Home › Glossary › Letter S

Skaldic meter

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A complex Old Norse metrical form used by skalds, featuring alliteration and strict syllabic rules

Detailed Definition
Skaldic meter refers to the complex alliterative verse forms used by Old Norse court poets (skalds), characterized by strict syllable counts, intricate kennings, and internal rhyme (hendingar); it served to praise rulers or recount myths with dense, ornamental language designed for oral performance and mnemonic retention.
Example
Example in poetry:
Egill Skallagrímsson’s “Sonatorrek” uses dróttkvætt, a complex Skaldic meter with internal rhyme and alliteration; Snorri Sturluson’s “Háttatal” demonstrates over 100 Skaldic meters; “Völuspá” employs fornyrðislag, an Eddic meter related to Skaldic tradition; Modern poets like Paul B. Taylor recreate Skaldic meter in English with kennings and strict alliteration.
Additional Notes
Skaldic meter refers to complex Old Norse verse forms (e.g., dróttkvætt) with strict alliteration, internal rhyme, and kennings; composed by court poets (skalds); modern recreations require study of Old Norse prosody.
Also Known As
Norse meter dróttkvætt skaldic verse alliterative long line Old Norse/Eddic
Skip to main content