Kenning

· from Old Norse

What is a kenning?

A kenning is a compressed poetic metaphor, usually a compound, that names something indirectly, like whale-road for the sea.

Kennings are characteristic of Old Norse and Old English poetry. Classical Chinese poetry uses comparable fixed poetic epithets, such as 金烏 jīnwū (golden crow) for the sun and 玉兔 yùtù (jade rabbit) for the moon. Modern Chinese compounds like 電腦 diànnǎo (electric brain, computer) have a similar descriptive logic.

Examples

whale-road (the sea, Old English hronrād); bone-house (body); 金烏 jīnwū (golden crow: the sun); 玉兔 yùtù (jade rabbit: the moon)

Kungfucius says: Why say sea when you can say whale-road? Vikings were the original copywriters.