Introduction to practical Runic

The latin alphabet was not introduced in Scandinavia until after the viking age, but people did write before that. They used the old Germanic letters called runes. The oldest runes found were made almost 2 000 years ago, and the youngest authentic runes only 100 years ago. Some runes are carved on jewelry and weapons, others are found on chicken bones. Some have been found in Greece, others on Greenland. But the typical runic inscription was carved into a stone in the 11th century in the eastern parts of Sweden.

Not only did the 11th century Swede use a different alphabet, he also had a different view on spelling conventions. It was often more important to use few letters than making the text easy to read, for instance. This has its natural explanation. We can produce a letter with a simple stroke on a keyboard, but carving a letter into a rock takes a little more effort. There were also only 16 different letters, but many more sounds in the language. This has no natural explanation. It wouldn't have been too diffcult to invent a few more letters, but they still didn't.
The sixteen runes in the alphabet, which is called the \"futhark\", by the way, are:

f/v u/o/w þ/ð ã/o r k/g/nk/ng h n i/e a/æ s t/d/nt/nd b/p m l R
There were also \"stung\" runes, i.e. runes with dots that slightly changed their phonetic value.

y/ø g e
As you can see, several runes represent more than one sound, which makes it a little difficult to read a runic inscription. A little guesswork is usually needed.

· C O N C O R D ·
As in many other languages, most words must be inflected to form a sentence. In English one must say he carves, not he carve, but they carve and not they carves. The runic language also has inflections like these, but there are more of them. Not only is there one form for 'he' and one for 'they', there is also one for 'we', one for 'you' etc.
Again, in English one cannot say I killed he, or on he, one must say I killed him, and on him. One must use the accusative (him) in stead of the nominative (he). This is true also for Runic Swedish, but not only pronouns, but also nouns and adjectives are inflected like this in Runic Swedish. Let's look at the different parts of speech:

· N O U N S ·
Runic Swedish nouns can be either masculine, feminine or neutral. This has nothing to do with what they mean, only with how they are inflected. A stone is not more masculine than a rune, but the word for 'stone' still is masculine and the one for 'rune' is feminine. This just means they are not inflected alike.

Nouns have two numbers: singular and plural, just like in English. But there are four forms, cases, of each number. The nominative case is used when the noun is the subject of a sentence. The difference between the nominative and the other cases is the same as between he and him. There are just three different hims. The most common is the accusative, but there's also the dative and the genitive.

In the inscriptions the nominative and the accusative are very common, since all sentences need a subject and most sentences need an object. The nominative of masculine nouns – which are the most common in the inscriptions – usually have the ending -R, and the accusative has no ending. Other masculine nouns have the ending -i in the nominative and -a in the accusative.

· A D J E C T I V E S ·
Adjectives in Runic Swedish agree with the nouns that they modify, just like in English, i.e. it is inflected into the same gender, number and case. There are however many more forms than in English.

In the inscriptions the adjectives are usually inflected into masculine gender and accusative case, you will see why, and the ending thus is -an.

· V E R B S ·
The verbs of Runic Swedish are as was mentioned inflected into different forms depending on the subject.

Verbs also have different tenses, just like in English, and the past (preterite) tense is formed either with a suffix -ð- or -d-, like in English carve : carved, or by changing the stem vowel, like in English ride : rode. Also in the preterite tense there are different endings for different persons.

In the runic inscriptions most verbs are in the preterite tense, and in the 3rd person, since they usually say something like \"X raised this stone for Y\" or \"Z carved these runes\". Verbs that form their preterite tense with the suffix -ð-/-d- (so called weak verbs) end with -ði/-di in the singular and -ðu/-du in the plural, and those that change the stem vowel (strong verbs) end with nothing in the singular and -u in the plural. With that knowledge of the the verbal inflexion you will get quite far.

· E X A M P L E ·
To say 'Olav raised these stones' in Runic Swedish we need the words OlavR 'Olav', ræisa or resa 'raise', saRsi 'this' and stæinn or sten 'stone'. But we cannot just put them together into OlavR ræisa saRsi stæinn - that would be as much wrong as saying 'I killed he' (cf. above). First of all we must turn 'raise' into 'raised', and for this particular verb that can be done with either -ði or -di (usually either one is used), and after a voiceless consonant like s its consonant too becomes voiceless (just like in English). We then get ræisþi or ræisti.

(Bold letters in runic swedish words on this site mark long vowels!)

The next word must be turned into plural number, and that is done with the ending -aR. But this is the nominative form, i.e. the form for 'he', and just as we cannot say killed he, we cannot say ræisþi stæinaR. To turn stæinaR into the accusative we drop the R and get stæina. The next word is used as an adjective and says something about the stones. It must therefore agree with the stones and the plural accusative form of this word is þæssa.

The entire sentence thus is OlavR ræisti stæina þessa. Words for 'this' and 'that' are usually put after the noun.

Gosh, talk about differences in languages. I am already glad if I can kind of/sort of decipher Latin inscriptions...

BTW, my aunt learned Russian and she said that it does not take long to get used to their writing...

Still, before I hiked in Nepal I tried to learn some of their language, however, I absolutely got lost in their sentence structure, and lo and behold our guides were talking good English and pointing and gesturing was quite fun (with the inn keepers). Ah, well, Coca Cola everywhere...

BTW, even a hundred years ago Germans had quite a different looking alphabet (Suetterlin), which nowadays not too many people can read. I am lucky, learned that in art class (don't ask me why in art class).

I love the look of the Elder Germanic Futhark, though I must admit I haven't studied runic in quite the detail you have. I've always thought it would be interesting to carve something Jedi-esque on a runestone.

This was very insightful. I'd love to learn more. Is there a class in the offing?

I will post more sure...I have some pictures that will help as well.

These are a good portion of the Known Early Runes (They evolved over time into other alphabets too which I'll post later) and thier names, what they represent, What letter they are in relation to the english language, and some ideas as to what they mean when used in divination as well (although I don't really believe in that)




Fehu (F: Domestic cattle, wealth.) Possessions won or earned, earned income, luck. Abundance, financial strength in the present or near future. Sign of hope and plenty, success and happiness. Social success. Energy, foresight, fertility, creation/destruction (becoming). Fehu Reversed or Merkstave: Loss of personal property, esteem, or something that you put in effort to keep. It indicates some sort of failure. Greed, burnout, atrophy, discord. Cowardice, stupidity, dullness, poverty, slavery, bondage.

Uruz: (U: Auroch, a wild ox.) Physical strength and speed, untamed potential. A time of great energy and health. Freedom, energy, action, courage, strength, tenacity, understanding, wisdom. Sudden or unexpected changes (usually for the better). Sexual desire, masculine potency. The shaping of power and pattern, formulation of the self. Uruz Reversed or Merkstave: Weakness, obsession, misdirected force, domination by others. Sickness, inconsistency, ignorance. Lust, brutality, rashness, callousness, violence.

Thurisaz: (TH: Thorn or a Giant.) Reactive force, directed force of destruction and defense, conflict. Instinctual will, vital eroticism, regenerative catalyst. A tendency toward change. Catharsis, purging, cleansing fire. Male sexuality, fertilization. (Thorr, the Thunder god, was of Giant stock.)Thurisaz Reversed or Merkstave: Danger, defenselessness, compulsion, betrayal, dullness. Evil, malice, hatred, torment, spite, lies. A bad man or woman. Rape?

Ansuz: (A: The As, ancestral god, i.e. Odin.) A revealing message or insight, communication. Signals, inspiration, enthusiasm, speech, true vision, power of words and naming. Blessings, the taking of advice. Good health, harmony, truth, wisdom. Ansuz Reversed or Merkstave: Misunderstanding, delusion, manipulation by others, boredom. Vanity and grandiloquence. (Odin is a mighty, but duplicitous god. He always has his own agenda.)

Raidho: (R: Wagon or chariot.) Travel, both in physical terms and those of lifestyle direction. A journey, vacation, relocation, evolution, change of place or setting. Seeing a larger perspective. Seeing the right move for you to make and deciding upon it. Personal rhythm, world rhythm, dance of life. Raidho Reversed or Merkstave: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.

