How to ACTUALLY pronounce names from Norse Mythology (Icelandic) 

When you are naming IKEA furniture and you accidentally summon Jörmungandr.

Depressed American: I wish I was never born. Depressed Scandinavian: I wish I was never bjørn.

I am from America and I am not offended at all. I actually enjoy learning the correct way to pronounce words. So thank you for putting this video up

It's pretty crazy how things can change so drastically depending on region. I'm Swedish and there is a very clear difference on how you prenounce them here

"What is Thor hammer's name?" " *J O H N A T H A N ?* "

Well Chris is an Aussie....in Australia Thor's Hammer is called "Mate".

Old languages are beautiful. Norse, Japanese and Welsh I think are some of the nicest sounding languages to the ears. I could listen for hours it’s so soothing.

Just for fun, I thought I'd add the names with their Swedish spelling 3:08 - Oden 3:25 - Frigg 3:51 - Loke 4:07 - Tor 5:01 - Mjölner 5:17 - Heimdall 6:16 - Nidavellir (sometimes also referred to as svartalfaheim if I remember correctly)

The greatest Norse name of all. *Jonathan*

Ah, yes. Odin's wife, *Frick.*

As an American trying to teach norse mythology to my kids (and being completely foreign to it myself), I LOVED this video. SO HELPFUL. Thankyou for saving me from my American butchering of names!

This is so interesting that the LL sound in Icelandic is almost identical to the sound it makes in Welsh!

When you realize the spanish version was actually pronuincing the names in the correct way

Icelandic: Loki American: Low Key

Now I'm interested in learning Icelandic, I love the LL and the "rolling" R pronunciation Thank you!

She is right when she said that “the Icelandic pronunciation is the correct pronunciation", and I'll tell you why. Because Icelandic is the closest modern language (alongside, or partially with Faroese) to Old Norse, because those languages where isolated from continental influence (not like Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, etc). The ignorance in this comment section is overwhelming tbh.

Rocket: Nidavellir is real??!! Drax: Thats a made up word. Thor: All words are made up.

People who disliked aren't worthy of lifting the Jonathan.

I am very proud of the people who brought those words to English they did a very good job of simulating the sound as closely as possible with the sounds of a lovable in the English language. I am a polyglot, I speak a lot of languages, those words are translated as close as possible. You expect too much from an English tongue that is not used to making certain sounds.

could you do more of these? i’m a complete norse mythology nerd and this was really interesting to me, i’d love to know how to say more norse names correctly. maybe do how to pronounce each of the nine worlds + yggdrasil

Icelandic: Rolls the r Spanish: *Finally a worthy opponent*

"You have to roll the R!" German guy: "Ah sh*t, here we go again..."

As a Spanish speaker, this is so natural for me. How we pronounce our Rs is basically the same. I think I should learn some Icelandic.

Interesting. If I may add - we also have some older names for these Deities here in Germany, like Odin is Wotan, Thor is Donar, Frigg is Frija (not to be confused with Freya, though I guess historically they were sometimes conflated, too). Cool.

This reminded me of Hermoine telling Ron how to pronounce Leviosa

She's right, "Ragnarok" does sound pretty cool in Icelandic.

Idk about the Eddas but the Havamal originated in Norway and was put into actual text in Iceland. Iceland seemed to be far more advanced than Norway and cares more about spirituality and preservation of religious practices than Denmark so most all texts for Norse Mythology come from Iceland. So grateful for Iceland for this. Probably the most important people from the Viking Age because without Iceland we wouldn’t really know any of the old stories. Y’all did the most for transcribing the history 👏🏼

It’s fun to be Hispanic; you’re used to rolling the pronunciations or phonetics of certain letters and words in other languages.

"Very strong R" Spanish people: Piece of cake

English: *Loki* Icelandic: *Lowkey*

This is highly fascinating to watch and I love learning something new. Thank you. Thor, Loki, Mjolnir and Ragnarok are my favourite pronunciations. The way you say Mjolnir and Ragnarok is extremely pleasant to hear.

