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The Icelandic Sagas
CONTENTS The Origin of the Sagas The Written Saga Historical Sagas relating to Iceland and Greenland Historical Sagas relating to Norway and other Northern Lands Mythical and Romantic Sagas Sagas from Latin Sources English Translations and other Aids
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1913
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About the author
William A. Craigie
107 books3 followersSir William Alexander Craigie was a Scottish philologist and a lexicographer.
A graduate of the University of St Andrews, he was the third editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and co-editor (with C.T. Onions) of the 1933 supplement. From 1916 to 1925 he was also Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Oxford.
He lectured on lexicography at the University of Chicago while working on the Dictionary of American English and the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue, a project he pioneered. Many twentieth-century American lexicographers studied under Craigie as a part of his lectureship, including Clarence Barnhart, Jess Stein, Woodford A. Heflin, Robert Ramsey, Louise Pound, and Allen Walker Read.
A graduate of the University of St Andrews, he was the third editor of the Oxford English Dictionary and co-editor (with C.T. Onions) of the 1933 supplement. From 1916 to 1925 he was also Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Oxford.
He lectured on lexicography at the University of Chicago while working on the Dictionary of American English and the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue, a project he pioneered. Many twentieth-century American lexicographers studied under Craigie as a part of his lectureship, including Clarence Barnhart, Jess Stein, Woodford A. Heflin, Robert Ramsey, Louise Pound, and Allen Walker Read.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 4, 2023
I want to read the Icelandic Sagas, but they take up ~ 800 pages; currently I'm laboring through Black Lamb and Grey Falcon which is close to 1200 pages. When I found this 78 page outline of the sagas it seemed reasonable to begin learning about them.
Sir William A. Craigie A philologist and lexicographer, he was the third editor of The Oxford English Dictionary, graduated from St Andrews, taught at Oxford, (gulp) tutored J.R.R. Tolkien, and compiled the Oxford edition of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. No slouch, he. Craigie died in the month I was born.
That didn't make this book any easier to read. Because it is all "other". Unfamiliar names (which are often very similar), unfamiliar genealogy, and unfamiliar geography. Heaps and heaps of facts and names which ricocheted off my brain. No adhesive. No Velcro.
Names like Friðthjóf and Breiðifjörð.
Main takeaway: saga (the plural is sögur) means 'something said.'
Surprising fact: Iceland was colonized from Norway beginning in 874 A.D.
Quirky joy: I love the spelling of connexion.
Sir William A. Craigie A philologist and lexicographer, he was the third editor of The Oxford English Dictionary, graduated from St Andrews, taught at Oxford, (gulp) tutored J.R.R. Tolkien, and compiled the Oxford edition of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. No slouch, he. Craigie died in the month I was born.
That didn't make this book any easier to read. Because it is all "other". Unfamiliar names (which are often very similar), unfamiliar genealogy, and unfamiliar geography. Heaps and heaps of facts and names which ricocheted off my brain. No adhesive. No Velcro.
Names like Friðthjóf and Breiðifjörð.
Main takeaway: saga (the plural is sögur) means 'something said.'
Surprising fact: Iceland was colonized from Norway beginning in 874 A.D.
Quirky joy: I love the spelling of connexion.
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October 16, 2017I basically read this whole book while doing research so I'm counting it (I did not enjoy it but it's not an objectively bad book, it was very informative)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews