From the Viking word-hoard

A dictionary of Scandinavian words in the languages of Britain and Ireland

Diarmaid Ó Muirithe

At the beginning of the 9th century the growing population of the three great branches of the Scandinavian race who people the countries abutting the Baltic – the Norsemen or Northmen, the Swedes and Danes – began a great outward movement which was caused both by political changes and their enterprising nature. Thus the 9th century came to be known as the Age of the Vikings, Víkinga-Öld.

The Danish emigration directed its course to the north-east of England. The second migration was Norse, whose settlers gradually peopled the coasts of Ireland, northern Scotland and the Isle of Man. They left a lasting linguistic heritage. This book is a glossary of words in the various language of Britain and Ireland which owe their origin to the intrepid raiders and merchants of Scandinavia.

Diarmaid Ó Muirithe, one-time professor of literature at University College Dublin, is the author of the ever-popular "Words We Use" column in the Irish Times.