Proto-Norse

Proto-Norse, Proto-Nordic, Ancient Nordic or Proto-North Germanic was an Indo-European language spoken in Scandinavia that is thought to have evolved from Proto-Germanic between the 1st century BC and the 2nd century, and was spoken until ca 800, when it evolved into the Old Norse language.

Sources

Some Proto-Norse names are found in latin works such as tribal names e.g. Suiones (*Swihoniz or *Sweoniz, Swedes, later *SwehaniR or *SweoniR). In addition, a great deal of Proto-Norse can be reconstructed with a certain accuracy by using the comparative method, but also by studying early loanwords in Finnish and Sami, and by studying older place names.

There is a body of about 200 Elder Futhark runic carvings of which the earliest are from about 200 CE.

Examples of inscriptions:

• The inscription found on the Golden horns of Gallehus is the most famous example and comes from the 4th century. It reads ek HlewagastiR holtijaR horna tawido (I Leeguest of Holt made the horn) and it would in Old Norse have been Ek Hlégestr hyltir táða horn.

• The Einang stone is dated to the 4th century. It contains the message [ek go]dagastiR runo faihido ([I, Go]dguest drew the secret). The first four letters have not survived and are conjectured, the personal name may also have been Gudagasti, or similar.

• The Björketorp Runestone is one of three menhirs, but is the only one of them where, in the 6th century, someone has written a curse: HaidR runo runu, falh'k hedra ginnarunaR. Argiu hermalausR, ... weladauþe, saR þat brytR. Uþarba spa. (Here, I have hidden the secret of powerful runes, strong runes. The one who breaks this memorial will be eternally tormented by anger. Treacherous death will hit him. I foresee perdition.)

Evolution

The R (represented by the Algiz rune) was a sound special to Proto-Norse, which evolved and disappeared, derived from the phoneme z. It was pronounced like Czech ř and merged with the r phoneme. Opinions diverge on the dates of this temporary phoneme.

The greatest changes within P-N took place in the period 500-800. Umlauts appeared which means that a vowel was influenced by the succeeding vowel or half-vowel, e.g. Old Norse gestr (guest) came from P-N ʒastiz (guest). Umlauts also resulted in the appearance of the new vowels y (e.g. fylla from *fullian) and ö (e.g. döma from *dōmian). There was also a special umlaut resulting in diaresis, i.e. the vowel changed into a diphthong e.g. hiarta from *herto.

There was also syncope resulting in the loss of short unstressed vowels. In P-N, the stress was always on the first syllable, which meant that the syncope happened later in the word. For instance, P-N horna was changed into Old Norse horn, P-N ʒastiz resulted in ON gestr, P-N *katilōz became ON katlar.

The postpositioned definate article also appeared during this time e.g. dagen (the day, der Tag).