Kennings

Appositives An appositive is a noun or pronoun that is placed next to another noun or pronoun to identify or give additional information. My friend Paulo sends me long letters from Brazil. The appositive Paulo identifies the noun friend. ~ Renaming ~

Appositive Phrases An appositive phrase is an appositive plus any words that modify the appositive. He is living and working in Harrisburg, the capital city. The appositive phrase, in bold type, identifies Harrisburg. ~ Renaming ~

Kennings are often appositive phrases. Example: HROTHGAR, helmet-of-Scyldings, spake: “… Helmet-of-Scyldings renames Hrothgar. He protects his people as a helmet protects the head.

What phrase renames the dragon? Then for the third time that folk-destroyer, fire-dread dragon, rushed on the hero, where room allowed, battle-grim, burning.

What part of speech is fire-dread? Then for the third time that folk-destroyer, fire-dread dragon, rushed on the hero, where room allowed, battle-grim, burning. Note: The kenning, folk-destroyer, functions as a noun. Fire-dread describes what kind of dragon this is rather than renaming it.

What renames the fight that resulted? Now I turn to Grendel and say in full how the fight resulted, hand-fray of heroes. When heaven’s jewel had fled o’er far fields, that fierce sprite came, night-foe savage, to seek us out where safe and sound we sentried the hall.

Kennings rename, even when not in the appositive. Now I turn to Grendel and say in full how the fight resulted, hand-fray of heroes. When heaven’s jewel had fled o’er far fields, that fierce sprite came, night-foe, to seek us out where safe and sound we sentried the hall.

Metonymy meta  change nym  name i.e. rename Example: Refer to the king as the crown.

The analogy doesn’t always work! The battle-king, said he, far o’er the swan-road he wants to seek, the noble monarch who needed men! Battle-king refers to Hrothgar, the monarch who needs men. But it’s not completely metaphoric: Hrothgar is king.

The analogy doesn’t always work! Ring-giver Refers to king Because he gives rewards, not necessarily rings But the king is actually a giver.