*[XGEN.PL] barnō/suniwiz

by C Ryan Moniz

original research· spring 2013 - harvest 2021
updated & published· spring 2022

philology

Mjǫðr Óðins· Reconstructing Germanic verse formulae

This formula, like the ‘each among men,’ is a very common halfline filler with the functional meaning of “everyone,” taking the form *[XGEN.PL] barnō/suniwiz ‘children/sons of people/men,’ where X is an alliterative word meaning ‘people, folk, men.’ The West Germanic examples invariably use a reflex of *barnō ‘children,” while Old Norse examples predominantly use synir from Proto-Germanic *suniwiz; however, there are some instances in Old Norse where bǫrn (from *barnō) is used. There are 6 specific examples of this formula which I reconstruct for Proto-Germanic: *aldijǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz, *firhwijǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz, *haliþǫ̂/haluþǫ̂¹ barnō/suniwiz, *gumanǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz, *mannǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz, and *Eutijǫ̂² barnō/suniwiz. The final section of this article also lists examples of this formula in Old English and Old Norse for which I have not found cognates outside of the respective language.

1· The form of Proto-Germanic *haliþaz is suggested by the West Germanic reflexes (Old English hæleþ, Old Saxon helið, &c) and Old Norse halr, whereas the Old Norse form (which is the sole reflex that appears in this formula) suggests Proto-Germanic *haluþaz.

2· The Old Norse form ýtar ‘men’ and the extant Old English form Ýte ‘Jutes’ point to an *i-stem *Eutiz, given here (cf. Spangshus 2019 p 14). The attested Old English Éotas and Old Norse jótar ‘Jutes’ point to an alternative *a-stem *Eutaz :: GEN.PL *Eutǫ̂. The form attested in the Old English example of this formula, *Eotena, includes an unexpected -en which may have been a scribal error due to unfamiliarity with the ethnic term at the time of transcription, taking it rather as an “error” for the more recognized term eoten ‘ettin’ (Bjork & Fulk & Niles 2008 p 181)

*aldijǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz

Old English

• Béowulf 70a, 150b, 605a; Genesis A 2472b; Cædmon’s Hymn 5b; The Seafarer 77a; Crist 936b; The Order of the World 99a

ylda bearn

• Old English Rune Poem 77b

elda bearn

Old Saxon

• Hêliand 1068a, 1387b, 1430b, 1508b, 1525b, 1780a, 3076b, 3235a, 3534a, 4057a,4436b, 4658a; Genesis B 464a

eldibarn

Old Norse

• Vǫluspá 20

alda bǫrn

• Hávamál 12 12; Fáfnismál 16

alda synir

 

*firhwijǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz

Old English

• Andreas 409a; Crist 242b

fíra bearn

Old Saxon

• Hêliand 9a, 16a, 47a, 420b, 496b, 1160b, 1216a, 1372a, 1487a, 1511b, 1537b, 1600b, 1783b, 1795a, 2594a,2614a, 3065a, 3068b, 3241a, 3513b, 3639b, 3844a, 3923a, 4231a, 4395a, 4454b, 4497b, 5029a, 5439a, 5712a,5773a; Genesis B 408a

firiho barn

Old Norse

• Fáfnismál 2, 3

fíra synir

 

*haliþǫ̂/haluþǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz

Old English

• Béowulf 1189a, 2224a; Crist 1277b, 1591b

• Andreas 494a

þrýðbearn hæleða

Old Saxon

• Hêliand 500b, 869b, 4330b, 4383b, 5570b, 5667b, 5737b; Genesis B 742a

heliðo barn

Old Norse

• Hávamál 129

hǫlda synir

• There is also a later prose example in Borgarþingslǫg Kristinn réttr hinn forni (Keyser & Munch 1846 p 345)

hǫlda born

 

*gumanǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz

Old English

• Béowulf 878a, 1367a

gumena bearn

• Crist 886b

dryhtgumena bearn

Old Norse

• Hávamál 129

gumna synir

 

*mannǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz

Old English

• Exodus 395b; Crist 85b; Genesis A 1554b; Azarias 86b, 146a

manna bearn

Old Saxon

• Genesis B 403b

manno barn

Old Norse

• Grímnismál 41

manna synir

 

*Eutijǫ̂ barnō/suniwiz

Old English

• Béowulf 1088a, 1141a

Éotena bearn

Old Norse

• Hávamál 68, 147, 164; Sólarljóð 33

ýta synir

 

Miscellaneous language-specific examples

Old English

Old Norse

 

Mjǫðr Óðins· Reconstructing Germanic verse formulae

philology