Norse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Norse is an adjective relating things to Norway, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Sweden. To refer to the modern people or culture of Norway, use "Norwegian".

The etymology of the adjective "norse" is somewhat surprising, as one would expect it to have entered the English language through either the already present native stem "north" or via a Scandinavian language. Yet "norse," which entered English in 1598, derives from the Dutch word "noors", the adjective form of "Norwegian". The Scandinavian equivalent of the word is norrøn, or norrön (Icelandic: norræn). The modern English form (which sounds almost identical to the Dutch term) may be used in a number of ways.

Norse may refer to:

In history:

• Norsemen, the Scandinavian people before the Christianization of Scandinavia.
• Norse mythology, ancient Scandinavian beliefs.
• Norse paganism, the religious traditions that were common amongst the Scandinavian people before the Christianization of Scandinavia.
• Norse art, Scandinavian art of the period 400 AD to 1066 AD and sometimes of the pre-historic period 1700 BC to 500 AD.

In language:

• North Germanic languages, through the synonym "Nordic languages," comprises a group of modern languages spoken in Scandinavia and nearby lands.
  • West Norse is a term describing the modern languages of Norwegian, Faroese and Icelandic within the North Germanic language group.
  • East Norse is a term describing the modern languages of Danish and Swedish within the North Germanic language group.
  • Proto-Norse language is the Germanic language in use from first centuries AD until the 8th century, predecessor of Old Norse.
  • Old Norse language was the North Germanic language in use from c. 800 AD to c. 1300 AD.

In fiction:

• "Norselands," a fictional land in the Age of Mythology computer game series; the "Norse" also comprise one of three playable civilizations within the game.
• The inhabitants of Norsca are a fictional land in the Warhammer Fantasy game setting.

In sports:

• The Norse are the mascot of the Northern Kentucky University athletic teams.

[edit] See also

• Nordic