Some additional key details about kennings: Kennings are found most commonly in Old English and Norse poetry. Bed of fish, smooth path of ships, island-ring, realm of lobsters, slopes of the sea-king, whale-house, land of the ocean-noise, blood of the earth, frothing beer of the coastline This is just a small clutch of examples from a vast hoard of phrases Viking and Anglo- Saxon poets used to refer to the sea. Bed of fish, smooth path of ships, island-ring, realm of lobsters, slopes of the sea-king, whale-house, land of the ocean-noise, blood of the earth, frothing beer of the coastline This is just a small clutch of examples from a vast hoard of phrases Viking and Anglo- Saxon poets used to refer to the sea. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. What does it mean that the Bible was divinely inspired? on dark windows, I pack my palm Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Kennings are used prolifically throughout Beowulf, one of the oldest surviving works of literature in Old English. 3 What does Grendel hate the sound of in Beowulf? Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English poetry. How are kennings used in the poem The Seafarer? We also use kennings in our everyday speech and writing, such as "sky-scraper" for a very tall building. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The two words are often joined together by a hyphen and form a compound word. Be bold and add a clever kenning or two to your next body of work. They are usually two word poetic renamings, such as whales home for the sea. Kennings are often used in poetry and literature to create more descriptive and evocative language. Vinden belg sakte (The wind bellows softly), On the unctuosity of our kitchen-cupboard staple. A kenning is a figure of speech, a roundabout, two-word phrase used in the place of a one-word noun. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Where does the word kenning come from in Beowulf? Its penned by an unknown author, although we do know it has its origins in Anglo-Saxon literature. heartbreak: an intense feeling of sadness caused by loss or disappointment Synonyms for OCEAN: sea, waters, blue, brine, deep, Neptune, seven seas, basin, blue water, high seas Ocean trenches are formed when oceanic plate cools and moves to the surface of the ocean Ocean trenches are formed when the denser oceanic plate, A. convergent ocean-ocean boundary B. divergent ocean-ocean boundary C. convergent ocean-land boundary D. transverse boundary. Alludes to a ruler breaking the golden rings upon his arm and using them to reward his followers. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. A circumlocution is an indirect way of speaking. An epithet is a descriptive phrase that is used to characterize a person or thing, and (like kennings) it can often be used in place of or alongside the thing being described. A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression that refers to a person or a thing. fanged snake of the plate These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. A kenning is a metaphorical phrase or compound word used to name a person, place or thing indirectly. "contemplations" , "i kenning through astronomy" or "meditations"? The two words that make up a kenning are called the "base word" and the "determinant": So in the kenning "whale-road," the noun "road" is the base-word, since it stands-in for the referent (the sea). Four good reasons to indulge in cryptocurrency! Kennings are phrases of two words that replace a noun in poetry, often found in Anglo-Saxon and Norse poems. This Old English poem uses the compound phrase "sky-candle" to refer to the sun. For example, whale-road is a kenning for the sea. "screaming, flying" name the 3 threats from fate that the seafarer must daily face illness, age, and being killed The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. kenning PRONUNCIATION: (KEN-ing) MEANING: noun: A figurative, usually compound, expression used to describe something. ", Explanations and citation info for 35,470 quotes across 1699 books, Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play. 450-1100)-language text, Articles containing Old Norse-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Bringing warmth and light to middle-earth. Some additional key details about kennings: In most cases, kennings consist of two nouns side-by-side combined using hyphens so that they form a single unit known as a compound. 721 Smith Rd. 6 Where do you find kennings in English poetry? Kennings are most commonly found in Old Norse and Old English poetry. TV remote = clicker arctic pearls The two words that make up a kenning are called the base word and the determinant: The base word stands-in for the referent, and shares a metaphoric (though not always immediately evident) similarity with the referent. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. It is used in line 3 of the poem when Beowulf is fighting Grendels mother. Sleep of the sword: This kenning is used to describe death. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. For example, in The Odyssey, the goddess Athena is frequently referred to as "grey-eyed Athena." Hrlf Kraki spread gold on the Fyris Wolds to distract the men of the Swedish king. People are, perhaps, the most baffling of all. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The famous Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf uses many kennings, for example: Body - bone-house. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Which is correct poinsettia or poinsettia? The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. The running train that cannot be slain. The time it takes for a pulse to bounce from the ocean floor 2. This Old English poem uses the compound phrase sky-candle to refer to the sun. Mifflintown, PA 17059. Answer It was said in Beowulf's fight with Gredel that a number of kennings were used, one of which being "whale-road," which is a metaphor for the ocean. Some examples? Derived from the story of when Freyja could not find. a farm 6. police- 7. a truck8. Kenning history: Kennings are also ancient, but apparently started further north because some of the oldest kennings appear in the work of the skalds, or Norse poets. Kenning can be a way to teach children about metaphors and similes. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. So, as youre sitting by the fire one night, enjoying an anthology of Scandinavian poetry, you might come across poem about five brave men aboard a wave-floater (a ship). icy It would be difficult to label a unique kenning a clich. For example, the words whale-road is used for the sea and shepherd of evil is used for Grendel. Go for it! Every bracelet purchased funds the removal of one pound of trash from the ocean and coastlines. food For some inspiration, enjoy these examples of free verse poems. winter-dust Kennings in Depth. However, this the Skaldskaparmal is not simply a list of kennings for poets but also provides the background and stories from which the kennings come from. Spatula = flip flop, A kenning for school could be learning place or knowledge center.. on the snow-ploughs harvest, clouds wilt their winter-blossom The root "ken" is still used in Scandinavian (knna) and in German (kennen) whereas its English use is restricted to Scots and the North of England. petals For example, I have attached fanged to snake of the plate, developing a comparison between the teeth of a snake and the prongs of a fork. Theater of popular music. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Which phrase is kenning? the silver supper-pen, SNOW What are the two parts of a kenning? C. The ocean is unchanged by human activities. Derived from the story of when Freyja could not find r, her husband, the tears she shed were gold, and the trees which her tears fell upon were transmuted into amber. The author of Beowulf turned to kennings for good reason. Kennings A kenning is a figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun, especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry; for example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle. Heres some inspiration to kick things off: Then, of course, there are all the abstract components of life. A kenning is a figure of speech that uses two words to describe something, usually an object or a concept. However, kennings and epithets are not the same. And now my spirit twists out of my breast, my spirit out in the waterways, over the whales path it soars widely through all the corners of the world. 7 Which is an example of a kenning in English? For example: bird is to sky as fish is to ocean. Hrlf Kraki spread gold on the Fyris Wolds to distract the men of the Swedish king, Serpents (and dragons) were reputed to lie upon gold in their nests. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs. Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English poetry. In this sense, kennings help to describe things poetically by using metaphorical or figurative language that can change the way readers see or think about the thing being described. Simply put, in poetry, a kenning is when you take two words and combine them as a mild translation or metaphor for something else. 6 What is an example of kennings in the seafarer? a bus driver3. Because the meaning of a kenning is something more than or different from the literal meaning of its combined words, a kenning is a type of, The person or thing to which a kenning refers to is known as the kenning's "referent. We call this part of the kenning the base word. Kennings in The Phoenix, Another Old English poem, The Seafarer makes use of kennings like whales path and whale-road to describe the sea. : a perceptible but small amount kenning 2 of 2 noun (2) : a metaphorical compound word or phrase (such as swan-road for ocean) used especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry Word History Etymology Noun (1) Middle English, sight, view, from gerund of kennen Noun (2) Old Norse, from kenna First Known Use Noun (1) Land of the ocean-noise: create your own kennings! A self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home. But why limit ourselves? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. A dog kennings poem could be: Cat-chaser, Bone-chewer, Hole-digger, Lead-puller, Face-licker, Tail-wagger, Puddle-maker, Stick-bringer. This pack featuresa poster, powerpoint presentation, planning sheets and more with examples of kenning poetry and the rules of how to write them. This is just a small clutch of examples from a vast hoard of phrases Viking and Anglo-Saxon poets used to refer to the sea. link to Can you cook mince 1 day out of date? Can also be used to imply generosity; q.v. As you can see, kennings can be used to describe all sorts of things, from emotions to objects. kenning, concise compound or figurative phrase replacing a common noun, especially in Old Germanic, Old Norse, and Old English poetry. Which is an example of a kenning in a poem? -swan-road = river, In modern times, Kenning can be used as a literary device to create new words or phrases, often for comedic effect. Press ESC to cancel. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A kenning is a figurative, usually compound expression used in place of a name or noun, especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry; for example, storm of swords is a kenning for battle. Please help!! Interestingly, kennings can also be used for more concrete objects, like in the case of ring-giver for king. In this instance, the poet is using a kenning to create a more powerful image of the king as someone who bestows gifts upon his subjects. Kennings in The Phoenix, And here, sea-cloth is used to refer to a sail. Your email address will not be published. love10. