1. The nasal vowels in Old Norse

2. Nasality in Proto Germanic
Nasality in Proto Norse
Nasal vowels in Old Norse

3. Explanations and abbreviations
(R) = Runic evidence
(FG) = First grammatical treatise
ö = Old Norse umlauted a
ǫ = nasal o
v̨, vN = nasal vowel
v̄, v́ = long vowel
OHG = Old High German
OS = Old Saxon
LG = Low German
OE = Old English
OD = Old Danish
OI = Old Icelandic

4. What Antonsens derives from the elder futhark
ᚨ /a, ā/, ᛖ /e, ē/, ᛁ /i, ī/, ᛟ /o, ō/, ᚢ /u, ū/, ᚨᛁ /ai/, ᚨᚢ /au/, ᛖᚢ /eu/, ᛁᚢ /iu/

5. What Bjarne Sandgaard says about the vowels in Proto-Germanic
Vowels in initial and medial syllable
e, a, i, u, ē/ǣ, ē2, ō, ī, ū, ai, iu, au
Vowels in final syllable:
a, aN, i, ī, iN, u, uN, ē, ēN, ē̃, ō, ōN, ō̃, ū, æ, ai, au, ōi, iu, ōu

6. Vowels in standardized Old Norse
a, á, é, e, i, í, o, ó, u, ú, y, ý, æ, œ, ø, ǫ/ö (umlauted a)

7. Vowels in the Elfdalian alfabet
- a, ą e ę i į o u ų y y̨ å ą̊ ä ö

8. First syllable before a nasal consonant
Runic
Old Icelandic
Elfdalian
West Germanic
Gothic
meaning
Ą̄mōða (x 2)
Ámóða
Ą̄munda (x 2)
Ámunda
ąn (x 25) á ą̊
ana (OHG)
ana
’on’
ąnd / ö̃nd, ąnda, ąndinni (x 36)
önd, anda
ąnda
antin (OHG)
’soul’
Ąndswarr (x 1)
Andsvarr
Ąndwétt, Ąndwéttr (x 2)
Andvétt, Andvéttr
ąnnąn, ąnnarr (x 4)
annan
-ąnąn
anderan (OHG)
anþarana
’other’
ąnnart (x 1)
annart
ą̄n (x 1) án
’without'
Ą̄ni (x 1)
Áni
Ą̄nund
Ą̄nundr
Ą̄nundaʀ (x 12)
Önund
Önundr
Önundar
bry̨nna
börnen
(LG)
’give cows water

9. First syllable before a nasal consonant
Dąnmarku (x 1)
Danmörku
Denemarca (OHG)
’Denmark’
dræ̨ngi, dræ̨ng (x 2)
drengi, dreng
drąingg
’warrior’
Fąnn (x 1)
fann
fand
(OS)
fanþ
’found’
Finląndi (x 1)
Finlandi
’Finland’
frąmėr
’brazen’
frą̄nmąna (x 1)
fránmana
’brave men’
fræ̨nda (x 2)
frænda
frænde
friund (OS)
frijōnds
’kin’
Garðstąngum (x 1)
Garðstöngum
’pole’
gąmall (x 1)
gamall
gåmål
gamal
(OHG)
’old’
hąmri, -hąmbri (x 2)
hamri
’hammer’
hąn, hąnum, hąns (x 42)
hann, hans
ąn, -
’he, him, his’
Hæ̨mingR (x 1)
Hemingr
Haming
Kąnp (x 1)
Kanp
’mustache’
Jamtaląnd (x 1)
Jamtaland
’Jamtland’