Kenaz: (K: Beacon or torch.) Vision, revelation, knowledge, creativity, inspiration, technical ability. Vital fire of life, harnessed power, fire of transformation and regeneration. Power to create your own reality, the power of light. Open to new strength, energy, and power now. Passion, sexual love. Kenaz Reversed or Merkstave: Disease, breakup, instability, lack of creativity. Nakedness, exposure, loss of illusion and false hope.

Gebo: (G: Gift.) Gifts, both in the sense of sacrifice and of generosity, indicating balance. All matters in relation to exchanges, including contracts, personal relationships and partnerships. Gebo Merkstave (Gebo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Greed, loneliness, dependence, over-sacrifice. Obligation, toll, privation, bribery.

Wunjo: (W or V: Joy.) Joy, comfort, pleasure. Fellowship, harmony, prosperity. Ecstasy, glory, spiritual reward, but also the possibility of going \"over the top\". If restrained, the meaning is general success and recognition of worth. Wunjo Reversed or Merkstave: Stultification, sorrow, strife, alienation. Delirium, intoxication, possession by higher forces, impractical enthusiasm. Raging frenzy, berzerker.

Hagalaz: (H: Hail.) Wrath of nature, destructive, uncontrolled forces, especially the weather, or within the unconscious. Tempering, testing, trial. Controlled crisis, leading to completion, inner harmony. Hagalaz Merkstave (Hagalaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Natural disaster, catastrophe. Stagnation, loss of power. Pain, loss, suffering, hardship, sickness, crisis.

Nauthiz: (N: Need.) Delays, restriction. Resistance leading to strength, innovation, need-fire (self-reliance). Distress, confusion, conflict, and the power of will to overcome them. Endurance, survival, determination. A time to exercise patience. Recognition of one's fate. Major self-initiated change. Face your fears. Nauthiz Reversed or Merkstave: Constraint of freedom, distress, toil, drudgery, laxity. Necessity, extremity, want, deprivation, starvation, need, poverty, emotional hunger.

Isa: (I: Ice.) A challenge or frustration. Psychological blocks to thought or activity, including grievances. Standstill, or a time to turn inward and wait for what is to come, or to seek clarity. This rune reinforces runes around it. Isa Merkstave (Isa cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Ego-mania, dullness, blindness, dissipation. Treachery, illusion, deceit, betrayal, guile, stealth, ambush, plots.

Jera: (J or Y: A year, a good harvest.) The results of earlier efforts are realized. A time of peace and happiness, fruitful season. It can break through stagnancy. Hopes and expectations of peace and prosperity. The promise of success earned. Life cycle, cyclical pattern of the universe. Everything changes, in its own time. Jera Merkstave (Jera cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Sudden setback, reversals. A major change, repetition, bad timing, poverty, conflict.

Eihwaz: (EI: Yew tree.) Strength, reliability, dependability, trustworthiness. Enlightenment, endurance. Defense, protection. The driving force to acquire, providing motivation and a sense of purpose. Indicates that you have set your sights on a reasonable target and can achieve your goals. An honest man who can be relied upon. Eihwaz Reversed or Merkstave: Confusion, destruction, dissatisfaction, weakness.

Perthro: (P: Lot cup, vagina.) Uncertain meaning, a secret matter, a mystery, hidden things and occult abilities. Initiation, knowledge of one's destiny, knowledge of future matters, determining the future or your path. Pertaining to things feminine, feminine mysteries including female fertility, and vagina. Good lot, fellowship and joy. Evolutionary change. Perthro Reversed or Merkstave: Addiction, stagnation, loneliness, malaise.

Algiz: (Z or -R: Elk, protection.) Protection, a shield. The protective urge to shelter oneself or others. Defense, warding off of evil, shield, guardian. Connection with the gods, awakening, higher life. It can be used to channel energies appropriately. Follow your instincts. Keep hold of success or maintain a position won or earned. Algiz Reversed: or Merkstave: Hidden danger, consumption by divine forces, loss of divine link. Taboo, warning, turning away, that which repels.