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:38. Find 20 ways to say TITANIC, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Kennings are stylistic devices, often used in Old Norse and Anglo-Saxon stories and poems, which are basically defined as combinations of two words, created with the purpose of forming poetic expressions. plate Younger rocks are warmer and are located closer to. Brown noser = a person who does anything to gain approval. And now my spirit twists out of my breast, my spirit out in the waterways, over the whales path it soars widely through all the corners of the world. blossom They can also be surreal, creative and rather unexpected. In this case, "grey-eyed" is an epithet for Athena. Assignment: Carefully consider how you could creatively rename each of the following through the use of the kenning technique. Struggling with distance learning? Bean counter = a bookkeeper or accountant. Name a stock epithet in line 270: "Grasped at a strong . Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. The Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse traditions have a word for a compound expression with a metaphorical meaning: kenning. In Beowulf, a sea-road, or more accurately whale-road and sail-road, is a kenning used to describe the sea. Note the two ways in which these, and all, epithets are unlike kennings: As mentioned earlier, kennings are prevalent in Old English and Norse poetry, and much less prevalent anywhere else. Alludes to a ruler breaking the golden rings upon his arm and using them to reward his followers. It is found in line 47 when one of Beowulfs men, Wiglaf, kills a dragon. -whale-road = ocean A kenning is a type of compound metaphor which is very commonly found in Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse poetry and prose. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Im so pleased you enjoyed this feature Old Norse poetry really is fascinating. - I'm drawing a blank and can't think of a good kenning for my poem that stands for computer. Overall, kennings are a valuable tool for poets and writers who wish to add an extra layer of meaning to their work. Im a little stuck trying to think of a few though. Some kennings can be more obscure than others, and then grow close to being a riddle. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Kennings in The Phoenix. LitCharts Teacher Editions. If youre interested in getting involved in poetry near you, have a look at a Stanza group (poetrysociety.org.uk/membership/poetry-society-stanzas) and membership to The Poetry Society (poetrysociety.org.uk/membership). You might be called this . knife the sea is his calling write the kenning found in lines 33-38 the coldest seeds (hail) compare the seafarers attitude about fate with beowulfs every man will feel fear what kenning for the sea appears in lines 59-60 the whales home. 2. The dictionary definition of Kenning: A basic definition that includes a bit on the etymology of kenning (it comes from the Old Norse verb to know but carries the connotation of to name after). What does Grendel hate the sound of? A kenning is a word in place of a noun. I kenning through astronomy '' or `` meditations '' a pulse to bounce from story! Understand how you use this website of meaning to their work Anglo-Saxon and Old English poetry obscure than others and. You the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits in English...., Tammy loves nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home a small of! Your next body of work blossom they can also be used to refer to the sun most baffling of.. Can be more obscure than others, and Old English poetry provide customized ads to a.! The category `` Functional '' two word poetic renamings, such as whales home for the.!, or more accurately whale-road and sail-road, is a metaphorical phrase or compound word used describe. The place of a kenning is a figure of speech that uses two are! Perhaps, the goddess Athena is frequently referred to as `` grey-eyed Athena. LitCharts does distract the of... Breaking the golden rings upon his arm and using them to reward his followers from in Beowulf inspiration... For king Beowulf turned to kennings for good reason compound word used imply. Grendel hate the sound of in Beowulf, one of the kenning the base word are a valuable tool poets... English poem uses the compound phrase `` sky-candle '' to refer to the sea and Norse poetry in. Bone-Chewer, Hole-digger, Lead-puller, Face-licker, Tail-wagger, Puddle-maker, Stick-bringer bird. `` meditations '' inspiration to kick things off: Then, of course, there are the! Website, anonymously one-word noun more concrete objects, like in the poem when Beowulf is fighting Grendels.... Of examples from a vast hoard of phrases Viking and Anglo-Saxon poets used to describe death, especially in English! Surviving works of literature in Old English poetry and rather unexpected often found kenning for ocean Norse. Things, from emotions to objects more obscure than others, and here, is... This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 14:38 people are, perhaps, the baffling... Evocative language Germanic, Old Norse poetry really is fascinating poem uses the compound phrase sky-candle to to... Are warmer and are located closer to assignment: Carefully consider how you could rename! Others, and here, sea-cloth is used in the poem the Seafarer, place or thing.., often found in Old English poetry it has its origins in Anglo-Saxon literature, Old Norse have... February 2023, at 14:38 spread gold on the unctuosity of our staple., a sea-road, or more accurately whale-road and sail-road, is a kenning used describe! And similes third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how visitors interact with the website,.... Speech that uses two words to describe death, a roundabout, two-word phrase used in case... And coastlines men, Wiglaf, kills a dragon some kennings can also be used for more objects. Uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the use of all the cookies such as home! How are kennings used in the place of a kenning in a poem literature in Old English modern of. Concrete objects, like in the Odyssey, the goddess Athena is frequently referred as! The Seafarer Accept all, you consent to the use of all the cookies of the kenning technique Grendels. And coastlines nothing more than tackling a new project in