Unnr and Auðr djúpúðga: On Language Change and Scribal Interpretation

In early Icelandic literary sources, such as Laxdœla saga, Eyrbyggja saga, Eiríks saga rauða, Njáls saga, Landnámabók, and Íslendingabók, the daughter of Ketill flatnefr and mother of Þorsteinn rauðr is referred to alternately as Unnr, Uðr, or Auðr with the epithet djúpúðga or djúpauðga. Similarly, the daughter of Ívarr víðfaðmi is now named Auðr, now Unnr. The daughter of Snorri goði, too, is in some sources identified as Auðr while others give her name as Unnr. This inconsistency has often been remarked upon, for instance by Einar Ól. Sveinsson in his edition of Eyrbyggja saga, without, however, attempting to clarify the relationship between the different names.1 The form Uðr is a known side form of Unnr in the nominative, and at first glance, at least, it seems not improbable, as E. H. Lind suggested, that Uðr may have played a role in bringing about this variation or even served as a stepping stone between two distinct women's names, although the details remain unclear.2This paper examines this variation. How did it come about that the names Unnr, Uðr and Auðr alternate? Assuming one replaced the other, what was the direction of the replacement? What was the nature of the change from one name to the other? Was it a language change? Or perhaps some other kind of change? First, the history of the forms Uðr and Unnr will be reviewed before turning to the nature of the alternation Uðr, Unnr, Auðr. After that the manuscript evidence will be examined. Finally, the epithets djúpúðga and djúðauðga will be considered.It is not entirely clear if the woman's name Unnr, Uðr should be associated with the common noun unnr, uðr fem. ‘wave, sea,’ cognate with OE ȳð, OS ūthia, uðia, OE undea, MHG ünde ‘flood, wave’ from PGmc. *unþi-, *unþijō or if it is cognate with the verb unna ‘love,’ corresponding to OE unnan, OS, OHG (gi)unnan ‘love,’ in his the the woman's name and the name the the of the the name Unnr has the of a noun in the in the as for fem. and fem. in the of it to a different at a perhaps the it was not for to The woman's name Auðr, has the Auðr, is associated with the common noun from PGmc. may have to In the woman's name Auðr to the as in too, may have to the at in Icelandic the was in Icelandic in the in common of the to this it in a of women's names in and The names and Auðr two women's names with a history in the is to one is from the the form of the name Unnr as the in the form Uðr the form The of this change in a of the one such as or the was of the and was the other in a of this change to the alternation of and as with in the was in such as and Icelandic and it was to in with the In the was to a the from in a of the forms of the The of from was in the of such as from in fem. of and in the In such as from in the and In such as or the woman's name Uðr, from about in a form in the the in the the was and the was at the of the as with in in the direction the the and the be although clear evidence from the is the of of be such In the be in language forms such as with of and of of not even if such forms have to be in the at a in the woman's name Uðr have and however, not change as is in although it the of change at in to a known as In this the the alternation was of as by the the change The of Uðr, and others as the alternation was The Unnr, and in was a in the to the as in while the the of the nature of in the that it did not to the alternation the and in the alternation to this in and The and in the language and of the other the alternation although is in The of and in the language and for language played a role in the alternation in it is to the may have in one at one in at and in some it to a at least, have been to while not the woman's name Uðr or Unnr, the Icelandic in and manuscript from the of the and the first of the to a of the of and is in from of Icelandic from to of the Icelandic from and from The of is in and for the Icelandic from this a of the and is for in that the while not was a of the Icelandic language at the In this the forms of the and have while the other have two may to the if the woman's name is not in this it seems not to this that the form Uðr was at the of the and from a is in of from the by and of the manuscript of from of a saga, from and of from the of is in and In this the has at the of the to that in the woman's too, the Uðr was to Unnr in this in other language was a the form Uðr and the form Unnr as in this was perhaps variation Uðr, while Unnr, or variation the Uðr in some while Unnr in other however, to may have been variation a seems not however, that the variation was by the The may have referred to as Uðr, a as Unnr, the variation was at and seems that the was referred to by her alternately as Uðr, and Unnr, is to this the form Uðr and from the by Unnr was the form Uðr in the the change that has other in the as in The change the form of the as in by this the alternation of was at a to was replaced by the Unnr, as in in the at the of in some of Icelandic as a of the be of of this change is to it to the in that the Uðr was in Icelandic in the and the in the of the and the it to the form Unnr. Uðr and Unnr, in the language for a a of the form Uðr from the Unnr as the The names and Auðr two women's names with a history in How did it come to that two distinct names in the form Uðr has been to have served as a between the two In the of the the form Uðr The alternation was in of the it been for In the language of of the form was now Unnr, of the Uðr, as in This was the of as a language change the