K is for KENNING

I wasn’t familiar with this word before (except in its Scots form to ken, to know). It has its origins in the Old Norse phrase kenna eitt við, which means “to express a thing in terms of another”. It is a literary device used in Viking, Anglo-Saxon and Celtic poetry to make new compound words or phrases that force you to stop and think.

Here’s some examples I’ve found:

THE SEA — whale road
A WARRIOR — shield-tester
BLOOD — battle sweat
BODY — bone house
SUN — sky candle

icelandic manuscript, about 1350  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Kenning doesn’t happen that often in modern English but when it works, it really works and it’s an excellent vehicle for sarcasm. See for yourself.

TODDLERS — rug rats
OVER RELIGIOUS PEOPLE — bible thumpers/ sky pilots
HORRIBLE TATTOOS — tramp-stamps
ATTRACTIVE GIRL — eye candy
LAZY PERSON — couch potato

And I found this out doing something that is best described by another modern kenning – web surfing.

Come across any other kennings?