SACRED SWORD IN THE GERMANIC TRIBES AND GERMANIC LANGUAGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-4077-2023-207-42Keywords:
sword, Old English, Proto-Germanic, Proto-Indo-European, sacred, history.Abstract
Special attention is paid to the notion of sword in the Germanic tribes and the Germanic languages. It was also a sacred object that was used both at war and in various rituals. Sacred inscriptions were written on swords to attract God’s defence during the battle. The following inscriptions should be taken into consideration as GICELIN ME FECIT, OMINEDOMINI, IN NOMINE SANCTI DOMINI, AINANIA. It is stated that the importance of the sword is marked by its receiving the name. In Early, High and Late Middle Ages inscriptions often used not only one or several words, but also an abbreviated notation or acronym or even the entire psalms of the Bible. The reference to God is seen practically in all inscriptions which means that knights and warriors of that time referred to God all the time to find His protection and help. The evolutional model of semantics ʻcut, pierceʼ → ʻswordʼ was singled out. It is stated that Old English sweord, swyrd Proto-Germanic *swertha- ʻcutting weaponʼ, Proto-Germanic *swerdam <PIE *swer- ʻto cut, pirceʼ. Several word combinations with Old English sweord are singled out, e.g., Sweorda gelāc ʻthe play of swordsʼ, ʻbattleʼ, Sweorda lāfe ʻthose whom the sword had sparedʼ and some other ones. The importance of the sword is marked by its receiving the name. Such names of swords are pointed out as the following: Hrunting, Palmunc, kvernbītr, Nađr, Colada and Tizona. The poetical lexemes with the meaning ʻswordʼ both in Old English (heoru) and Icelandic (hjörr) are singled out as well. It is stated that these words are used mostly in compounds, e.g., heoru-cumbul, heoru-dolg, heoru-gīfre, heoru-serce. The most well-known historical, mythological and literary swords are mentioned, for instance, Excalibur, Dáinsleif, Durandal, Hrunting, The Sword of Saint Peter, The Sword of Saints Cosmas and Damian, and of course Gurthang, the sword of Túrin Turambar in Tolkien’s Legendarium. A short history of swords is mentioned, which began from The Ulfbehrt swords. Some idioms with the lexeme sword are singled out as well to point out that the word is widely used in the idiomatic language, for example, cross swords (with someone), Damocles’ sword, fall on (one’s) sword, a double-edged sword.
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