Sowilo: (S: The sun.) Success, goals achieved, honor. The life-force, health. A time when power will be available to you for positive changes in your life, victory, health, and success. Contact between the higher self and the unconscious. Wholeness, power, elemental force, sword of flame, cleansing fire. Sowilo Merkstave (Sowilo cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): False goals, bad counsel, false success, gullibility, loss of goals. Destruction, retribution, justice, casting down of vanity. Wrath of god.

Tiwaz: (T: Tyr, the sky god.) Honor, justice, leadership and authority. Analysis, rationality. Knowing where one's true strengths lie. Willingness to self-sacrifice. Victory and success in any competition or in legal matters. Tiwaz Reversed or Merkstave: One's energy and creative flow are blocked. Mental paralysis, over-analysis, over-sacrifice, injustice, imbalance. Strife, war, conflict, failure in competition. Dwindling passion, difficulties in communication, and possibly separation.

Berkano: (B: Berchta, the birch-goddess.) Birth, general fertility, both mental and physical and personal growth, liberation. Regenerative power and light of spring, renewal, promise of new beginnings, new growth. Arousal of desire. A love affair or new birth. The prospering of an enterprise or venture. Berkano Reversed or Merkstave: Family problems and or domestic troubles. Anxiety about someone close to you. Carelessness, abandon, loss of control. Blurring of consciousness, deceit, sterility, stagnation.

Ehwaz: (E: Horse, two horses.) Transportation. May represent a horse, car, plane, boat or other vehicle. Movement and change for the better. Gradual development and steady progress are indicated. Harmony, teamwork, trust, loyalty. An ideal marriage or partnership. Confirmation beyond doubt the meanings of the runes around it. Ehwaz Reversed or Merkstave: This is not really a negative rune. A change is perhaps craved. Feeling restless or confined in a situation. Reckless haste, disharmony, mistrust, betrayal.

Mannaz: (M: Man, mankind.) The Self; the individual or the human race. Your attitude toward others and their attitudes towards you. Friends and enemies, social order. Intelligence, forethought, create, skill, ability. Divine structure, intelligence, awareness. Expect to receive some sort of aid or cooperation now. Mannaz Reversed or Merkstave: Depression, mortality, blindness, self-delusion. Cunning, slyness, manipulation, craftiness, calculation. Expect no help now.

Laguz: (L: Water, or a leek.) Flow, water, sea, a fertility source, the healing power of renewal. Life energy and organic growth. Imagination and psychic matters. Dreams, fantasies, mysteries, the unknown, the hidden, the deep, the underworld. Success in travel or acquisition, but with the possibility of loss. Laguz Reversed or Merkstave: An indication of a period of confusion in your life. You may be making wrong decisions and poor judgements. Lack of creativity and feelings of being in a rut. Fear, circular motion, avoidance, withering. Madness, obsession, despair, perversity, sickness, suicide.

Ingwaz: (NG: Ing, the earth god.) Male fertility, gestation, internal growth. Common virtues, common sense, simple strengths, family love, caring, human warmth, the home. Rest stage, a time of relief, of no anxiety. A time when all loose strings are tied and you are free to move in a new direction. Listen to yourself. Ingwaz Merkstave (Ingwaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Impotence, movement without change. Production, toil, labor, work.

Dagaz: ( Day or dawn.) Breakthrough, awakening, awareness. Daylight clarity as opposed to nighttime uncertainty. A time to plan or embark upon an enterprise. The power of change directed by your own will, transformation. Hope/happiness, the ideal. Security and certainty. Growth and release. Balance point, the place where opposites meet. Dagaz Merkstave (Dagaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): A completion, ending, limit, coming full circle. Blindness, hopelessness.

Othala: (O: Ancestral property.) Inherited property or possessions, a house, a home. What is truly important to one. Group order, group prosperity. Land of birth, spiritual heritage, experience and fundamental values. Aid in spiritual and physical journeys. Source of safety, increase and abundance. Othala Reversed or Merkstave: Lack of customary order, totalitarianism, slavery, poverty, homelessness. Bad karma, prejudice, clannishness, provincialism. What a man is bound to.