Give One Example of a Kenning

If you would like a more detailed explanation or ideas of how to get started writing kenning poems yourself use the teachers page different poetry forms kennings to find out more. For example the odin article links to a.

Kenning

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.

What is an example of a kenning. A kenning old kenning cʰɛnːiŋɡ modern icelandic cʰɛnːiŋk is a circumlocution an ambiguous or roundabout figure of speech used instead of an ordinary noun in old norse old english and later icelandic poetry. Some additional key details about kennings. Kennings are most commonly found in old norse and old english poetry.

Sometimes a kenning can take the form of a puzzle poem. An example is light of battle used to mean a sword in the following example from beowulf. The anglo saxon and old norse traditions have a word for a compound expression with a metaphorical meaning.

A kenning poem is also defined a riddle that consists of a few lines of kennings which describe someone or something in confusing detail. In old english a kenning is a compound expression that has a figurative or metaphorical meaning. Used primarily in anglo saxon poetry the epic poem beowulf is full of kennings.

In old english a kenning is a compound expression that has a figurative or metaphorical meaning. This list is not intended to be comprehensive. Kennings for a particular character are listed in that character s article.

A kenning modern icelandic pronunciation. For example whale road is a kenning for the sea. The poem usually takes the form of a list and each depiction of the object is two words.

For example the term whale road is used for the sea and shepherd of evil is used for grendel. Kenning simply put in poetry a kenning is when you take two words and combine them as a mild translation or metaphor for something else. 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.

It is also described as a compressed metaphor which means meanings. Kennings as metaphors the kenning has been described as a kind of compressed metaphor with the referent suppressed. A kenning describes something familiar in an uncommon way without using its name.

So as you re sitting by the fire one night enjoying an anthology of scandinavian poetry you might come across poem about five brave men aboard a. A kenning which is derived from norse and anglo saxon poetry is a stylistic device defined as a two word phrase that describes an object through metaphors. A kenning is a figurative expression usually compound in form that is used in place of a name or noun especially in old english.

They continued to be a feature of icelandic poetry including rímur for centuries together with the closely. A kenning is a poem which uses two word phrases generally a noun and a verb on each line to describe the subject.

Literary Terms Beowulf