Overview

Viking Language 1, Third Edition is a new method for teaching Old Norse, the language of the Vikings and their runes. This innovative new book takes the reader on a journey through Viking Age Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, and the Baltic lands. From page one, you will read original Old Norse passages about Vikings, Norse mythology, sacral kingship, blood feuds, and daily life. With maps and sections on Viking history, sagas, myths, and runic inscriptions, the reader quickly learns from original Icelandic sagas and runes, the latter from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. A new and innovative word-frequency method eases learning and speeds comprehension. Download MP3 pronunciation albums on the website oldnorse.or as well as answer keys to the exercises in the lessons. Learn two languages at once: Because the grammar of Modern Icelandic has changed little from Old Norse, the learner is well on the way to mastering the modern language as well as the Old Norse of Vikings and runes. One reviewer writes: ""Jesse Byock brings learning Old Norse into the 21st century. Reading passages are relatively short and progressively graded, and vocabulary building is chosen to give the reader the most common words to be found in the Old Norse sagas. www.oldnorse.org One reviewer writes: Rather than masses of paradigm and conjugation tables hurled at the reader at the beginning, they are introduced in stages. Linguistic necessities are explained, so for example when older grammars may speak of ""i-umlaut"" without further description leading to a ""WTF?"" reaction from most people, Byock with great clarity takes the reader through the mechanics.

Full Product Details

9781953947208

Table of Contents

Reviews

5 stars A Fantastic Gateway to the Tongue of the Norse! Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2025. Verified Purchase I recently dove into Old Norse with Viking Language 1, and I'm absolutely thrilled with the experience! This course is a brilliantly designed introduction to a fascinating language. What Makes It Shine: Engaging Lessons: The material is presented in a clear, digestible, and genuinely interesting way. It doesn't feel like a chore to learn; rather, it feels like an adventure into history and mythology. Structured Approach: The progression from basic vocabulary and grammar to more complex sentence structures is logical and well-paced. I never felt overwhelmed, always guided. Authentic Feel: You really get a sense of the language as it was spoken and written. The inclusion of cultural context and historical insights adds so much depth to the learning process. Practical Application: I was surprised at how quickly I started recognizing words and phrases, and even constructing simple sentences. It truly equips you with a foundational understanding. Highly Recommended! If you have any interest in Norse mythology, Viking history, or simply want to learn a unique and beautiful language, Viking Language 1 is the perfect starting point. It's accessible, effective, and incredibly rewarding!5.0 out of 5 stars A gem in a rarefied field of study 5 stars, A Gem I am a language teacher (Chinese and Latin) who am teaching myself Old Norse. Dr. Jesse Byock's ""Viking Language 1"" (VL-1) is a wonderful textbook for learning Old Norse (ON) on your own, though it is completely suitable for classroom use. The textbook is extremely user-friendly and is especially so for those who would like to study ON on their own but do not have a background in foreign languages, old or modern. The book takes the student through carefully thought-out steps with detailed explanations of both grammar and vocabulary. Earlier texts (e.g., Sweet's Primer of Old Icelandic, and even E. V. Gordon's ""Old Norse"") are often difficult for the modern learner, assuming a knowledge of basic linguistics (which can no longer be assumed) or a familiarity with German or some inflected language. Certainly a knowledge of another language is very helpful (I have a comfortable familiarity with Old English and know Latin well, and have studied a bit of modern German), but Dr. Byock's book is eminently suitable for both the experienced linguist as well for an absolute beginner in the language. With the patience that is needed for the study of any language, the student should make good progress in the study of this beautiful and fascinating language. The selections introduced for reading are interesting (and fun!), and each chapter is interspersed with history, word study, and fascinating facts about Viking culture, including maps. I personally enjoy this sort of holistic approach to language learning where vocabulary, grammar, history and culture are woven together, greatly increasing the high-interest content and presenting the language in its real-world setting. Exercises are good, and there is a fine glossary at the back of the book. This makes for a quality textbook at a very affordable price. As others have mentioned, I highly recommend buying ""Viking Language 2"" to accompany VL-1, giving the student a solid grounding in ON and providing a wide variety of reading material. I have found that VL-2 makes excellent supplementary reading even while working through VL-1 and provides wonderful opportunities for gauging one's progress and achieving a sense of accomplishment, two things which increase the enjoyment of language study. I especially appreciate is Dr. Byock's use of word-frequency lists such as those found in Mounce's Greek texts. He shows how a relatively small number of words accounts for the lion's share of words one encounters in the sagas.

Author Information

Jesse Byock is Distinguished Professor at UCLA's Cotsen Institute of Archaeology and Professor of Old Norse Studies in UCLA's Scandinavian Section. Ph.D. from Harvard, he teaches Old Norse language, Viking society, sagas, and Viking Archaeology. He is a spe-cialist in the study of feud and feuding societies, a subject covered in detail in Viking Age Iceland (Penguin Books). Prof. Byock directs the Mosfell Archaeological Project (MAP) in Iceland, excavating a Viking Age chieftain´s longhouse, harbor, and valley. He teaches at the University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands) affiliated with the Department of History and the Program in Viking and Medieval Norse Studies. His books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.

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