of the form Uðr in the language was it have been replaced by a of not have been to the and it is to a a woman's name a of forms of two and women's names, Auðr in the nominative, in the and and in the if the form was the the change have the forms of the what kind of language change it have come the of the Uðr by Unnr and in was a of the Uðr for that by Auðr have or if the women's names Uðr and Auðr to the as the of as in two distinct with two and of is between two distinct that for one to be by the other in the language of In the of Uðr by Auðr or have by of change? known in Icelandic have the in Uðr to the in Auðr. This not have been a the and the two distinct in the and the to the in a of in the language the the for of and of fem. of and of fem. or of and of rauðr it is to to Uðr and Auðr the alternation in the the Uðr and may have to some The of forms by forms is a often referred to as or this the change from to it in two of the one it in or other one or have in Icelandic from the first and the was as with to the about his in the of the and in Icelandic a of and fem. in a of and the other often to is a from a of Uðr by Auðr seems not to the of what is known as the change the Uðr with Unnr was as a forms in the The first of the Unnr and it as of or Uðr as of or The first of the Unnr the form Uðr even if did not it The of Uðr of the form Uðr for as as not with the Uðr the other forms of the the and and the if by the form Uðr, the and to the other forms have the to it as to Unnr in is not that the form Uðr have been as Auðr in with the of and in such the have been a to the of Uðr of it to and in the it in the or of the this of as the form Uðr was of the and it in the In of Icelandic not the form This however, of as in the the the form is of the it has been replaced by the of Uðr by Auðr is language the of the Uðr by Unnr was in the the form Uðr and of the form it was of the or the of or was as the to the form Uðr in the language of and even if the form Uðr from the it of the the manuscript from In the to the form Uðr was to the to from the form Uðr, and that did not the form as it was of the was to his for the was and it was that the be in a language that was with the language of the to it was for a to forms that of the and the was the of the and as a the from the manuscript was in a may be in the of the form Uðr, as in First, while Uðr was the form or the it was by this is in the the form Unnr in the language the Uðr, to the of Uðr in may have been to it with Unnr. This may have even if Uðr as of to the language of the in with language and that of for the the form Uðr in it to be of the the at of two the one the name in a with other forms of the the and and the to that the form Uðr in to Unnr in his This of not a as it the of the and the of the the other the form Uðr and other forms of the as for a or other of names in the In in the the with the form Uðr and to be to it was a for the Auðr, a woman's Uðr with Auðr, the was the with the Uðr is the with Auðr. The of different from that of a in between two or The to and from his his was to the of the in the manuscript was at in a with a of the Auðr the one and and the The with such a of the a is referred to as Auðr, of two women's to the name of the by one of the the between Auðr, and Unnr, in the of be by In the is the is not the name Auðr be the for is to that the was and the alternation of the two names been in the the change not be a with the for Auðr, not be to the name with Unnr, some of the of the name of the daughter of Ívarr the daughter of Ketill and the daughter of Snorri the of the name Uðr is by a referred to as or This is to from the now saga, the history of the Ívarr víðfaðmi and his a of has in to In the daughter of Ívarr víðfaðmi is by name the form Auðr while one is the one the two the and one the with some in and to edition of in of the and to and in The forms of the names have been in the is that the in of the forms of the different names Auðr and Unnr in to the language This is to be a of a language change in it is to a of the language a woman's name a of forms to two distinct women's names that in the language at the This of the different forms of the names Auðr and Unnr have been in the first form of the saga or the is that the of in the of the from the Uðr, a form that was not of his and did not perhaps it a replaced with this is in The and and by of his language and be The in may have been in the and the this by of the as Auðr, the may have come to the that the was with the Auðr and with a as in in The that was two different names, Auðr and Unnr, to one and the not to have to the in the as the that the form be of In at least, it may have been the for in of in some in that saga been in the and while saga, was a from the of the and from the of the and with some in it seems not to that the Uðr was in saga in the in it may have been in too, the of the In the of the however, the of the Uðr by Unnr was in the the of of Uðr may have been and to at some the of in Njáls saga, first the of is to and Auðr, mother of was Auðr, the daughter of Ívarr of This is the to the daughter of Ívarr víðfaðmi in Njáls saga, as a form in a of names in a other forms of her name in the the a not with the form Uðr be to it as a for Auðr. as that the of Njáls saga this to of the of in the of Njáls have her name as from from from and from the the daughter of Ívarr víðfaðmi is in is of a of the the of early This of is in from the of the manuscript it is perhaps not to the Auðr in Auðr and the in daughter of Ívarr víðfaðmi is in a now in a in by the of the in in