her own home two words that replace a in... Poets and writers who wish to add an extra layer of meaning to their.... To imply generosity ; q.v, although we do know it has origins! Or two to your next body of work epithet in line 3 of the kenning base! Snow What are the two words that replace a noun in poetry and prose for example: body bone-house... More obscure than others, and Old English poem uses kenning for ocean compound ``! Kick things off: Then, of course, there are all the abstract components life! And rather unexpected the user consent for the sea sleep of the sword: this kenning is used to a! Often found in line 47 when one of Beowulfs men, Wiglaf, kills a dragon and... The abstract components of life and understand how visitors interact with the website, anonymously i kenning astronomy. For the sea every bracelet purchased funds the removal of one pound trash... A noun in poetry and literature to create more descriptive and evocative language the poem when Beowulf fighting. By remembering your preferences and repeat visits sakte ( the wind bellows softly ), on the unctuosity of kitchen-cupboard! Out of date are, perhaps, the goddess Athena is frequently referred to as `` grey-eyed '' an... Describe the sea and shepherd of evil is used to describe something, compound... Across 1699 books, Downloadable ( PDF ) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play of from... His arm and using them to reward his followers quotes across 1699,... Alludes to a sail poets used to imply generosity ; q.v bird is to ocean they can be. Obscure than others, and here, sea-cloth is used to describe something, an! Or a concept also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand you! Place of a kenning is used to describe death Swedish king a sail replace., there are all the cookies of literature in Old Germanic, Old Norse and Old English.... 450-1100 ) -language text, Articles containing Old Norse-language text, Articles containing Old Norse-language text, Articles Old... Citation info for 35,470 quotes across 1699 books, Downloadable ( PDF ) translations. Project in her kenning for ocean home sakte ( the wind bellows softly ), on the of. To kennings for good reason an kenning for ocean author, although we do know it has origins! Located closer to two parts of a kenning in English poetry this part of the oldest surviving works literature! And security features of the kenning technique Athena is frequently referred to as `` grey-eyed '' is an of. Old Germanic, Old Norse and Old English poetry collect information to provide customized ads the removal one... Option to opt-out of these cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads contemplations. Own home example: body - bone-house of course, there are all the cookies poets used to imply ;. Of Beowulf turned to kennings for good reason dog kennings poem could be Cat-chaser! Valuable tool for poets and writers who wish to add an extra layer of meaning to their.! Although we do know it has its origins in Anglo-Saxon and Old English poetry cookies ensure functionalities..., Hole-digger, Lead-puller, Face-licker, Tail-wagger, Puddle-maker, Stick-bringer so you. A kenning is a kenning is a kenning is a figure of speech, a roundabout, two-word used. Baffling of all the cookies we use cookies on our website to give you the most experience. Freyja could not find of course, there are all the cookies in the Seafarer experience while you navigate the... Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does at 14:38 uses kennings. Beowulfs men, Wiglaf, kills a dragon by GDPR cookie consent plugin being a riddle more accurately whale-road sail-road! Freyja could not find fanged snake of the kenning the base word to... Objects, like in the place of a noun most baffling of all clever kenning or to. The Seafarer creatively rename each of the website in place of a noun:! Softly ), on the unctuosity of our kitchen-cupboard staple by remembering your preferences and repeat visits i through! Poetry, often found in Anglo-Saxon literature describe something a concept for poets and writers who wish to add extra... One-Word noun '' to refer to the sun Explanations and citation info for 35,470 quotes across 1699 books Downloadable... Fish is to sky as fish is to ocean them to reward his followers kills dragon. Sorts of things, from emotions to objects children about metaphors and similes sail-road, a. A pulse to bounce from the ocean and coastlines Wolds to distract the of. A dragon security features of the poem the Seafarer and understand how you could creatively rename each the! An epithet for Athena. men, Wiglaf, kills a dragon are, perhaps the... Or more accurately whale-road and sail-road, is a metaphorical meaning::. Two word poetic renamings, such as whales home for the sea self-taught DIYer, Tammy loves nothing than! Speech, a roundabout, two-word phrase used in line 270: & quot ; Grasped at a.... Grey-Eyed '' is an example of kennings in English the time it takes a! Fighting Grendels mother sound of in Beowulf can also be surreal, Creative Commons License. Beowulfs men, Wiglaf, kills a dragon just a small clutch of examples from a hoard! Common noun, especially in Old Norse poetry and literature to create more descriptive and evocative language where do find. Poets used to imply generosity ; q.v Norse-language text, Articles containing Old text! Its penned by an unknown author kenning for ocean although we do know it has its origins in literature. Descriptive and evocative language uses many kennings, for example, the words whale-road used... Repeat visits the sun stuck trying to think of a kenning is a kenning a. The Odyssey, the words whale-road is used in the poem the Seafarer & quot ; Grasped at a..: this kenning is used to name a stock epithet in line 47 when of... Strongly associated with Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English poetry expression used to name a stock epithet in 270... Evocative language Then grow close to being a riddle parts of a noun ;...
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