within ones grasp or reason. Swans may be water fowl, but they are not seabirds. Many (not all) kennings end with “er”/“or” although this is not a requirement. So basically it's two words to create an adjective in place of a noun. Basically, it's when two nouns combine to create another noun. He's making a quiz, and checking it twice... Test your knowledge of the words of the year. Match the kenning to the correct meaning. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). In the best kennings, one element of the phrase will create a striking, unexpected comparison. the Almighty. The kenning derives from the story in which all plants and creatures swore never to … A kenning can be almost like a puzzle or riddle, because its purpose is to show the item in an unusual way. ... prepositional kenning. Other examples of kennings in the text of Beowulf are: “whale-road” describing the sea; “swan-road” also describing the sea; and “hall-troops,” referring to Danes and the Geats. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for kenning, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kenning. A final example of a kenning, which I found on the Internet, refers to the secret language called runes. And the sea is referred to as the sail-road, swan road, whale's way, and whale-road. Example = swan-road (kenning) Adhere to poetic formatting (see Beowulf in your textbook for example) 15-20 lines in length 3 examples of alliteration 2 examples of a kenning Presentations of your boast will be conducted on Friday, September 2nd. Police= Law Enforcer Books= Parallel worlds Poptarts= frosted cardboard Rainbows: rain paint How do you create a kenning? There were many names for the sea in Old English poetry. Rate! Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... …of this poetry are the kenning, a figurative name for a thing, usually expressed in a compound noun (e.g.. …use of periphrastic metaphors called kennings. Many kennings are allusions that become unintelligible to later generations. Examples: Kenning Primary Meaning Allusion Source Slaughter-dew Blood Norse Tree … In Beowulf you find many kennings for king, including: Ring-giver; Treasure-giver kenning. Some examples? 'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'? “ring-giver” as a term for king) or a possessive (e.g. , Anglo-Saxon poetry depended heavily on alliteration, and whale-road. kenning can be almost a... Kennings end with “ er ” / “ or ” although this is not a requirement what., if possible ) some variety, so words don ’ t become.... Offers, and hangman also available in return Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox test... Norse poetry with metaphorical meaning Beowulf, one of the most famous of! The vehicle through which we create our understanding the world meaning ( including the,! 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Found on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox common,. To create an adjective in place of nouns in which a poetic phrase for. Specific meaning across a culture label the examples of a kenning item was n't.! Learn vocabulary, terms, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica puzzle, and information Encyclopaedia., but they are not seabirds and Purposes ' or 'all Intents and '! Instead of Blood, we get Battle - sweat and antonyms for kenning Britannica.com! Advanced search—ad free of kenning on Twitter, one of the words of kenning! Specific meaning across swan road kenning meaning culture - sweat language is the Homeric epithet —e.g., “ dawn.... Complexity that the poetry resembles riddles: the phrase will create a kenning, concise compound or figurative phrase a! Or 'nip it in the butt ' or 'nip it in the butt ' 'nip! Place of a noun [ ] the most famous examples of a noun,:! 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