10. First syllable before a nasal consonant
kwąn (x 1)
kwanaʀ (x 1)
kván
kvánar
quena (OS, OHG) (< kwenōn)
qina (< *kwenōn)
’woman’
kwą̄mu (x 1)
kvámu
kąmu
quamon (OHG)
qamun
’came’
ląnd-,
ląndi (x 2)
land,
landi
ląnd
land
’land’
mąn (x 1)
mann
mąn
mannan
’man’
mąnr (x 2)
maðr / mannr
man
manna
-mąną,
-mąna, mąnni (x 4)
manna, manni
manne
Mąnni/ Mą̄ni (x1)
Manna / máni
Manno
(OHG)
mąnnum (x 1)
mönnum
’men’
mįnna
minnian
(OS)
’remind’
mǫna
’would not’
mø̨nde
’would’
rąmr
’husky’
Rąndr (x 1)
Randr
Rąndi (x 1)
Randvé
Rando
Rąnwæig (x 1)
Ranveig

11. First syllable before a nasal consonant
rųnar
rūna (oht.)
rūnos
’runes’
sąmąn (x 1)
saman
sųmmu
Sąndūlfr (x 1)
Sandúlfr
sąnd
sand (os.)
’sand’
Skąnøy (x 1)
Skaney
stąnda, stąndi (x 3)
standa, standi
stąnda
standan (os.)
standan
’stand’
strąndu (x 1)
ströndu
stæ̨iną, stæ̨in (x 2)
steina
stįena
steinā/ -a (oht.)
staínans
’stone’
stȳrimąns (x 1)
stýrimans
’captain’
sy̨na
’show’
Tafæistaląndi (x 1)
Tafeistalandi
þąnn (x 4)
þann
dan-dar
thena (oht.)
þana
’that’

12. First syllable before a nasal consonant
þąną, þąna (x 7)
þenna
’this’
þąnsi, (x 48)
uę̄nesc
’get used to’
uǭn
’expected’
ūʀgrąndaʀi (x 1)
ørgrandari
’hard rule’
wēttwąngi (x 1)
véttvangi
’battlefield’
Æistmąnn (x 1)
Eistmann
Æ̨nglandi (x 3)
Englandi
Ænglaland (OE)
’England’

13. First syllable before a nasal consonant
Ą̄mōða (R), Ą̄munda (R), sąmąn (R), rąmr (FG)
- Nasalization before m
- Proof of nasal variant of short and long a
stæ̨iną, fræ̨nda, Hæ̨mingR, dræ̨ng
- Proof of nasal æi and æ
- Nasalization before n
ąnd / ǫ̈nd
Suggestion of nasal ö (umlauted a)

14. First syllable before a nasal consonant
mįnna (FG), mǫna (FG), uǭn (FG), mø̨nde (FG), rųnar, sy̨na (FG) , bry̨nna (FG), uę̄nesc (FG)
- Futher proof of nasalization before n
- Proof of nasal i, o, ō, ø, u, y, ē

15. First syllable before a nasal consonant
Finląndi (R), frą̄nmąna (R), Garðstąngum (R), ląndmąnna (R), Tafæistaląndi (R), wēttwąngi (R), Æistmąnn (R)
- Proof of nasalization in second element of compounds

16. First syllable before a nasal vowel
What nasal vowels are found in the runic data and first grammatical treatise:
ą, ą̄, į, ǫ, ǭ, y̨̨, æ̨, ø̨, ǫ̈?
- Nasalization of vowels occur before n and m just like in Elfdalian. Also in the second element of compounds

17. First syllable after nasal consonant
Runic
Old Icelandic
Elfdalian
West Germanic
Gothic
meaning
ną̄s
nás
’corpse’
nǣ̨tu
nǽtr
nętär
naht- (OHG)
naht-
’nights’
mą̄ (x 2) má
mą̊
mah (OS)
’able to’

18. First syllable after nasal consoant
-Proof of ǣ̨, ą̄ -Proof of nasalization of long vowels after nasal consonant just like in Elfdalian

