The Missing Voice of the Berserkir: Positing New Information for the Etymological Evidential Category

Abstract This article takes the long-debated topic of the berserkr warrior-type and addresses a previously unresearched piece of information for the etymological evidential category. The circa late-ninth century poem, Haraldskvæði , or ‘Words of the Raven’, serves as the basis for this examination of two verbs used to describe sound generated by berserkir and ulfheðnar as well as other potentially connected sounds, such as those made when drawing a sword. The literature and controversy within this topic are outlined and critiqued prior to discussion on the likelihood of these two verbs being used as descriptors of sound generated by predators and therefore strengthening the claim that berserkir wore bear-shirts. It is hoped that etymologists are able to proceed from this article and evaluate the verbs in greater detail.