The History of English Podcast Episode 24: Germanic Mythology
May 5, 2013
Explore the influence of Germanic mythology on modern English. Learn about Germanic gods, religious traditions, and their impact on the English language. Discover the mythology of Thor and the debates surrounding the goddess of Friday. Discuss the connection between the Germanic goddess Eostra and Easter. Dive into the Germanic belief in the afterlife and its connection to the sea. Discover the influence of Germanic mythology on literature and its lasting impact on Western literature today.
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Later Norse Sources Shape Our View
- Much of what we know about Germanic mythology comes from later Old Norse writings produced centuries after the early common Germanic period.
- Religious conservatism and oral tradition likely preserved older beliefs, but direct continuity to the earliest tribes remains uncertain.
Roman Labels Hid Germanic Names
- Romans equated foreign gods with their own, calling the chief Germanic god Mercury while the Germans called him Woden (Odin).
- This Roman practice explains why Wednesday derives from Mercury but was replaced by Woden's name in Germanic languages.
Divination Left Linguistic Traces
- Early Germans used 'casting lots' (clutum → lot) and bird signs to discern the gods' will, practices documented by Tacitus.
- These rituals left linguistic traces like 'lot', 'cast', and later borrowings 'lottery' and 'cast away'.