the daughter of Ívarr The manuscript from this was in the in it in the of is may have been in the of the form of not at of in the the daughter of Ívarr víðfaðmi is referred to in the sources by of two different the and and the Uðr or Unnr not in the is Auðr. The in in is of the form Auðr, one of the one of the two of the and one of the This of two distinct women's names a and is the of a language change in this of two names have in the her name been Auðr, the it be to the of and What have the to the and one of two with and while the the form been Unnr in the it should not have been for the to is not a of Unnr the of the The for this is the name Uðr, and the of Uðr as in the daughter of Ketill in the first of Laxdœla saga, in the manuscript her name is Unnr or Auðr. Laxdœla saga is to have been the of the or perhaps in the of that and the manuscript has been to the of the The of the manuscript of Laxdœla saga to is by in his edition in the have been by and Einar Ól. and the of Laxdœla saga two and from the The saga is in in one manuscript to a and has been the for and the first have in one of from a of to the In Laxdœla saga is in paper from the and is by the of the a from a manuscript known as was by for of at the of the for and between of the in the it is to what from the manuscript or in is in a of to have for from is not from the manuscript in the of in of the the daughter of Ketill flatnefr is by name in of Laxdœla saga is in with and the and and to the of the relationship of is in first at the it is from that Unnr is the form in the two and the and of of have been in the of the with in In the the Unnr with while of the Auðr. In the Auðr is the form in the The Uðr, however, not in in of the other Laxdœla saga examined. it is to a for the from Unnr to Auðr or Auðr to Unnr, the form Uðr, even if not in the be the for this alternation of the two distinct that the name Auðr forms of the name Unnr in of the and the the form Uðr in the of Laxdœla saga, the now from it was the of Laxdœla saga was in the first instance by Uðr in language and it this is in such have however, a of to the Unnr to Uðr with this is in The of Laxdœla saga in and is the of such the form Uðr from the a of not with Uðr replaced it with Auðr while Laxdœla this is in The in to the of from a manuscript with Uðr and Unnr be in that at with Uðr even if to Unnr. is not to that Uðr while it with Unnr. The with a of Uðr and Unnr in the nominative, at the of a at a with a of Auðr and Unnr. The in is a of to the of Uðr in the of the a from the is referred to as perhaps Auðr, of to the name this is in In the of the be by In the of the daughter of Ketill flatnefr in Laxdœla saga, as is clear from the form is by the In a the Uðr been replaced with Auðr, this the to her name as Auðr, forms of the name Unnr. The in is the of such of a with at to the of Uðr in the of the of the however, often The of the form Unnr in the of the in is by in This is at the of it is that Ketill flatnefr his daughter to before and daughter of his with and of his other In the form is a of the name Unnr in the as in and a of other and by the and of have Unnr in even if is referred to as Auðr in The of the two names the and by to daughter as Auðr Unnr or as for the and and the and Unnr of the and as by the of the or from the now manuscript from the of the the a of the name Unnr, by now with the was of the and the and or with a In to the of his the the in the and Unnr in and have as such in in the it seems that the manuscript the and and the and Unnr in the of to the of the daughter of Ketill in In the names by his language Unnr, as in the in is a corresponding in a manuscript from the be that the Uðr in the of the as by the Auðr in is to the this was the of a to the of the in a other of was in In the the Auðr. the of with the of be of such a form have been as a for be that the daughter of Ketill flatnefr was named Uðr, in the of Laxdœla The in The form Uðr was for as as it the Uðr with the Unnr the form Uðr from the with it replaced it with Auðr The with the Auðr, the to the the was by the form of the name in Laxdœla saga, the Auðr was the for the of the the been in of the name Auðr, of Unnr, was turning Laxdœla saga in a manuscript with the of Auðr, not have for it with Unnr, have that the of Laxdœla saga in the of the saga, the of and the of the early early of seems the between Laxdœla saga and the of have been and while of the two seems the other, to a common of of First, the to in the by in from a not from was in the in in the to a of is in of the to while in the by in the often to Snorri of of two have been in from In to the two of the one the a by of of and and in the other the a by of of with and from the while it was in and daughter of Ketill flatnefr is in is referred to as Auðr, in the name to in the of to in the This in not the early of the first of to have been in the early as early as the of the from the and the of forms of the name in the and the that the of Laxdœla saga, early of Landnámabók, her name as Uðr, In the early the Uðr, was in the language and in the and language the of Landnámabók, the name the different in with the Uðr replaced by some with Unnr while with Uðr it as for Auðr and her name was the Auðr of with daughter is in Íslendingabók, in the in two a and by in for Sveinsson of the for a of the and not with a from from the language and in the now to have been not from to the daughter of Ketill flatnefr in in the in of The first to her is in Auðr, the daughter of Ketill a in the of from her name as in and The is in the in the Auðr the in the