Thank you so much for sharing, that was wonderful. Hearing the sounds brings it all to life. Our Elders taught us that the language( Native ) is your connection to your Ancestors and Nature. The sound of Norse sounds like all the natural elements of Iceland( rocks, ice, volcanos, lava, ocean wildlife) all coming together in these beautiful words and names voiced by humans. So as it says.. in the beginning was the Word.. this is very true for Norse. Never doubt yourself or your culture, its part of something powerful and beautiful that stirs artists and musicians !

Hrafna: "You need to roll the r's" Spanish dude: *Hold my beer i got this*

Iceland: I have the hardest to pronounce names in the world! Wales: Hold my Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

People from Iceland should be narrating these norse mythology stories.. so beautiful to hear the language and the words said properly

I appreciate you being willing to make this. I know some show hosts were attacked online for trying to correct this or that - but I can’t imagine anyone having an issue with you teaching people proper pronunciation of words that belong with a world they want to know more about. I have found myself playing this several times already. Thanks.

What´s the name of Thor´s hammer?" "Jonathan?" Made my day. xDD

Her: You have to roll the R Me a Spanish speaker: my time has come

Fun fact: old Norse and old English are very similar in the sounds used. This is because there was a lot of Norse colonization back in the 800’s and 900’s all the way up to 1066. Once you hit that year for some reason there is a ton of French that gets injected into English and pronunciation of words starts to change very rapidly. By the late 1400’s English pronunciation becomes close enough to modern English that you can start to understand it as a native English speaker.

Lady, I could listen to u all day and deepen my Norse Mythology knowledge too :) Keep up the good work !

Don’t mind me, just prepping for assassins creed

"What is the name of Thor's hammer?" Paul Rudd: "Jonathan?"

Norse mythology is not solely originated in Iceland; it has its roots in the broader Germanic and Scandinavian cultures. The term "Norse mythology" encompasses the myths and legends of the North Germanic peoples, which include the inhabitants of present-day Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. The majority of the surviving Norse mythology texts come from Iceland, particularly from the 13th century, known as the Icelandic Sagas. These sagas, along with other literary works like the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda, were written down in Iceland. The Icelandic sagas, in particular, provide a wealth of information about the myths, legends, and historical events of the Norse people. While Iceland played a crucial role in preserving and recording Norse mythology, the roots of these myths extend to a broader geographical and cultural context, encompassing the entire North Germanic region. The mythology was orally transmitted for generations before being written down, and its origins can be traced back to the pre-Christian era when these stories were an integral part of the religious and cultural practices of the Norse people.

I've been studying norse mythology for a little under a year and it's really interesting! The names are closest pronounced in Icelandic due to the fact that the texts are originated from there but the belief itself was from Scandinavia and some parts of Germany (which is why it's also called Germanic mythology). Old Norse is an entirely other language from Icelandic but it's really close and amazes me on how close they are. I'm trying to learn the ancient language of Old Norse so maybe I should learn some Icelandic as well as it could help me! I think it woul dbe really cool:) great job!! Really love this:)

Every Icelandic word sounds like a Death Metal band to me.

I like Jane Foster's assistant calling the hammer "mju mju" like she gave up pronouncing it.

The information is appreciated! I've been trying to learn how to roll my R's better when I pronounce things. It takes a bit of doing lol. Can I ask if you know of any good sources where I can learn the Icelandic language and pronunciations in depth? It's such a beautiful language and I've been dying to learn it! 💜

1. Old Norse - the language the eddas are written in is quite similar but still different from Icelandic and therefore pronounced differently. 2. Old and middle English is also quite similar to old Norse, they called Odin Woden and likely had different variations of the myths about him than the eddas. To addres the thumbnail: When the English started using the Latin alphabet instead of runes they struggled with how to write ð and first wrote it like y (why some old pubs are named "ye red duck" etc.) But only later used th to write the ð sound so we now write the and not ye.

-Roll the R! Me, a portuguese: _-caRRRalho!!!_

Only He who is worthy of wielding JONATHAN will rule Asgard

As someone physically unable to roll their Rs it looks like my dream of learning Old Norse (the predecessor to Old English, which led to our language) or modern Icelandic is forever beyond my reach. It appears to be very common, more common than any romance language.

