Analyzing and Interpreting Literature / Unit 16 AIL 1519 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Kenning
Captions available
The idea
A kenning is a compressed compound standing in for a plainer noun, such as whale-road for the sea. The glossary has no headword. Hall's prowess-in-battle and folk-kings show the pattern, and a translator who preserves kennings preserves the poem's texture.
In practice
A compound standing for a noun.
Where people slip
Whale-road for the sea.
Your place on the trail
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Builds on
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