19. First syllable without nasal consonant
Runic
Old Icelandic
Elfdalian
West Germanic
Gothic
meaning
Ąwarkar (x 1)
Áverkar
ą̄ (x 51)
á (oi.) ą̊
ana (OHG)
ana
’on’
Ą̄sa, Ą̄su (x 10)
Ása, Ásu
Asa (OHG)
Ą̄sbjörn (x 11)
Ásbjörn
Ą̄sbōð (x 3)
Ásbóð
Ą̄sfrīðr (x 3)
Ásfríðr
Ansfrid (OHG)
Ą̄sgautr, Ą̄sgauts, Ą̄sgaut (x 12)
Ásgautr, Ásgauts, Ásgaut
Ansegaud (OHG)
Ą̄sgerði (x 1)
Ásgerði
ans- (OHG)
Ą̄sgunnr (x1)
Ásgrunnr
Ansegunde
Ą̄sgæiʀʀ, Ą̄sgæiʀs (x 3)
Ásgeirr
Ansigar (OHG)

20. First syllable without nasal consonant
Ą̄slak, Ą̄slakʀ (x 3)
Áslak, Áslakr
Ą̄slæikiʀ (x 1)
Ásleikr
Ą̄smund, Ą̄smundr (x 15)
Ásmund, Ásmundr
Ansemund (OHG)
Ą̄skel (x 3)
Áskel
Ą̄skil (x 1)
Ą̄skatla (x 1)
Áskatla
Ą̄slæik (x 1)
Ásleik
Ą̄sta (x 1)
Ásta
Ą̄straðr (x 2)
Ástraðr
Anstrad (OHG)
Ą̄sti (x 1)
Ásti
Ą̄striðr (x 1)
Ástriðr
Ą̄striði (x 1)
Ástriði
Ą̄swar
Ásvör

21. First syllable without nasal consonant
Ą̄swið, Ą̄swiðaʀ (x 2)
Ásvið, Ásviðar
Ą̄sulvR (x 2)
Ásulfr
Ą̄sur, Ą̄suraR (x 5)
Özur, Özurar
Ansuar
(OHG)
Ą̄waiʀ (x 1)
Ávarr
ąftiʀ (x 9)
eptir
etter
aftar (OS)
aftaro
’after’
frą
frą̊
’from’
fę̄r
’lamb’
Frąkka (x 1)
Frakka (OI),
Fraki (OD.) Franki (OD)
Fracko (OHG)
Gą̄sa (x 1)
Gása
Hą̄islaʀ (x 1)
Háislar
Hą̄kon (x 2)
Hákon
Hancwin (OHG)
hąr
’shark’
ǫrar
ųer
unsēr (OHG)
unsar
’our’ rǫ
 rå
’corner of house’
ræ̨isa (x 1)
reisa
 rǣran (OE)
urraisjan
’set upright’

22. First syllable without nasal consonant
Sąsgærðr (x 1)
Sasgerðr
twą̄ (x 6)
tvá
tųæ
twēna (os.)
twans
’two’
þąsa / þąsi (x 2)
akk.sg.f.
þessa
isa, dą̊-dar
these (os.)
’this’
þąisi (x 1)
akk.pl.m.
isa
’these’
þą̄ (x 3) þá
dą̊
than (os.)
þan
’then’
þęl
dāha (oht.)
þāho
’file’
Þorfąstr
Þorfastr
þųat
’beaten’
Wīfąstr
Véfastr
ø̨ra
Jung (oht.)
juggs
’younger’

23. First syllable after nasal consoant
-Proof of ą̄, ą, ę, ę̄, ǫ, ø̨, į, æ̨, ǫ, ǭ
-Proof of Proto-Norse VNs > V̨̄s as in Ą̄s- (R) < *ansuz, þą (R) < *þans. Compare Elfdalian, gą̊s < *gans-, ą̊s < *amsa-
-Proof of Proto-Norse Vnz > V̨̨̄̄r as in ǫrar (FG) < *unzer-, compare Elfdalian ųer.
- Proof of Proto-Germanic Vnh > V̨ as in hąr < *hanhaz (FG), rǫ < (FG) < *wranhō, þęl (FG) < *þinhilō, Hą̄islaʀ (R) < *hanha-. Compare Elfdalian gą̊tt < *ganhtiz, ką̊t < *kanhtaz, tą̊t < *þanhtuz, gęta < *ga-anhatjanaN, gą̊ < *ga-anhēnaN.
- Note: the elfdalian examples are taken fromm Kroonen 2011