💯 to Loki being the favorite character. He’s consistently the best part of every MCU project he’s been in. ❤

Everyone knows Thor's hammer is called Mew Mew

Little known fact, Loki also created Ikea. Many a good man has entered and never left it's halls. A more cunning trap than Daedalus' Labyrinth.

While the written mythology of the Norse definitely originated in Iceland with Snorri in the 13th century, those texts were from the North Germanic and Scandinavian tales and skalds from much earlier. The earliest being attributed from around the year 800.

I'm so sorry, but it's not originated from Iceland, but Scandinavia, being Norway, Denmark and Sweden at that time. If you they teach you otherwise in school, they are wrong. Just do some research. Your name pronunciation I will say is pretty spot on! Norwegian language has changed a lot and Icelandic is closer to the old Scandinavian language. You should be proud your country has kept the tradition with the language. I'm from Jotunheimen, Norway. Norse or Scandinavian (Old Scandinavia being Norway, Denmark, Sweden) mythology comprises the pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian people, including those who settled on Iceland, where the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. The one who is given credit as the first Icelandic settler is Ingolfur Arnarson (from Norway) as he was the first to stay permanently in the year 874, and chose Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, to be his home. His brother, Hjorleifur, came with him accompanied by a flock of men. Still today you’ll find locations and tokens originating from those men. Not only in place names but also in commemorative statues and rebuilt settlements all around the country. This is why many say that when you visit Iceland you’ll quickly see that Icelanders are extremely proud of their heritage. However, it wasn’t until Hrafna-Floki (from Norway (Ravn-Floke being modern norwegian name translation), one of the early travelers in mid 9th century, stayed in Iceland over winter that Iceland got its name. One day after the harsh winter, he walked up to one of the surrounding mountains near Flokalundur and found himself overlooking fjords packed with ice. The name stared him in the eye and Iceland came to be.

Hrafna: *pronounces Thor correctly* Me, a Slavic person: t..t.. Perun

Icelandic: Rolls the "R" Spanish: Finally a worthy opponent Meanwhile in Czechia: That's so cute

I think it comes down to how different countries pronounce certain letter combinations. And if you grow up not rolling your R’s it can be tough trying to do so. Like in Norse/Icelandic the ll (LL) its with a ck sound but in English it is like a lull or ell sound. It depends on the word. But thank you for the informative video.

Idk why but i’m giving you a virtual hug. 😊 you’re awesome. Take care

Being Polish and knowing English and German is very helpful when it comes to speaking Icelandic words Yeah, I just realized

Cmon chris hemsworth is australian. We stuggle to even speak english let alone Icelandic

As a Norwegian, I’d like to contribute some information. Pronunciations of Norse gods vary not only between Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland but also within regions due to differences in R pronunciation. In Stavanger, Norway, the R is not rolled but has a more Arabic sound, pronounced further back in the mouth. Vowel pronunciation also differs.

My friend from South Carolina is Norse Pagan so I want you to picture the already messed up American pronunciation of the standard American accent and add a southern draw

Being talked down to has never been hotter. Odin- Odthen? Loki- Low Kay Thor- Tthorrr Friga- Freak Mjolnir- Johnathon

My dog: *barks* Hrafna: "It's bjark"

In defense of the English language, it has its own rules for pronouncing sounds, just as any other language has its own rules for pronouncing sounds. So the Old Norse name Þórr becomes Thor in English. That's just the way languages work. It all depends on the language and how sounds are pronounced in that language. "Thor" might seem weird/funny to an Icelander because they're used to the way these names in Norse Mythology are pronounced in the Icelandic language, but to someone like myself, who is American, the English pronunciation of "Thor" is just fine.

Ragnarok sounds so cool in Icelandic. And I know you are not making fun of Americans. You are just telling the correct pronunciation. And there is nothing wrong with ❤❤❤

“I’m a huge marvel fan” Me: I like this one

Roll the R Spain: *Hold my CeRRRveza RRRubia RRRobeRRRto*

ACTUALLY modern Icelandic pronunciation presented in this video is only one of two possible ways of pronuoncing names from Norse Mythology the other being reconstructed medieval pronunciation. Technically both are correct but in my opinion medieval pronunciation is more appropriate since it reflects the way Icelanders spoke at the times when Eddas were written down.

i used to watch these movies with hungarian dub, and in that version they actually pronounce Mjölnir and Ragnarök correctly! (probably cause we also roll the "r" and we also have the "ö" sound) but they pronounce everything else similar to the original english version

Norse mythology isn't originated from Iceland, but from Scandinavia before Iceland was even settled by the Norwegians. But vikings didn't really write stuff down like the Christians, except a few rune stones. So a few hundred years after the viking age an Icelandic writer/chief (Snorri Sturluson) started to write down sagas about the mythology and viking legends.

