ragnarǫk

See also: ragnarok, Ragnarok, ragnarök, and Ragnarök

Old Norse

FWOTD – 21 December 2012

Alternative forms

• ragnarøk

Etymology

From regin (“gods”) +‎ rǫk (“fate, judgment”).

Pronunciation

• (12th century Icelandic) IPA^(key): /ˈrɑɣ.nɑ̃ˌrɒk/

Noun

ragnarǫk n pl

1. the fate of the gods; Ragnarok
   • the Vǫluspá (Hauksbók version, with normalized orthography)

     Geyr Garmr mjǫk

     fyr[ir] Gnípahelli;

     festr man slitna,

     en freki renna.

     Fram sé ek lengra,

     fjǫld kann ek segja

     um ragnarǫk

     rǫmm sigtíva.

     Garm bays loudly

     before Gnipahellir;

     the fetter shall break,

     and the greedy wolf [shall] run.

     For I see far [i.e. much],

     I can say a lot

     about the fate of the gods (Ragnarok),

     the strong deities.

   • Vǫlsungakviða in forna, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, verse 39, 40 or 41

     Hvárt eru þat svik ein,

     er ek sjá þykkjumk,

     eða ragnarǫk,

     ríða menn dauðir, […]

     Is this a deception,

     which I think I see,

     or the doom of the gods (Ragnarok)

     that dead men ride, […]  ?