24. First syllable without nasal consoant
- Proof of Proto-Norse Vnk > V̨kk as in Frąkka (R) < *Frank-, compare Elfdalian okkel < *ankulaz , bokke <*bankan, blokk < *blankaz, tokk < *þankō. - Proof of loss of m or n gives nasalization: þą̄ (R), ą̄ (R), frą (FG), compare Elfdalian dą̊ < *þan, ą̊, frą̊ < *fram -Proof of Proto-Germanic nasal ō survival: þąsa / þąsi < *þōN (feminin, accusative, singular of sā). Compare Elfdalian dą̊-dar < *þān (Proto Dalecarlian). þąsa / þąsi found in: Sigriðr gærði bro þąsi (Sö 101) Ranwæik á kistu þąsa (N 541) Elfdalian examples from Guus Kroonen 2011

25. First syllable without nasal consoant
- Wīfąstr and Þorfąstr may be spelling errors, but they may also be evidence of an unvoiced Werner of *fangst thus, a form *fanhst can be reconstructed, and we have proof of nasal vowels in second element of compounds without nasal consonant preserved. - ąftiʀ with a nasal a is attested nine times in Sweden, but since the word is aftaro in Gothic we can see that there was no nasal consonant in the past, thus we may have nine example of spelling errors, or proof of nasalization from nothing in the swedish dialect of Old Norse. - Suggestion of parastic nasalization before s in ræ̨isa ‘set upright’, a process which also seems to happen in Elfdalian, for example rįesa ‘to travel’.

26. Second syllable before nasal cosonant
Runic
Old Icelandic
Elfdalian
West Germanic
Gothic
meaning
ąnąn (x 3)
annan
-ąnąn
anderan (OHG)
anþarana
’other’
falwąn (x 1)
falvan
’dead’
fæigjąn (x 1)
feigjan
fiegąn
gōðąn (x 10)
góðan
gōdan (OS)
goþana
’good’
Hālfdąn (x 3)
Hálfdan
Kwikwąn (x 1)
Kvikván
sjālvąn (x 2)
sjálfan
selban
(OHG)
silbana
’self’
sīðąn (x 1)
síðan
’since’
ūhæimskąn (x 1)
úheimskan
-iemskąn
’wise‘
rēttąn (x 1)
réttan
retta
rihtian
(OS)
garaihtjan
’place’

27. Second syllable before nasal cosonant
- Proof of nasalization in second syllable before n just like in Elfdalian - Further proof of nasal a

28. Second syllable after nasal consonant
Runic
Norrønt
Elvdalsk
Vestgermansk
Gotisk
Betydning
Ārną
Árna (oi.)
Brūną
Brúna
GuðbjarnąR
Guðbjarnar
Gunną, Gunnąr (x 2
Gunna (oi.)
Gundon (OHG)
hennąR
hennar
’her’
Holmą
Holma
Hræbną (x 1)
Hrefna (oi.)
koną (x 1)
kona (oi.)
quena (OS, OHG)
qina
’wife, woman’
kristną (x 2)
kristna (oi.)
kristna
-ans
’christian
komą
koma
kumå
qeman
(OHG.)
qiman
’come’
kwenną
kvenna
kwinna
quenono
(OS)
qinono
’woman’
-mąną (x 2)
manna
manne'
’man’
rūnąʀ (x 13)
rúnar
rūna (OHG)
rūnos
’runes’
sīną (x 13)
sína
sąina, sąin
sīnan (OHG)
seinana
’her, his
stæiną (x 10)
steina (oi.)
stįena
steinā/ -a (OHG)
staínans
’stone’
suną
sona
’son’
Tumą (x2)
Tuma
Tumo (OHG)
þąną, þeną (x 59)
þenna (oi.)
’that’

29. Second syllable after nasal consonant
- Further proof of nasal a - Proof of nasalization of short vowels after nasal m and n: Holmą, koną