Norse: Loki is Thor's Uncle Marvel: Yes, he is Thor's Brother

greetings from sweden! my mom is from iceand! keep up the good work!!

Fun fact; pronunciation of this names vary greatly between Scandinavian countries. Icelandic, if anything, seems to be closer to the old norse than other modern nordic languages... but is not the [only] correct way.

Icelandic girl: Americans can't roll the R Literally every single Latin American around: Rold My Cerveja

In Sweden se also learn about North Mythologi. We also have the roling R's but we say "Loke" not "Loki". But your language is more like ancient nordic, witch is pretty cool if you ask me. I have hurd that icelandic people can understand swedes more than we can understand you.

Pronunciation is also changed depending on which country you are in. For example Odin in some countries and in some times was pronounced with a v or a w.

I'm American. The one I really struggle pronouncing is Heimdallur. the "k" sound for the LL followed by a "U" and then a rolled R is proving incredibly difficult for me lol

they way they pronounce "Loki" is how Shrek said "Donkey"

3:08 - Odin 3:25 - Frigg 3:51 - Loki 4:07 - Thor 5:01 - Mjolnir 5:17 - Heimdal 6:16 - Nidavellir

Basically take the character and roll the R. Wow such a drastic difference. Imagine saying the same exact name with and without and accent.

I love her struggling with saying some english words sometimes like in majority. Its so funny and cute 😂😊

Kat Dennings calling Mjolnir “meowmeow” was very accurate/believable

How to pronounce Loki American: Low-key Icelandic: Lohkeh, wot ere ye doin in me swomp!?

I could listen to you talk for hours and hours

So many apologies, but as an English speaker, I NEEDED THIS! Never apologize! So wonderful to hear in your tongue; those double L's were especially helpful!

I had the captions on and when you said "Americans don't roll their r's" it said "Americans don't roll their arse" 😂😂😂

Icelandic: With the strong R! Spanish and Russian: That's a soft R hahaha

thank you so much for sharing this this means so much to me as a Canadian born descendant who is half Irish and Swedish and Finnish (Sami) and trying to reclaim my roots by listening to the audiobook versions red by British and American narrators of the old Norse tales but having no idea how to actually pronounce the names of The gods of my ancestors. I am so profoundly grateful that you have shared how to properly pronounce the names like my Scandinavian ancestors would’ve like to hear me pronouncing them.

Iceland wasn’t discovered or at least settled on until at least 870, by Norwegians so these words would have come from them (if not Sweden or Denmark) and were used hundreds of years before Iceland was discovered. In fact, most Norse mythology and conquests were documented first by the English Saxons as they were the only ones who could read or write. So Iceland essentially adopted it or was discovered by people who already followed the religion they didn’t invent it.

I mean, to be fair, in most languages, names change to fit the accent that is being spoken. It’s not purely an American thing

The satisfaction you get when you realise that icelandic letter ð looks almost identical to the greek letter δ and you can pronounce it with out a problem. I was amazed the first time i saw it

i love how your pronounce loki in a strong west yorkshire accent

I love this language so much. Hopefully I get through with my German soon so I can get into Icelandic. Really beautiful and raw, blunt, strong sounding.

American racecars: Vroom Scandinavian racecars:Vjrøöm

-"Roll the R" -Spanish speaking people: He entrenado para este momento toda mi vida

I expected them to be wildly different, but in the end I'd say the difference is little, I do understand the frustration for a native speaker, but for me it's not a big deal... By the way, I LOVE your name "Hrafna" It just sounds so cool...

I'm Viking Brethren bushcraft Christian southern man but I'm Viking & somehow I naturally pronounce anything I'm told if I hear it properly!