Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 369

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 369

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/369

Some of the Academy's early reports contain errors that we haven't yet corrected. Please use it with caution.

Greetings from the Academy of S. Gabriel!

Here is what we have found about the name you wished to use, "Erikr Thorvoldson".

Most of the sources for Old Norse names are from the 13 th century onwards. The majority of the names preserved form your period (500-1000) are known from rune-stones only. However, so far as we can tell, your name is a good approximation of the naming practises of the later part of your period, say from 800 onwards.

If you wish to have a name from c. 800-1000, we think "Eiríkr {Th}orvaldzson" would be a good choice. This spelling is actually derived from usage in the saga period, c. 1100-1300, which is the earliest period in which latin letters were used frequently. Your name would normally have been written in runes if it was written at all; if you wish to have suggestions for the runic spelling of your name, please write us back and we'll see what we can do.

The Scandinavian languages went through a period of great changes during c. 550-800. This change is known linguists as the syncope (1), and meant that the rather ostentatious language of the migration period was shortened and simplified. The earlier forms appears very different, one author suggested that the original form of "Erik" could have been something like "Ainarikiar" (2). Further, the forming of patronymics with the suffix "-son" is not known form this period, instead simple genetive forms was used. (3)

If you wish to have more information on any of these alternatives, please don't hesitate to write back to us.

Sincerely,
Hartmann Rogge
Academy of S. Gabriel

(1) Bergman, p. 17

(2) Modeer, p. 34

(3) Jansson, p. 23