Proto-norse (Noun)
Meaning
The Germanic language of Scandinavia up until about 700.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- Proto-Norse is an ancient North Germanic language thought to be spoken in Scandinavia before the 8th century.
- Scholars believe Proto-Norse emerged from Proto-Germanic and is the ancestor of the modern North Germanic languages.
- Proto-Norse is an extinct language with very limited direct evidence of its usage, primarily obtained from runic inscriptions.
- Several words from the Proto-Norse language are found in place names across Scandinavia and in early Norse literature.
- Research into Proto-Norse aims to better understand the historical evolution of languages such as Old Norse, Swedish, and Norwegian.