un-mann

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Hana Videen

un-mann, m.n: bad person, inhuman person; hero, one who is more than an average person. (UN-MAHN / ˈʌn-ˌman)

aglǣcwīf

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Hana Videen

aglǣcwīf, n.n: hostile female fighter, fierce female combatant. (AH-GLACK-weef / ˈa-ˌglæːk-wiːf)

āglǣca

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Hana Videen

āglǣca, m.n: hostile fighter, fierce combatant, great opponent. (AH-GLACK-ah / ˈa-ˌglæː-ka)

There aren’t any good word-for-word translations. Often translators use ‘monster’ but there is no word in Old English that means simply ‘monster’, and āglǣca can refer to (human) heroes as well as monsters. Grendel is an āglǣca but so is Beowulf.

hleahtor-smiþ

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Hana Videen

hleahtor-smiþ, m.n: entertainer, minstrel (laughter-smith). (HLEH-ah-h’tor-SMITH / ˈhlɛax-tɔr-ˌsmɪθ)

pyffan

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Hana Videen

pyffan, wk.v: to breathe out. (PUFF-ahn / ˈpɝ-fan)

Fire-breathing dragon from British Library, Harley MS 3244, folio 59r.

gyte-sǣl

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Hana Videen

gyte-sǣl, m.n: joy at the pouring out of wine. (YUH-tuh-SAEL / ˈjɝ-tə-ˌsæːl)

Women drinking, Watriquet de Couvin (1325).

cwēn-fugol

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Hana Videen

cwēn-fugol, m.n: a female bird, hen. (KWAIN-FUH-gol / ˈkweːn-ˌfʌ-gɔl)

Medieval manuscript image of a barefoot woman with a distaff under one arm, pouring a bowl of chicken feed onto the ground where a dozen chicks are pecking; one chick sits on top of the mother hen, who is tied to a stake in the ground by a string around one leg. — Luttrell Psalter; N England (Lincolnshire), 1325-1340; British Library, Add MS 42130, f. 166v. [bl.uk]

beorht-blōwende

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Hana Videen

beorht-blōwende, adj: bright-blooming, blooming bright. (BEH-or’ht-BLOW-en-duh / ˈbɛɔɹht-ˌbloː-wɛn-də)

Needs ID – please comment if you know the source

hlēor-sceamu

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Hana Videen

hlēor-sceamu, f.n: shame or confusion of face, literally ‘cheek-shame’. (HLAY-or-SHEH-ah-muh / ˈhleːɔɹ-ˌʃɛa-mʌ)

bēo-gang

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Hana Videen

bēo-gang, m.n: a swarm of bees. (BAY-oh-GAHNG / ˈbeːɔ-ˌgaŋ)

bees — British Library medieval manuscripts blog: Detail of a miniature of bees collecting nectar and returning to their hive, from a bestiary with theological texts, England, c. 1200 – c. 1210, Royal MS 12 C XIX, f. 45v.