ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᚨᚲᚢᛞᛟ

Proto-Norse edit

Etymology edit

*ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᚨ (*ragina, “the ruling powers, the gods”) +‎ *-ᚲᚢᛞᚨᛉ (*-kudaʀ, “born, originating”). First element from Proto-Germanic *raginą (“decision, advice, counsel”), ancestor of Old Norse regin (“the gods, the ruling powers”). Second element from Proto-Germanic *kundaz (“born (of)”), compare Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌼𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍃 (himinakunds, “born of heaven, heavenly”).

Adjective edit

ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᚨᚲᚢᛞᛟ (raginakudo /raginakundō/) (feminine accusative singular)

born of the gods; of divine origin
- 450-600, Noleby Runestone (KJ 67, Vg 63)
  ᚱᚢᚾᛟᚠᚨᚺᛁᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᚨᚴᚢᛞᛟ […]
  runofahiraginakudo […]
  rūnō fāhī raginakundō
  I paint a rune of divine origin

Usage notes edit

The dropping of a nasal before a dental in runic spelling (kudo instead of kundo) persists into the Younger Futhark period. Compare also ᚹᛁᛞᚢᚺᚢᛞᚨᛉ (widuhudaʀ /⁠Widuhundaʀ⁠/), ᚲᚢᚾᛁᛗᚢᛞᛁᚢ (kunimudiu /⁠Kunimundiu⁠/).
Other reflexes of the phrase *rūnu raginakundu, "rune of divine origin", appear on the younger Swedish Sparlösa Runestone, and in the Old Icelandic poem Hávamál. This reveals an ancient poetic formula, of pre-Christian origin.

Declension edit

Since the corresponding noun ᚱᚢᚾᛟ (runo /⁠rūnō⁠/, “rune, mystery, esoteric secret”) is in the accusative singular, so is this adjective (the feminine accusative singular -ō corresponds to Old Norse -a). From other attested adjectives, we can presume that the masculine nominative singular would have been *raginakundaʀ, and the feminine nominative singular *raginakundu.

Descendants edit

Old Norse: reginkunnr