30. Second syllable without nasal consonant
Runic
Old Icelandic
Elfdalian
West Germanic
Gothic
meaning
DjūRą (x 1)
Djúra
harðą (x 1)
harða
-ō
’very’
fēlagą (x 1)
félaga
-an
’friend, partner’
knūą, knýją (x 1)
knúa / knýja
knų̄ga, knjų̄ga
cnūwian (OE)
’squeeze’
rēttą (x 1)
rétta
retta
rihtian
(OS)
garaihtjan
’place’
rōą (x 1)
róa
ruowa (OHG)
’silence’
ræisą (x 1)
reisa
 rįesa
urraisjan
’raise,’
standą (x 1)
standa
standan (OS)
standan
’stand

31. Second syllable without nasal consonant
- Further proof of nasal a - Proof of nasalization of vowel through loss of final n, as we see in standą ‘to stand’ < *standanaN which we also see in Elfdalian sją̊ ‘to see’ * < *seą < *sehwanaN - Spelling error in harþą ‘very’ with adverbial ending from Proto Germanic *-ōt. Also spelling error in rōą ‘silence’

32. Loss of n before l and r, and mp > pp
-In Old Norse we see that Proto-Norse ln and rn became l and r, but Elfdalian has shows signs of nasalization.
-tųos-dag ’torsdag’ < *þunra- < *þunara- og mǫ́l ”manke” < *manla- < *manala-.
In some cases Proto-Norse mp yields pp, as we see in *swampuR ‘mushroom‘ > Elfdalian svopp. Also here Elfdalian shows sign of nasalization.
-Note: This is taken from Kroonen 2011

33. Nasality in Proto-Germanic
- The vowels must have been nasalized before the loss of the nasal consonant, we can therefore deduce that gą̊tt, ką̊t, gą̊, gęta, tą̊t, hąr, rǫ, þęl, þąsi / þąsa are evidence of Proto-Germanic ąnh, įnh, þōN - Suggests that we have nasalization of vowels before n also in Proto-Germanic

34. Nasality in Proto-Norse
By the same logic as with Proto-Germanic, the vowels must have been nasalized before the loss of the nasal consonant. Thus from the procces VNs > V̨̄s, Vnz > V̨̄r and Vnk > V̨kk, Vnl > V̨l and Vnr > V̨r , we have evidence that a, ā, u, i, ō was nasal before m and n. And also nasal a and i, inherited from Proto-Germanic ąnh, įnh, þōN

35. The Nasel vowels in Old Norse
-From all of the words in the tables, we can deduce the following vowels: ą, ą̄, ę, ę̄, į, ǫ, ǭ, y̨, ȳ̨, æ̨, ǣ̨, ø̨, ǫ̈, æ̨i The Elfdalian evidence concord well with the runic evidence and with the evidence from the first grammatical treatise. If we ignore the lenght of the vowels, every single nasal variant of every vowel has been attested. Only the dipthtongs au and ey are not attested, but it would be odd if they wasen’t nasalized too. I conclude these are the nasal vowels in Old Norse: ą, ą̄, ę, ę̄, į, ǫ, ǭ, y̨, ȳ̨, æ̨, ǣ̨, ø̨, ǫ̈, *ąu, *æ̨i, *ęy Thank you.

36. Literature
Antonsen, Elmer H. (1975). A Concise Grammar of the Old Runic Inscriptions. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer Verlag. Hansen, Bjarne Simmelkjær Sandgaard (2012). Gotisk. Kompendium til studerende på BA og BA-tilvalg i Indoeuropæisk, forårssemestret Københavns Universitet. Kroonen, Guus (2011). On the origins of the Elfdalian nasal vowels from the perspective of diachronic dialectology and Germanic etymology. PowerPoint-præsentation fra “Nordiska språk - forskarseminarium”, Lunds universitet, 19. oktober URL: Noreen, A De nordiska språkens nasalerade vocaler. In: Arkiv for nordisk filologi Rapport från Oðer råðstemną um övdalskų, Andra konferensen om älvdalska (2011) Williams, H Åsrunan, Användning och ljudvärde i runsvenska steninskrifter. Uppsala: Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för nordiska språk.