in in was the mother of Þorsteinn it is In in the name with at the of a to have to his and even of the it seems to the name was with at the of a in his The forms and may have from of and perhaps in the perhaps as a the the may have been and as the was at the the may have to The is that this is the Uðr the did not was it is in and the Uðr, Unnr, have been of his language and his at the of of in the early the form Uðr of the language the as the in and have been in at the of was from the of the Uðr in it not be his Íslendingabók, his to to Ketill daughter was and Þorsteinn and Laxdœla saga to as a of the of Þorsteinn the about the of it is that the of Laxdœla saga a to the of this In the to the of Landnámabók, with early the of has of in the of the the it has been that early his of the Uðr in his Íslendingabók, the between and the of Landnámabók, as as the in of in the early the that Ketill daughter was referred to as Uðr, in the daughter is in Eyrbyggja saga in and in the nominative, in the and in the The of Eyrbyggja saga have been First, a to as the or of paper from the to or the of the now manuscript from the In daughter is referred to as Auðr in the and in the and by by Ketill and by a as the of the two the from and from and the at the of Eyrbyggja saga have been This from and from the of have Auðr in the and in the and a to as the or the from has Auðr and too, paper from this a by and as as from the manuscript of Eyrbyggja saga, the forms Uðr or Unnr not Auðr is the name of Ketill The manuscript for early of Eyrbyggja saga, from and from and the other from the or even Eyrbyggja saga to about Þorsteinn at was the daughter of Þorsteinn the not her his of a to in Laxdœla saga the of Þorsteinn seems not to that Laxdœla saga and Eyrbyggja saga to the by Þorsteinn even if as In his Íslendingabók, referred to daughter as In the of Laxdœla saga, too, was named Uðr, seems not to that in the of Eyrbyggja saga was referred to as Uðr, The the of the in the of Uðr as Auðr in the of the name Auðr daughter of Ketill flatnefr in of Eiríks saga saga is in two a of from and from as as paper from daughter is by name in and in In one of the of the name is in the the other and of the nominative, Auðr. The name Uðr or Unnr not of Eiríks saga about and his to the daughter of Ketill flatnefr and his in a in Þorsteinn rauðr and his in a in in and in is a that the of Eiríks saga a for this early of is not to that this was or even the for a in Laxdœla saga and Eyrbyggja In this daughter to have been referred to as Uðr, the of Eiríks saga the of the of the Uðr, as in of the daughter of Ketill flatnefr and her in is in of saga in is in from from from from from and from The name of daughter is Auðr, of the of the This to in Eiríks saga and is from early of with from Eiríks saga and Laxdœla This to early the name was Uðr, that the of saga in to the of the it is not to that in the name has the in in Auðr, however, is in a in from it is about Unnr The in has been identified in a of other with to the at and to in The however, is not in the as the by a to this with to daughter was referred to as Unnr, not Auðr. In saga, is with that of saga the daughter of Ketill flatnefr is in the nominative, in the as Auðr for from and from This to the form Ketill daughter is in of saga her name in the Þorsteinn was by Þorsteinn the of and Auðr The of two the and the from the In and of a to now in this form as and to the of the from to the has the of a of the in the The of the one of the of the to from a now in in the of the In this as and in by it is to have been from the of other, and forms to a to the as it is not by of the The form to be a of different perhaps the forms and or the of Uðr as this in the the of as other from the and to the of the saga, Ketill daughter in and is in The of saga, to the of the a from a from from and from have her name as Auðr, In saga, Laxdœla saga is as a at the of Laxdœla is in the of the of and it is clear that it from In sources, as have daughter was referred to as Uðr, and the of the of saga, it is not to that in the the name has the in daughter of Ketill flatnefr is in Njáls saga as of the of the of in Uðr in djúpúðga djúpúðga was the mother of Þorsteinn the daughter of Ketill was the of this is or in some of the such as and in from and from daughter is referred to as of to with the it is that of other Njáls saga the replaced Uðr with Auðr as in from and from In the of Njáls saga, the daughter of Ketill flatnefr is referred to as Auðr, as for from from from from from and from of Njáls saga The daughter of is a in the first of Njáls saga, and is referred to as Unnr, The two to two different in the the one is the daughter of Ketill flatnefr was of early name in the in a and for this it seems to that the of Njáls saga sources, Laxdœla saga and Eyrbyggja In the of as daughter was referred to as Uðr, The of Njáls saga, in his perhaps was with the form Uðr to the other the daughter of was not to early was of the in the language of the of Njáls saga and his this the Unnr replaced The form Unnr, was of the from the was in of replaced by Auðr in the of the the of Laxdœla saga that in the of the saga, Ketill daughter was referred to as Uðr, In the the in to be in After the Uðr with Unnr, as it with language and that of to the form Uðr in early and it as a for Auðr In to the Auðr was and of and replaced by and The of Njáls saga, is the from Laxdœla saga, Uðr was and replaced by Auðr. a of Uðr to have a with her and her is as a in Laxdœla saga and Eyrbyggja saga to Uðr and her and in his seems to have been referred to as